2 film producers sued over Bollywood thriller

Karma - in the form of a lawsuit and a temporary restraining order - paid a visit Friday to the producers of a Bollywood movie that filmed in Philadelphia last fall, then left town owing money to hundreds of local actors and vendors.

Swish Films, of Melbourne, Australia, and Dharma Productions, of Mumbai, India, were slapped with the lawsuit, which cites breach of contract for the production of its thriller, known as "Jihaad" or "KP-15," according to documents filed in Common Pleas Court on Friday.

The lawsuit seeks in excess of $150,000 to be paid to in unpaid services and expenses for 25 of the vendors.

It also requests a restraining order that would prevent representatives of Dharma - which changed its name to Karma Films while it continued to shoot "Jihaad" in New York City last month through Sunday - from leaving the United States with its assets, primarily the footage already shot in New York, according to the lawsuit.

The filmed scenes are the only assets under U.S. jurisdiction and thus would "preserve the status quo and restore the parties to the last peaceful, uncontested status which preceded the controversy," according to the lawsuit, filed by Justin Wineburgh with Cozen O'Connor.

Dharma initially hired Swish to supervise production of the feature last fall.

The dispute began when a Swish producer sent out checks in late December, warning actors, vendors and crew members to wait until after Jan. 9 to cash them. The checks bounced anyway, leaving more than $500,000 in unpaid bills.

Dharma has since offered certain workers half the amount they are owed in return for signing a waiver that nullifies any legal action against the company. In other cases, Dharma paid the full amount owed, including to the City of Philadelphia and Teamsters Local 107.

Those stiffed and named in the lawsuit include Fishtown bar Johnny Brenda's (owed $972), Mike Lemon Casting (owed $7,971) and Kitchen Sink Fabrications (owed $1,060).

Dharma and Swish will be hit with more litigation this week, said Center City lawyer Michael H. Rosenthal, who said he will file a suit on behalf of 60 actors and independent contractors. *