Priyadarshan breaks silence on Rajpal Yadav’s jail term, says he made a ‘blunder’ because of poor education

The filmmaker is currently busy with the post-production of his film Bhooth Bangla. Speaking with Midday, Priyadarshan said, “I have known Rajpal for over 20 years. I saw him for the first time in Jungle [2000] and was surprised by his performance. My first film with him was Malamaal Weekly [2006], and after that, he has starred in most of my films. I told the producers [Jubilee Films] of my next to pay Rajpal more than what he charges because of his situation. We want to save him. The producers have agreed. Rajpal plays the villain in my movie.”

Rajpal Yadav surrendered in Tihar Jail on February 5 after the Delhi High Court declined to grant him more time in long-pending cheque bounce cases. The actor, known for films such as Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Waqt, Phir Hera Pheri, Partner, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Hungama and Chup Chup Ke, is facing liability of nearly ₹9 crore in connection with the cases.Rajpal borrowed ₹5 crore from Delhi-based Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to fund his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata (2012). The film’s commercial failure led to heavy losses and a financial dispute. In 2018, a magisterial court convicted the actor for cheque dishonour under the Negotiable Instruments Act, sentencing him to six months’ imprisonment — a decision upheld by a sessions court in 2019. The amount due eventually rose to nearly ₹9 crore.Several celebrities have stepped forward to support him since the news of his jail term surfaced. Sonu Sood was among the first to publicly offer his help. Gurmeet Choudhary, Guru Randhawa and Mika Singh have offered financial assistance.