Kiku Chiranjeevi Producer Deepti Nadiminti Makes Allegations Against Actress Kashish Khan

The upcoming Telugu film Kiku Chiranjeevi has found itself at the centre of an unexpected controversy just days before its theatrical release. Producer Deepti Nadiminti has publicly spoken about difficulties she says the production team faced with actress Kashish Khan during the making and promotional phase of the film.

Starring Kiku Yanamala and Kashish Khan in the lead roles, Kiku Chiranjeevi is directed by Shubha Sai Venkat and produced by Deepti Nadiminti under the Kiku Entertainments banner. The film is scheduled to reach theatres on August 28.

The issue came to light during a recent pre-release media interaction in Hyderabad, where questions were raised about Kashish Khan's absence from the promotional activities. Rather than simply addressing her non-attendance, producer Deepti discussed what she described as disagreements with the actress over payments and participation in the final stages of the project.

Producer explains the payment dispute

According to Deepti, the production team followed the payment schedule agreed upon with Kashish Khan during the filming process. She said that while the film's budget increased during production and created financial pressure for the makers, the team still cleared most of the actress's remuneration before sending her back to Mumbai.

Deepti stated that an amount of ₹1.04 lakh remained payable under the agreement. She claimed that the contract specified that this balance would be settled after the actress participated in the promotional commitments connected with the film.

However, the producer alleged that Kashish wanted the remaining amount before joining the promotional activities. Deepti said she was unwilling to release the payment in advance because of what she described as earlier difficulties during the shoot.

Claims about the final shooting schedule

Deepti also described an incident that she said occurred toward the end of filming. According to her account, only a small portion of work remained when Kashish allegedly refused to leave her caravan until a payment issue was addressed.

The producer further alleged that there had been occasions when the actress threatened not to attend shooting sessions if certain demands were not met. Deepti said the situation became particularly difficult after an outdoor schedule, when the team believed it had obtained sufficient footage for the film.

These statements are allegations made by the producer, and there has been no independent verification of the claims. Kashish Khan's response to the allegations was not included in the report.

Producer praises Kashish's acting

Despite her criticism, Deepti did not dismiss Kashish's contribution to the film. On the contrary, she described the actress as a talented performer and said she had done a good job in her role.

The producer indicated that she believes Kashish has the potential for a good career in the industry. Her disappointment, she suggested, was mainly connected to the actress's alleged lack of participation in the film's final promotional activities.

Deepti said the team had contacted Kashish regarding the promotional events but did not receive the response it expected. Her absence consequently became a talking point during the pre-release interaction.

₹1.04 lakh to be donated, producer says

The most notable part of Deepti's comments concerned the unpaid amount. She said that because Kashish had not participated in the promotional commitments as expected, she did not intend to hand over the remaining ₹1.04 lakh directly to the actress.

Instead, Deepti said she planned to donate the money to a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams-related initiative supporting heart surgeries for children. She explained that the decision was connected to the emotional significance of the film and stressed that she did not intend to keep the money personally.

The statement has attracted attention because payment disagreements between actors and producers can often become contentious, particularly when they surface immediately before a film's release.

Kashish Khan's side awaited

Kashish Khan has previously appeared in Telugu films including Anubhavinchu Raja and Kinnerasani. With Kiku Chiranjeevi, she is set to take on another prominent role opposite Kiku Yanamala.

For now, the controversy remains based primarily on the producer's version of events. Whether Kashish will respond publicly to Deepti Nadiminti's allegations remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the makers are continuing with the release plans for Kiku Chiranjeevi. The film is expected to arrive in theatres on August 28, with the recent dispute adding another layer of public attention around its release.