An FIR has been registered against Kannada star Dhruva Sarja at Mumbai’s Amboli Police Station following allegations by producer and director, Raghavendra Hegde that the actor accepted ₹3 crore for a film project but failed to deliver. The dispute, which dates back nearly a decade, involves claims of advance payments, stalled projects, and cross-state legal notices.
According to Raghavendra Hegde, after the 2016 success of his debut Jaggu Dada starring Darshan, he agreed to collaborate on a new project titled The Soldier with Dhruva Sarja. Between 2016 and 2018, Raghavendra says, Dhruva remained in regular contact about the script and requested ₹3 crore even before a formal contract was signed.
The director alleges that Dhruva indicated the amount would be used for purchasing a flat, and that he raised the funds through a high-interest loan of ₹3.15 crore. The money was allegedly transferred to RH Entertainment, a company owned by Dhruva Sarja, with the understanding that the actor would commit to the film.
While the official agreement was eventually signed on February 21, 2019, Raghavendra Hegde claims he also spent an additional ₹28 lakh for publicity and scriptwriting. Soon after, Dhruva Sarja allegedly distanced himself from the project. Multiple complaints were lodged with the Karnataka Film Chamber before Raghavendra filed a formal complaint in Mumbai, prompting police to register the FIR.
The Actor’s Camp Responds
A close associate of Dhruva Sarja has denied the allegations, calling them “false statements.” Speaking to the media, the associate claimed that discussions about the soldier-themed story had been ongoing for years and that meetings with Raghavendra took place as recently as June 8 this year.
According to Dhruva Sarja’s team, Raghavendra Hegde had suggested bypassing Kannada cinema in favour of making the film directly in Tamil or Telugu, but Dhruva insisted on prioritising Kannada. The associate says Raghavendra disagreed and, on June 10, issued a legal notice from a Mumbai court. Dhruva Sarja’s team replied to the notice on June 15, and lawyers from both sides are now in talks.
The statement also disputes Raghavendra Hegde’s version of events from 2018, insisting the director’s claim that the team became unreachable after taking the advance is “completely untrue.”
The case adds a legal twist to Dhruva Sarja’s already busy professional calendar, with multiple Kannada projects in the pipeline. The actor, who is currently waiting for the release of KD: The Devil, a film by KVN Productions, in multiple languages.