Filmmaker Kamal Amrohi’s son Tajdar Amrohi has revisited his family’s long-running dispute with Preity Zinta, questioning the actor’s claim that she had given Rs 2 crore to his late brother Shandar Amrohi and was later seeking the money back from his family. In a recent interview with Vickey Lalwani, Tajdar also dismissed reports that Shandar had planned to leave his share of the Amrohi family property to Preity, amid reports that the property was valued at Rs 600 crore.

Questioning the timing and proof of the money claim, Tajdar said, “She filed a case saying that she had given this money and wanted it back. So I responded by asking, why did she ask for it so long after Shandar’s death? Why didn’t she ask for it while he was alive? Why did this controversy not arise when he was alive?”

He also questioned whether Preity had documentary evidence to support the alleged transaction.

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“She said Shandar sahib had asked her for Rs 2.5 crore and that she wanted it back with interest. If you had given the money, there would be a receipt or some proof. In whose presence did you give it?”

What was Preity Zinta’s Rs 2 crore claim?

The dispute dates back to 2013, when Preity approached the Bombay High Court seeking to recover Rs 2 crore that she said she had given to Shandar during his financial and legal troubles. Her suit also sought around Rs 80 lakh in interest, calculated at 18% annually from the day after Shandar’s death.

According to the petition, Shandar had been fighting a legal battle over his family property and was not financially capable of meeting the expenses. Preity claimed that he had asked her for monetary help and assured her that the money would be repaid once he became financially stable. The money, she maintained, was not given as a gift or charity.

Shandar died in August 2011. Preity said she approached his family a few months later for repayment but received no response. She eventually filed the recovery suit in November 2013.

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Tajdar disputed the claim and maintained that he was not aware of any such financial arrangement between his brother and Preity. He had also questioned why she was seeking the money from the family after Shandar’s death.

The Bombay High Court subsequently directed Shandar’s legal heirs to disclose details of bank accounts operated by them and by Shandar. The court also restrained his widow from creating third-party rights in certain property while the proceedings were underway.

What was the Rs 600 crore Amrohi property claim?

Shandar, the eldest son of Kamal Amrohi, had publicly described Preity as his adopted daughter. In 2011, he was reported to have said that he intended to make a will leaving his property to her. He had also spoken about making her a director in Mahal Pictures, the company associated with Kamalistan Studio.

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However, Preity herself repeatedly denied that she had been adopted or that any will had been written in her favour.

In 2011, she wrote on Twitter, “For the final time,I would like to say NO ONE HAS ADOPTED ME OR WRITTEN A WILL 4 ME. I helped Mr Shandar Amrohi in his time of need. He is a very nice man but NO ONE can EVER take the place of my Father in my life. I am not off the street that I need someone else’s wealth (sic).”

A year earlier, she had also publicly said that she was not interested in inheriting Shandar’s share of Kamal Amrohi’s studio. “I won’t accept Shandar Amrohi’s share of Kamal Amrohi’s studio,” she had said.

Tajdar has now rejected the idea that a Rs 600 crore inheritance existed.

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“While Kamal Studio was being sold, there was talk that his share was worth Rs 600 crore and that he would give it to her. That is completely wrong. Rs 600 crore would have to exist in the first place to give it. He didn’t adopt her as his daughter.”

Did Shandar Amrohi consider Preity his daughter?

Tajdar also spoke about the relationship between his elder brother and Preity, suggesting that Shandar’s desire for recognition played a role in his closeness to the actor.

“He had this complex about being the elder son. He wanted people to know him too, just as they know me. People have been writing about me since 1972, whether it was about Kamal sahib or Meena Kumari. On every birth and death anniversary, they would come to interview me, and it would appear in newspapers or on television. That used to make him jealous.”

Tajdar claimed that Shandar was a fan of Preity and would send her gifts despite not knowing her personally.

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“My brother had this flaw that he used to send her gifts. Sometimes he would send a refrigerator, sometimes a watch. Preeti didn’t even know him. He used to send her gifts as a fan. He knew that people would talk about it.”

He added, “The refrigerator was one thing, but there was also a watch. There were several things. I don’t want to get into all that now, but he used to send her gifts.”

What was the Amrohi family property dispute?

The background to the controversy was a property battle between Kamal Amrohi’s three children — Shandar, Tajdar and Rukhsar.

Shandar had filed proceedings against his sister Rukhsar and her son Waseem over allegations concerning shares in Mahal Pictures, the company that owned Kamalistan Studio. Preity supported Shandar during that period and even accompanied him to a police station in connection with his allegations.

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It was during this period that reports about Shandar’s connection with Preity and his plans for his property became public. Shandar spoke about leaving his property to her, while Preity maintained that she had helped him because she considered him a good man, not because she expected to inherit his wealth.

What happened to Preity Zinta’s Rs 2 crore case?

Preity’s Rs 2 crore recovery suit is still pending. The case has gone through several procedural hearings over the years, with the Bombay High Court passing orders related to the disclosure of bank-account details and other aspects of the proceedings.