By Tracey Khan – Drakes
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Performers out of India, who were brought to Guyana for the ‘Superb Bollywood Show’ are crying foul over the Promoter’s mistreatment and refusal to honour their financial agreement.
International Guyanese Promoter Ram Jodha who lives in New York and Kumar Saxena from India had scheduled three shows across the country for the three singers who were flown in from India; however the shows were postponed and the promoters now owe the singers over US$2,000.
The renowned and prominent playback singers include Shavin Bhawtt, Sangeeta and Himmat Kumal. They have over 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry.
The first show was scheduled for the Port Mourant Ground in Berbice, but the crowd turnout was poor and the singers were told they no longer needed to perform.
They were told that the postponement was as a result of the inclement weather. The other two shows were scheduled for Georgetown at the Everest Ground on Saturday and on the West Coast of Demerara at the Uitvlugt Ground on Sunday; however those two shows never materialized.
Sangeeta Kumal told iNews that she has never been more humiliated after performing across the world for over 14 years as she was in Guyana. She is contending that they should be paid since the unfortunate dilemmas were not their fault.
“We left India, we left on the 9th, we left so many shows because this is full season time…and we came here and no shows are happening and actually we were working for less payment because we though it’s a new country, Guyana we have never come here so let’s go and perform because what happens is new avenues are open in some new countries that we perform.”
She also explained that after arriving in Guyana, they stuck to their end of the deal.
“Wherever they asked us to go for press interviews, for channel interviews, all those interviews everything we did according to their plan.”
She believes that the shows were not properly publicized. Following their arrival in Guyana, they were taken to a city hotel but payments were not made for their stay.
“We were denied even food from the hotel because they said whoever are Ram Joda’s guests, we won’t give food without you paying, either you pay cash or we are not serving you and it is so insulting. I have travelled all over the world and never experienced anything like this first time in Guyana and it was a disaster.”
The singers are fearful of the promoter and requested this news agency to only publish the story after they would have departed Guyana for India this morning.
This guy rob everybody in Guyana. He was using people to do his show and his intentions were to rob them and get away until he got caught by the police after complains came against him for not paying the hotels, artiste, sound company, star party rental and the list goes on. I did so much for this guy when he was going through his divorce even spend my money and we talking about couple thousand dollars. When I ask him back for my money he told straight in my face that he doesn’t know me and get out from his office (Allstate Insurance). This guy is a crook and he’s paying his dues..
Ram Jodha is an international Crook, he robbed me and then filed bankruptcy, he doesn’t have a pot to piss in, and how can he do a show?
The police officers who confront and ‘bring down’ these bandits should be publicly commended and rewarded by the Guyana Police Force.Such gesture would generate enormous benefits in the fight against crime.This initiative may also be extended to legitimate firearm holders.