The turmoil within the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) has intensified following allegations of misuse of power and funds against Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure, as 11 members of its 21-member Executive Committee resigned. Amid competing claims over the association’s functioning and whether fresh elections are now required, former CINTAA treasurer Deepak Parashar, who was among those who stepped down, has spoken exclusively to HT City, clarifying that his resignation was not linked to the allegations or the ongoing internal differences.
I had resigned twice previously: Deepak
Parashar, who was elected to the committee in 2024, says his primary motivation was to work for members in need. “I was happy to serve our needy members because that was the prime reason for me joining CINTAA. I was there for almost two and a half years and I did my work very, very well. I looked after not only the needy members but also the elected committee,” he says. At 74, he says he considered the committee and staff like family. “I would put food for them with a lot of love and affection. I considered the elected committee and the staff as my children, the same as the members of CINTAA.”
However, Parashar reveals that he had submitted his resignation twice before the mass resignation, citing growing differences within the leadership. “The president and the general secretary, after approximately a year or 15 months, suddenly were not on the same page. There was so much discord happening, so much humiliation, shouting, screaming and a very, very bad atmosphere. All that hurt me a lot,” he says. “I’m an older senior citizen and all these people are my children. I just thought that if I don’t interfere, I get out of the whole thing. So I resigned twice earlier.”
According to him, he had stepped down about a week before the mass resignation and was later asked to sign the collective resignation letter. “I said, why do you want my signature because I have already resigned? But my reason is definitely different from whatever is being portrayed,” he says, stressing that he does not consider himself to be on either side of the dispute. “It is not that I’m not with anybody, whether it is Poonam or whether it’s Upasana Singh or whether it’s the other EC members.”
Poonam did not want to accept my resignation: Deepak
On allegations against Dhillon and Kolhapure, Parashar says his longstanding relationships with both cannot influence how he views their responsibilities as office-bearers. “Poonam Dhillon and Padmini have been my colleagues and have been through every thick and thin for the last 50 years. But when you’re in a responsible seat as a treasurer or a president or general secretary, then you can’t keep relationships in mind. You have to do what is right. So I followed that thing,” he says.
He also recalls Dhillon urging him to withdraw his resignation, citing his attendance and contribution to the association. “Poonam immediately wrote back that you are the best person for the post of treasurer and you have the maximum attendance of 39, whereas even the president, senior vice-president and general secretary had an attendance of maximum 29,” he recalls, adding: “She said, ‘We will not let you resign. We will not accept your resignation. We’ve told you millions of times that you do much, much more than a treasurer’s job and you have love for everybody equally.’”
The mass resignation has also raised questions over CINTAA’s current status and the possibility of fresh elections. Parashar says the matter was referred to the Labour Commissioner and the federation. “When the mass resignation happened, immediately it was forwarded to the labour commissioner because we come under the labour laws. Then it was sent to the federation, which is the mother body. Because the majority resigned, there is no CINTAA anymore until a fresh election is done,” he claims.
Whether it is legal or illegal, the labour commission will decide: Deepak
He says a separate committee was subsequently formed by Dhillon, Kolhapure and those aligned with them, with an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) also proposed. However, Parashar says the legality of the new arrangement is not for him to decide. “They have made a new committee. They have a new president, new senior vice-president, new general secretary, new treasurer. Let them do whatever they have to. Whether it is legal or illegal, the labour commission will decide,” he says.
Beyond the leadership dispute, Parashar says two institutional matters were among his priorities as treasurer: an MoU between CINTAA and CORT, and the implementation of labour codes. He claims around ₹11 lakh was pending from CORT when he was in office and says a formal agreement was needed to clarify the responsibilities of both bodies. “An MOU has to be signed as to who’s going to be doing what. It was said that lawyer to lawyer it will be done, so that was also acceptable by both CINTAA and CORT,” he says.
He adds that the mass resignation put these issues on hold. Following his exit, Parashar says he also informed the banks that he was no longer authorised to function as treasurer. “I’m an Army officer’s son and I’ve lived by the rules. I wanted to intimate the banks that I am no more treasurer after the 7th, which was the day I signed the mass resignation charter. Any cheques signed by me and sent to you, kindly do not entertain them,” he says.
Box: What the main issue is about?
The CINTAA dispute centres on allegations of misuse of power and funds against President Poonam Dhillon and Senior Vice-President Padmini Kolhapure, alongside claims of growing internal differences over the association’s functioning and decision-making. The crisis escalated after 11 of the 21 Executive Committee members resigned, triggering a dispute over whether the existing body can continue or whether fresh elections are required. The matter has been referred to the Labour Commissioner, while Dhillon and Kolhapure, along with those aligned with them, have formed a separate committee and proposed an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). Both the allegations and the competing claims over CINTAA’s leadership remain contested.