Karan Singh Grover will be replaced as a lead of Zee TV’s Qubool Hai. He reportedly lived out his contract. CINTAA says actors are now sapped between tighter contracts, work pressure and their higher aspirations
Starry tantrums and unprofessional attitude has landed many actors in trouble and now Karan Singh Grover is on the firing line. The actor will be replaced as a lead in Zee TV’s show Qubool Hai and the channel has issued a string statement accusing the actor of “unprofessional behaviour” and “lack of commitment.”
A source from the sets shared the details on what compelled the channel to take such a step, “Karan, unfortunately, has a history of being notorious and obnoxious when success favours him. He had done the same thing when he was the lead for Dill Mill Gayye where he behaved in an extremely unprofessional manner and left the show in its peak. On Qubool Hai, we have always tried to accommodate and tolerate all his no-shows, late reporting, whims and fancies but Karan seems to have no regard for this show which gave him fame and adulation. He was the most pampered on the sets. But, he has been extremely unprofessional for the past few months. He showed no interest in the show. Due to his unavailability and tantrums, the storyline had to be changed constantly. Where most lead actors work for a minimum five days in a week for a daily fiction series, Karan reported on the sets for barely five hours in a week. Being an alcoholic didn’t help matters either as his drinking issues had him come on the sets in an inebriated condition at times, upsetting the shoot and other actors schedules. He doesn’t even cooperate with his co-actors. All this made it impossible for the unit to work with him. The creative team has had a tough time with him and his nonchalant and indifferent attitude could not be tolerated any longer so the channel has decided to replace him. The show’s content could not suffer beyond a point!”
Ajay Bhalwankar, content head of ZEEl, said, “Unprofessional behaviour will be always accorded with strict disciplinary action. Actors should not take things lightly when they agree to be a part of a show as their erratic behaviour can affect the livelihoods of many others who are working on it. No actor can hold shoots or dictate their terms and conditions to an extent that it hampers the show. We have initiated legal action and will announce his replacement soon.”
On the condition of anonymity, one of Karan’s co-actors from Qubool Hai shared that it did not come as a shock to them and they saw it coming. She added that his contract was over and hence he was to be replaced.
However, this is not the first such case reported. Sometime back the same fate was meted out to Ulka Gupta for her lack of dedication towards Khelti Hai Zindagi Aankh Micholi. Jiyaa Manek was replaced from the Star Plus show Saathiya and the channel stated, “The association with Giaa Manek has been discontinued due to unprofessional conduct and breach of contract from the actor’s side.” The actress who moved on to do Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and other shows feels that it is right for the channel to discontinue association if something wrong on the actor’s part comes to light. “I can’t comment on Karan Singh Grover’s case since every contract and its terms and conditions are different. But I don’t think channels are too strict and I feel if anyone is unprofessional, he or she has to pay for it,” she said. But a strong statement from the channel does harm the career of an actor, we asked. “It depends on the actor and the case,” she said.
Gajendra Chauhan, vice president, Cine and TV Artiste Association (CINTAA) said, “I personally feel it is wrong. The channel cannot sack any actor in this manner. Not just actors but the entire unit is paying heavy price for the war between channels. Channels follow each other’s shows and get writers to mould the script overnight, which is creating a mess in the industry. It puts pressure on the actors, writers and directors to work beyond their shifts. Now they shoot overnight and the shows are broadcast next morning, which is not a healthy sign. Having said that, I believe that channels don’t sack actors over minor complains.”
Actor Karan Grover says such cases are on rise because actors tend to lose patience easily once they are at the peak of their career. “You have to work for 20 hours and 30 days a month. So it’s a matter of patience and tolerance. It’s a tedious process and gradually actors tend to run out of their patience. After the success of shows, they also expect some perks and relaxation which is not possible in any way since the schedule and shooting hours remain the same. In recent times, the avenues have opened up for the actors. It’s not just daily soaps, actors are a part of reality shows, endorsements and stage performances. So they don’t want to be bound by schedules all the time,” he said.
The actor remained unavailable for a comment, but he reportedly said that he will share his side of story soon.
Inputs Divya Kaushik , Karan Bhardwaj