Industry Veteran Upasana Singh Calls Out Internal Power Struggle in Actor’s Guild

Mumbai – On Friday, former SACTA secretary Upasana Singh addressed the press to detail a power struggle that she says is tearing the guild apart. Singh pointed to actress‑producer Poonam Dhillo and Padmini Kolhapure as the main instigators of a campaign against her.

She explained that after eleven executive members—including Mukesh Rishi, Punit Issar and Vindoo Dara Singh—submitted their resignations, the governing body was effectively dissolved. Singh accused the remaining officials of making unilateral decisions, swapping posts without notice and bypassing collective agreement.

“The term ‘aaira‑geera’ was thrown at me in a meeting, meant to diminish my position as a character artist,” Singh said. She also claimed Dhillo and Kolhapure told her she was only a supporting actor, while they considered themselves the only true stars.

Singh reflected on her journey from a small town in Shyarpur to national recognition, emphasizing her desire to support fellow actors, technicians and the broader film industry.

She also recounted a separate episode involving Deepak Parashar, noting that he was mocked for his lack of English, left the meeting in tears, and later required hospitalization for pain.

“The conflict has been ongoing for two and a half years,” Singh warned, “and if anyone else had been in my place, they might not have endured it, which explains the wave of resignations.”