Poonam Dhillon hits back at CINTAA allegations, calls Upasana Singh's claims defamatory
Synopsis
Nearly half of CINTAA's Executive Committee has resigned, and the association's president Poonam Dhillon is now publicly fighting back — calling former general secretary Upasana Singh's allegations defamatory and damaging to one of Bollywood's oldest industry bodies. The internal war of words has put governance, accountability, and the future of CINTAA's leadership all in play.
Key Takeaways
CINTAA president Poonam Dhillon addressed a press conference on 24 August , calling Upasana Singh's allegations defamatory and hurtful.
11 of 21 Executive Committee members resigned earlier this month, including 8 elected members .
Resigning members cited loss of confidence in leadership and demanded fresh elections.
Complaints alleged misuse of position by Dhillon and senior vice-president Padmini Kolhapure , including unfair decision-making and financial mismanagement concerns.
Upasana Singh and former treasurer Deepak Parashar alleged leadership had become undemocratically concentrated around the two veteran actresses.
Veteran actress and Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) president Poonam Dhillon has publicly expressed 'extreme hurt' over allegations levelled against her by the association's former general secretary, actress Upasana Singh, saying the claims have damaged CINTAA's reputation and misrepresented the facts. Dhillon addressed the controversy at a press conference in Mumbai on 24 August, insisting she felt compelled to place the 'right version' of events before the public.
What Poonam Dhillon Said
'I am very sad that the general secretary of the previous committee ruined CINTAA's name. She defamed CINTAA. Such wrong things about CINTAA have never been said in our history. So, I am very sad about that,' Dhillon said at the press conference.
She stressed that certain facts needed to be clarified so that the public did not accept the allegations as the complete truth. 'We need to clear a few things. Because, until the right version reaches you, people will think that they are speaking the truth,' she added.
The Resignations That Triggered the Crisis
The dispute escalated sharply earlier this month when 11 members of CINTAA's 21-member Executive Committee stepped down. Eight of those who resigned were elected members — Hemant Pandey, Mukesh Rishi, Sahila Chadha, Hetal Parmar, Puneet Issar, Vindu Dara Singh, Vikas Verma, and Deepak Parashar. The resigning members cited a loss of confidence in the association's functioning and called for fresh elections.
At the time, Upasana Singh, then serving as general secretary, confirmed the resignations and said the departing members had filed complaints alleging that Dhillon and senior vice-president Padmini Kolhapure had misused their positions.
Allegations of Undemocratic Functioning
The complaints raised concerns about alleged unfair decision-making, lack of consultation with the Executive Committee, and the handling of official communications, including financial matters. Upasana subsequently accused Dhillon and Kolhapure of running the association in an undemocratic manner, alleging that members who did not agree with the two veteran actresses — or did not say 'yes, madam' to them — were issued show-cause notices.
Former CINTAA treasurer Deepak Parashar joined Upasana in alleging that leadership had become overly concentrated around Dhillon and Kolhapure. Dhillon has previously rejected accusations of authoritarian functioning, calling some of the allegations against her and Kolhapure 'offensive'.
What Happens Next
With nearly half the Executive Committee having resigned and calls for fresh elections growing louder, the internal dispute at one of India's oldest film industry bodies shows no sign of immediate resolution. The competing versions of events — from the current leadership and the dissenting members alike — are likely to be scrutinised as CINTAA navigates its governance crisis in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
It is a structural breakdown. Dhillon's press conference rebuttal, however forceful, does not address the core demand for fresh elections. Until an independent mechanism audits the complaints — on finance, decision-making, and communication — both sides will keep winning their own press cycles while the institution loses credibility with every passing week.
NationPress
25 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Poonam Dhillon in a controversy with CINTAA members?
Poonam Dhillon, president of the Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA), is at the centre of an internal governance dispute after 11 of the body's 21 Executive Committee members resigned, alleging misuse of position and undemocratic functioning by her and senior vice-president Padmini Kolhapure. Dhillon has rejected the allegations, calling them defamatory.
Who is Upasana Singh and what did she allege?
Upasana Singh is an actress who served as CINTAA's general secretary. She alleged that Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure ran the association in an undemocratic manner, issuing show-cause notices to members who disagreed with them and concentrating leadership power between themselves.
How many CINTAA members resigned and who were they?
Eleven members of CINTAA's 21-member Executive Committee resigned, of whom eight were elected members — Hemant Pandey, Mukesh Rishi, Sahila Chadha, Hetal Parmar, Puneet Issar, Vindu Dara Singh, Vikas Verma, and Deepak Parashar. They cited a loss of confidence in the association's functioning and called for fresh elections.
What did the resigning members allege against the CINTAA leadership?
The resigning members alleged unfair decision-making, lack of consultation with the Executive Committee, and concerns about how official communications and finances were handled. They also alleged that members who did not comply with the directives of Dhillon and Kolhapure were issued show-cause notices.
What is CINTAA and why does this dispute matter?
CINTAA — the Cine and TV Artistes' Association — is one of India's oldest and most prominent bodies representing film and television performers. Its internal governance crisis matters because it affects the welfare and representation of a large number of working actors in the Hindi film and television industry.
