Rajpal Yadav’s Rs 9 cr cheque bounce case puts 'Ata Pata Laapata' back in spotlight: All about 2012 film which starred Om Puri and Ashutosh Rana

Actor Rajpal Yadav has found himself embroiled in a cheque bounce case linked to his 2012 directorial venture 'Ata Pata Laapata'. The actor is currently lodged in Tihar jail, and the Delhi High Court has adjourned his bail hearing to Monday. The matter pertains to nearly Rs 9 crore that Yadav allegedly failed to repay. The issue dates back to a business transaction where Rajpal Yadav allegedly received funds—reportedly around Rs 5 crore originally—to finance the production of 'Ata Pata Laapata' but he was unable to repay the amounts agreed upon the complainant company. The financial and legal woes of Rajpal Yadav has brought renewed focus on the ambitious project that failed to perform at the box office.

Ata Pata Laapata movie by Rajpal Yadav

At the centre of Rajpal Yadav's troubles is the 2012 movie 'Ata Pata Laapata' which led the actor-comedian to jail. Released in November 2012, 'Ata Pata Laapata' is the story of a man whose house mysteriously disappears, following which he approaches the law but instead finds himself a suspect. The movie featured a notable cast including the late Asrani, Om Puri, Ashutosh Rana, Manoj Joshi, Govind Namdev, Dara Singh, Vikram Gokhale, Vijay Raaz, and Satyadev Dubey. Yadav's wife, Radha Yadav, produced the film under the banner Shree Naurang Godavari Entertainment Ltd. The name of the banner was after Yadav's parents.

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'Ata Pata Laapata' flopped

The movie failed to impress the audience at the box office due to which Rajpal Yadav was unable to generate enough revenue to repay the loan. Over time, the interest and penalties piled up, and by 2025, the amount he owed had increased to Rs 9 crore. This led to the cheques he issued to his creditor being dishonoured.

Multiple cheques issued for repayment were later dishonoured, prompting legal proceedings under the Negotiable Instruments Act against Rajpal Yadav. Over the years, efforts were made to mediate and resolve the dispute, and his sentence was even conditionally suspended in 2024. However, continued failure to make satisfactory payments ultimately led the court to enforce the sentence.

Rajpal Yadav's long-time friends breaks silence

Amid the legal developments, Rajpal’s long-time friend and co-actor Padam Singh has spoken out in his defence, offering insight into the film’s origins and the circumstances that led to the current situation. In an interview with NDTV, Padam described Ata Pata Laapata as a passion project backed by conviction rather than commerce.

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“He made Ata Pata Laapata with very forward-thinking and with great sincerity. He directed it himself, and most people in the film industry worked on it enthusiastically. Secondly, the investment that came in for the film at that time kept increasing with interest. He is a very mentally strong person and has the strength to face any situation. He has the blessings of Gurudev,” Padam said.

“Many people worked on Ata Pata Laapata. Several well-known actors were part of it. It took about two to two and a half years to make the film, and there was some delay. The film was very grand, and world champion Dara Singh played an important role in it. In my opinion, this was one of Dara Singh ji's last films. Rajpal tried to make a good film, but it did not succeed,” he shared.

Standing firmly by his friend, Padam dismissed any doubts over Rajpal’s integrity. “He is a person with very pure intentions. If he is given time, he has the ability to repay every single rupee to everyone, and he will do so. His intentions are absolutely clean. I have known him since 1997, personally, as family, and as a guru-brother. He has always done things for others,” he said.