When Amitabh Bachchan praised Rajpal Yadav at 'Ata Pata Laapata’s' music launch event: ‘I have had the good fortune of working with him’

Rajpal Yadav recently surrendered at Delhi’s Tihar Jail in a cheque bounce case linked to his directorial venture 'Ata Pata Laapata'. The development has revived memories of a very different phase.

Years ago, when the film’s music was launched, none other than Amitabh Bachchan attended the event and publicly praised Rajpal Yadav.

What Amitabh Bachchan said at the music launch

Big B’s presence at the launch gave Rajpal a rare moment of validation. The veteran actor praised his colleague warmly and said, “I feel very honoured that Rajpal has invited me here today, and I have had the good fortune of working with him in the past.” He also acknowledged Rajpal’s struggles and perseverance in the industry.

Visibly emotional, Rajpal described Bachchan as Bollywood’s Bhishma Pitamaha.

How the legal case unfolded

The case dates back to 2010, when Rajpal took a ₹5 crore loan from Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to fund 'Ata Pata Laapata'. The film’s box-office failure pushed him into financial distress. Several cheques issued towards repayment bounced, triggering legal action under the Negotiable Instruments Act.In April 2018, a magistrate’s court convicted Rajpal and his wife under Section 138 and sentenced them to six months’ imprisonment.

Rajpal challenged the verdict through multiple appeals. Over time, the pending amount reportedly swelled to nearly ₹9 crore. Although he repaid portions of the dues, including ₹75 lakh in 2025, the courts noted repeated delays.On February 4, 2026, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma rejected his final plea for more time, stating that repeated leniency could not continue, and ordered him to surrender.

Rajpal Yadav’s emotional statement

Moments before surrendering, Rajpal broke down while addressing the situation.

He was quoted by NewsX as saying, “Sir, kya karoon? Mere paas paise nahin hain. Aur koi upaay nahin dikhta… Sir, yahan hum sab akele hain. There are no friends. I have to deal with this crisis on my own.”(Sir, what should I do? I don’t have the money. I see no other way… Sir, here we are all alone.) His words captured his isolation and distress after years of courtroom battles.

The film and cast

'Ata Pata Laapata' released in 2012 as a musical satire. Rajpal both acted in and directed the film. The cast included Vijay Raaz, Ashutosh Rana, Manoj Joshi, Mukesh Tiwari, Mushtaq Khan, the late Vikram Gokhale and Govardhan Asrani.The plot followed Madhav Chaturvedi, whose robbery complaint triggers suspicion, media frenzy and a deeper investigation.