After Mimi spat, stars, managers focus on ‘macha’ shows and laws that guide them
Times of India | 20 February 2026
Kolkata: All eyes are on ‘macha' shows after organiser Tanay Shastri, facing a harassment case, sent a legal notice threatening a defamation suit against actress and former Trinamool MP Mimi Chakraborty and publicly disclosed the honorarium he claimed she charged. This prompted star managers to tighten contracts and enforce stricter protocols, from non-disclosure of fees to strict adherence to no direct on-stage communication between stars and organisers, to limit reputational, legal, and on-ground risks in Tollywood's largely unregulated live-event circuit.
Shastri said he served Chakraborty a legal notice seeking Rs 20 lakh in damages and an apology, warning that he will file a defamation case within days if the demands are not met. Prosenjit Chatterjee's manager, Mohor Sen, said the actor's appearances run under strict, watertight protocols to minimise reputational risks. Neither she nor her team deals directly with organisers, all communication goes through an agency. "Organisers cannot take the stage or the microphone, felicitation is completed before the show begins, and any urgent message must be routed to the agency, which briefs Dada (Chatterjee) and leaves the final call to him," Sen said.
When an agency is involved, an event organiser often does not know what a star actually charges for an event. The contracts between the star and the agency ensure a monthly or yearly amount for shows. What the agency gets over and above that by getting the programmes is not the concern of the star. "But we strictly maintain that the organiser will not be told about Dada's remuneration. This trend of organisers revealing remuneration is alarming. In most cases, it can be false," she said. Tollywood's star managers are calling for strict non-disclosure agreements to stop the practice immediately.
Another sore point is the arrival of stars at events. Sharmistha Mukherjee, who manages Rituparna Sengupta, said late arrivals are accounted for in contracts. "We first send a list of dos and don'ts where we also mention an approximate delay time in case of emergency. If there is a jam en route, we also inform organisers about the issue and ask if they can handle the crowd. Recently, there was a jam and our car got stuck. Didi made a video that was shown to the crowd. In case of cancellation of an event, we also mention that the show will be held on a mutually agreed different date. Only when the organisers send a consent note we proceed," Mukherjee said.
Unlike some Tollywood celebrities, Chatterjee is known for his impeccable sense of timing. "That too is mentioned in our contract with the agency. We are informed well in advance about the time when Dada has to take the stage. If the time is 6 pm, Dada will reach the hotel at 4.30 pm. He will rest there, freshen up, and then change his costumes before reaching the venue," Sen added.
Mukherjee added that organisers' backgrounds are thoroughly vetted. "In light of Mimi's event, we also are stricter about having one person with authority from our team to fire-fight on the ground if there is any issue."