CINTAA Crisis: Eight Board Members Resign, Demand Fresh Elections Over Governance Row

Mumbai

In a major development within the entertainment industry, eight elected executive committee members of the Cine and TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) have stepped down from their positions with immediate effect. Expressing a lack of confidence in the organization’s current operations, the outgoing members have called for fresh elections.

CINTAA General Secretary Upasana Singh confirmed the names of the eight resigning members: Hemant Pandey, Mukesh Rishi, Sahila Chaddha, Hetal Parmar, Puneet Issar, Vindu Dara Singh, Vikas Verma, and Deepak Parashar.

Collective Resignation Over Governance Concerns

The resigning members stated that their collective decision stems from repeated deviations from democratic consultation, collective decision-making, and constitutional norms within the association.

• Centralization of Power: They alleged that decision-making has become concentrated around CINTAA President Poonam Dhillon, Senior Vice President Padmini Kolhapure, and a few select committee members.
• Unilateral Actions: The members claimed Poonam Dhillon repeatedly took unilateral decisions without executive committee approval, including using her personal email address for official communications with government officials and industry bodies.
• Misuse of Position: The resigning group accused both Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure of misusing their positions. However, they clarified that CINTAA as an institution has not been dissolved and remains dedicated to protecting artists’ rights.

Poonam Dhillon Denies Allegations, Hits Back

Responding to the allegations, CINTAA President Poonam Dhillon rejected the claims, stating the controversy arose after certain individuals failed to achieve their desired outcome through legal channels.

• Hurtful Language: Poonam called the accusations against her and Padmini Kolhapure deeply offensive and expressed distress over the language used against them, emphasizing that her integrity and self-respect are paramount.
• Leaked Messages: She highlighted that derogatory text messages and voice notes were circulated among members via WhatsApp to undermine their reputation, calling the content unacceptable and defamatory.