Bollywood stuntwoman and stunt director Geeta Tandon has called out the production team of India Ke Top 1% over what she described as a deeply disappointing experience on the sets of the Star Plus reality show. In a detailed social media post, Tandon alleged that she and her son were made to wait for nearly nine hours despite being invited to appear on the show as guests. She also addressed host Anil Kapoor, Farah Khan and the show’s production company, Banijay Asia, raising concerns about the way they were allegedly treated.
Hosted by Anil Kapoor, India Ke Top 1% is a game show featuring around 100 participants competing for prize money of up to Rs. 1 crore. The show airs on Star Plus and also streams on JioHotstar. Tandon said she had agreed to appear on the programme without any payment, believing it would offer her some visibility. However, she alleged that the experience left her feeling disrespected.
Opening her post, she wrote, “20 years in this industry. And yesterday, I was reminded how little respect people working behind the scenes are sometimes given.” Explaining how she came to be on the sets, Tandon said, “My name is Geeta Tandon. I have worked in the film and television industry for over two decades, as a body double for some of the biggest actresses in the country and as a stunt director. I have dedicated years of my life to this profession, often working behind the camera, and I have always taken immense pride in what I do. Yesterday, I was invited to appear as a guest on the show India Ke Top 1%, to interact with Anil Kapoor, along with my son.”
According to Tandon, the production team had repeatedly followed up with her for the appearance. She claimed that she gave up a day’s work and even called her son back from Goa specifically for the shoot. Recalling the events of the day, she said she reached the set at 12:30 PM and was informed that her segment would be filmed within a few hours. However, the wait allegedly continued through the day, with little communication from the team. She further alleged that she and her son were made to sit in a tent without proper updates or clarity about when they would be called. Tandon said that when she eventually confronted the production team, she was met with another response that she found unacceptable.
Recalling the exchange, she wrote, “The production manager, Jaydeep, responded, ‘If they want to leave, let them leave. But they can’t leave without signing.’ Signing what? And why should anyone be made to feel that they cannot leave after being kept waiting all day?” Tandon claimed that she and her son eventually left the set at 9:15 PM, after spending nearly nine hours there. Emphasising that the appearance was unpaid, she said the least she expected was basic courtesy and respect for their time.
Addressing Banijay Asia, Anil Kapoor and Farah Khan, she clarified that she did not know how much they were aware of the alleged incident and was not suggesting that they had personally instructed anyone to treat them that way. However, she wanted them to know about the experience of guests invited to the show.
Concluding her post, Tandon highlighted the larger issue of how professionals working behind the scenes are treated in the entertainment industry. She wrote, “The person standing behind the camera deserves the same dignity as the person standing in front of it.”
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A post shared by Geeta Tandon (@geetastunt)
She also dedicated her post to stunt professionals, junior artists, body doubles, technicians, background performers and other guests, reiterating that respect should not depend on someone’s celebrity status.
At the time of writing, the allegations shared by Geeta Tandon had not been accompanied by a response from the show’s production team, Banijay Asia, Anil Kapoor or Farah Khan.
Also Read: India Ke Top 1%: Anil Kapoor says daughter Sonam Kapoor gives him “tough competition” at family game nights
