Actress Shilpa Shinde files defamation complaint

Actor Shilpa Shinde, who has fallen out with the producers of the TV serial 'Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai' today filed a complaint of criminal defamation against the heads of three industry associations.
She alleged that the associations had imposed a "ban" on her though they have no such power and had warned of action against any production house which employed her, following which she lost some big projects such as "The Kapil Sharma Show" for which she was in talks.
Shinde, through her lawyer Ninad Majumdar, filed the complaint in the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate's court against Harry Baweja, chairman of the Indian Films and TV Producers' Council (IFTPC); Dilip Pithva, chairman of Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and Sushant Singh, Chairman of Cine & Television Artistes' Association (CINTAA).

She had informed the producers of the serial "Bhabhiji.." that she was undergoing treatment and therefore cannot shoot for the serial, the actress claimed.
However IFTPC, CINTAA and FWICE banned her from working anywhere else, and warned of action against any production house if it employed her, she said.
Baweja and others wrote to all the members of their associations and the fraternity at large, asking them not to provide services for any project involving Shinde until she paid damages to the producers of the serial, she alleged.

"The letter is titled 'Disciplinary Action and Non-Cooperation Directive'," the complaint said.

These three associations had no power to ban an artist over her disputes with the production house, Shinde said.
The letter damaged her reputation in the industry, and she lost some big projects such as "The Kapil Sharma Show" for which she was in talks due to the letter, Shinde claimed.
The case is likely to come up for hearing in May. None of the respondents named in the complaint were available for comment.