Navjot Gulati SLAMS Maddock Films Over Delay of Pooja Meri Jaan Release: “They Don’t Care About the Small Films”

Ziya Khan 3 weeks agoLast Updated: February 19, 2026

Filmmaker Navjot Gulati has accused Maddock Films of neglecting his long-delayed film Pooja Meri Jaan, attributing the hold-up to unresolved pricing disputes. Gulati revealed that his late father’s final wish was to see the film released before he passed away in 2024.In an interview with Variety India, Gulati shared the emotional toll of the delay. “He kept asking me, ‘Kab aayegi teri Pooja?’ and I kept telling him soon. But it was not to be,” he said, adding that his father died waiting for the film’s release.

Gulati also claimed that co-producer Amar Kaushik has not responded to his calls or messages since October 2025. “I’m tired of calling and texting and yet not hearing back. The only reason I’m speaking out is because they refuse to take accountability,” he stated. Pooja Meri Jaan has faced multiple postponements originally set for 2024, then pushed to 2025, and now still unreleased as of February 2026. While a streaming platform has expressed interest, Gulati says pricing negotiations have dragged on for nine months with no resolution, calling it an “unending cycle.”

The film was initially commissioned as an OTT release for JioCinema. However, after JioCinema merged with Disney+ Hotstar, producers were reportedly told they could explore other platforms.Gulati accused Maddock Films of holding out for a higher price and criticized their reluctance to consider alternative release options. Citing Luv Films’ Vadh 2, which shifted from OTT to theatrical release, he questioned why a similar strategy isn’t being pursued for his film.“They will never sell it unless they get the price they want.

The reality is, they are so focused on big movies now that they don’t care about the smaller films they’ve made,” he asserted. Expressing his fears, Gulati said he doesn’t want Pooja Meri Jaan to suffer the same fate as Shoojit Sircar’s Shoebite, which remains unreleased despite years of talks.

In a social media post last January, Gulati shared the pain of losing his father in November and the lingering regret of not being able to show him what he called his “life’s best work.” Tagged with actors Mrunal Thakur and Vikram Singh Chauhan, the post expressed hope the film would eventually see the light of day. So far, Maddock Films has not publicly responded to Gulati’s recent statements.