Bhubaneswar: June 27: After being in limelight for chit fund scam Ollywood received another splash for supposedly promoting “Casting Couch” which was unknown to the Ollywood entertainment industry till now. The major production house Urmi Communications’ owner and Badhu serial producer, Binny Samal today held a press meet at the hotel Kesari at 11.30am for justifying the allegation put upon her and her husband, Nihar Samal . Female actor Sarmistha on Sunday lodged a complaint at Mahila Police Station against six producers and directors including Binni Samal and Nihar Samal and accused that they have misbehaved her for providing roles.
Today at the press meet Odisha well known director, Chandi Parija said, “It’s a wrong allegation being thrown upon this production house and on the people associated with it. Casting couch is never been carried out here with any of the actresses. Also it’s not a single-handed person task in fact it’s the channel decision to carry out or now. The concerned channel with the producer and the director carry out the casting issue.
Producer, Binny Samal also said, “We are not associated with such kind of tasks, I myself being a lady we take good care and undergo required safety precaution for our female actresses and the accusation which has come is not bound with proofs. There is no proof to prove that casting couch has been done to her. She was being replaced due to her inacceptable behavior on the sets and also because of the tantrums she used to conduct delaying the shoot. Additionally she also said that this allegation has been mainly made to get a way of being escaped from paying the in debted dues to the production house the amounted to Rs. 4 lakh which was paid to the actress in advance. Thus in order to not to pay the amount, she made this alleged allegation us.”
Both Binny Samal and her husband Nihar Samal said that they had never heard nor experienced casting couch in the industry and it was the first time that they had even heard of the term, surprising the media.
Lead actress of Badhu serial, Madhu, Lead protagonist of Kumkum serial, Rajeshwari and the heroine of the yester years Jaya also said, supporting the production house, “We never found any such misbehavior on the part of the casting team or the staff. We all are extremely comfortable working with Binny mam and she’s a kind of person with whom we find an emotional bond being attached sharing all our thoughts and feelings. In fact because of the actor we face many difficulties at the time of shoot, her language and her rude behavior created headache for everyone at the set.”
The Odia Film Director’s Association on Sunday said that it is insensible on the part of some people to defame the industry for such worthless issues. They further said the allegation should have been made earlier at the time of its freshness and not after a period of 6 months since the day of leaving the show and the channel. Odisha Film Association’s secretary, Sanjay Naik and notable director, Ashok Pati expressed similar views to the reigning issue.
