Bhansali denies allegations of duping insurance cos

NEW DELHI: Refuting allegations that he deliberately put the sets of film ���Black��� on fire to dupe insurance companies, noted Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has told the Supreme Court that the producer has to do with the process of movie making. Being a director his role was limited to directing the actors on the sets and nothing else, Bhansali said.

In an affidavit, Bhansali said, ���Being a director, he merely reports to sets for the direction of the actors. He is neither concerned with the production nor with the procurement of props required which is the function of the producer and his team of assistants.���

Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Black was produced by Applause Entertainment, an Aditya Vikram Birla group company. The Bollywood director denied the allegation that he indulged in the habit of making false insurance claims by setting his film sets on fire.

Bhansali said he has directed four Hindi feature films. The blockbuster movie, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, was shot between August 25, 2000 and June 28, 2002. The studio for making the film was booked by Bhansali Production Pvt Ltd. There was no incident of fire within the sets at the time of shooting, said Bhansali.

However, for making of his another mega movie, Devdas, the studio was booked by Bhansali Production Pvt Ltd and later by Mega Bollywood Pvt Ltd. There was fire near the sitting place outside the sets. This fire was in an open space. No loss was caused to any party or property and no claim of insurance was made by any party, he said.

The affidavit came in response to a notice issued by the apex court on a petition seeking vacation of stay on the criminal proceedings against him in connection of a fire on the sets of film ���Black���. Petitioner Farida Husseinally, an antique dealer, through her counsel Vishwanath Chaturvedi had challenged the Bombay HC order.