The dispute surrounding the Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) has taken another turn, with president Poonam Dhillon alleging that association staff and elected members were stopped from entering CINTAA Tower in Mumbai. Speaking to ANI on Monday, Dhillon said CINTAA had recently received an email claiming that the Cine Artistes Welfare Trust (CAWT) was the actual owner of the building. She said the development came as a surprise to CINTAA members, who she claimed had contributed towards the construction of the tower.
Poonam Dhillon Claims CINTAA Staff Were Stopped From Entering
Recalling the incident, Dhillon alleged that security personnel were deployed outside the premises to prevent CINTAA members and staff from entering.
“Today was a strange day. A few days ago, we received an email saying that CAWT is the actual owner of this building,” she told ANI.
Dhillon further claimed that CINTAA had contributed Rs 6 crore when CAWT was short of funds to complete the project. According to her, the understanding was that the two organisations would have a common office in the tower and that welfare activities for CINTAA members would also be carried out there.
“Who is CAWT to throw our staff out of their jobs? They are not your employees; they are employees of CINTAA. How can you stop them?” she said. The CAWT website currently identifies the property as the CINTAA-CAWT Tower and lists its address in Andheri West.
CINTAA Tower Was Built As A Long-Planned Industry Project
The building has a long history within Mumbai’s film community. The foundation stone for the tower was laid in 2011, with veteran artistes including Dilip Kumar, Aamir Khan and Johnny Lever associated with the project. It was eventually inaugurated in 2023 after years of delays.
The tower was envisioned as a central facility for artistes, with CINTAA’s office, welfare facilities, an auditorium and other spaces.
CINTAA Dispute Escalates After Election Row
The latest clash comes amid an already bitter dispute within CINTAA. Eleven members resigned in August, including eight elected Executive Committee members, citing concerns about the functioning of the leadership. Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure rejected the allegations.
Fresh elections were subsequently held on September 12 after a court allowed the poll to proceed while making its outcome subject to the ongoing legal proceedings. Upasana Singh emerged as the top vote-getter, while Dhillon’s faction did not participate, saying it did not recognise the election process. With the leadership dispute still before the court, the latest disagreement over access to CINTAA Tower adds another layer to the ongoing conflict.