CINTAA elects new leadership following internal dispute and record removal row

The Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) has undergone a leadership transition following a period of intense internal conflict and legal disputes. On September 12, 2026, elections conducted by the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) resulted in Upasana Singh topping the polls for the new Executive Committee, with Sahila Chadha following in second place.

The election followed a series of escalations between two factions. One faction, led by President Poonam Dhillon and Vice President Padmini Kolhapure, was accused by a dissenting group of attempting to illegally remove association records and documents from the Mumbai office via a tempo. Dhillon and Kolhapure defended the move, stating they were safeguarding the sensitive KYC data and records of approximately 9,000 members to prevent them from falling into the hands of unauthorized individuals.

Other points of contention included allegations of data privacy breaches regarding member information and claims that certain individuals had frozen the association’s bank accounts, thereby halting welfare activities and staff salaries. The dispute led to police intervention at the CINTAA office during a heated confrontation between members. The new committee is expected to be formally constituted within a week.