Ankita Lokhande, Karan Kundrra, and 23 other celebs got scammed in Rs 1.48 crore energy drink fraud

Imagine bagging a high-profile deal with a hot new energy drink brand, roping in top TV celebs, and throwing a star-studded bash, only for it to crash harder than a failed startup. That's exactly what happened to Roshan Bhinder, owner of Ayman Entertainment, who claims she got swindled out of a whopping Rs 1.48 crore by Sky 63 Energy Drinks ¡ª an Indore-based company that seems to have taken the phrase "energy boost" a bit too literally.

From cheers to fears ¡ª the tale of Sky 63's vanishing act

It all started in July 2024 when Tanish Chhajed and Manu Shrivastava ¡ª who introduced themselves as the bosses of Sky 63 Energy Drinks ¡ª approached Bhinder with a proposal that glittered more than Bollywood¡¯s Filmfare night. They promised a swanky ad campaign starring a galaxy of TV biggies, from Ankita Lokhande to Karan Kundrra, and Bhinder, sensing a golden opportunity, got to work.

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A total of 25 celebrities were locked in for the campaign, and a glitzy promotional party was thrown at a posh Mumbai hotel on August 10, 2024. Imagine the glamour ¡ª over 100 stars attended, hashtags trended, Instagram stories were lit ¡ª but what happened after is the stuff of reality TV drama.

Bouncing cheques and broken trust

Initially, Shrivastava claimed he had sent Rs 10 lakh as an advance. Spoiler alert: the money never made it past his ¡®sent¡¯ folder. Still, Bhinder, probably relying on "good vibes only," went ahead. The campaign rolled out; celebrities delivered their sizzling promotional videos, but when it was time for Bhinder to collect her Rs 1.32 crore fee and Rs 16.91 lakh commission, the party was officially over.

First came the cheques ¡ª two of them, totaling Rs 80 lakh, bouncing higher than a cricket ball at Wankhede. Then came excuses about a mysterious Rs 22.5 lakh transfer from Dubai, which, surprise, surprise, never landed. Meanwhile, Bhinder had already paid out Rs 35 lakh to some celebrities to keep the campaign afloat, digging herself into a financial black hole.

Sky 63 ¡ª soaring high or falling hard?

On October 18, 2024, with no sign of actual cash, Bhinder finally pulled the plug and filed a police complaint. The accused ¡ª Chhajed, Shrivastava, and their squad of Faizal Idrii, Abdul, and Riitik Panchal ¡ª are now facing charges of fraud, and the cops are working to track them down.

While Sky 63 might have planned to give people an "energy boost," they seem to have just drained Bhinder's bank account and faith in business collaborations.

What's next?

With the police on their tails, the masterminds behind Sky 63 might be running out of excuses and energy drinks to chug. As for Bhinder, let¡¯s hope she can recover her dues and this scam becomes a cautionary tale in the glittering yet murky world of celeb endorsements.