Vishal Johal. “Kokka”. Top Notch Studios. TOP NOTCH MEDIA.

Another day, another con artist in the film industry.

This one goes by the name Vishal Johal, who runs Top Notch Studios, producer of a Punjabi movie filmed in the UK called Kokka.

There is of course nothing remotely top notch about a company or an individual that doesn’t pay their debts, and that is very much the case with Vishal - a man who is more than happy to recruit and use crew but considerably less than happy to actually put his hand in his pocket to pay for their services.

Excuses about late payments there were many, until Vishal disappeared off the scene like a thief in the night. He then refused to respond to emails, as is the usual modus operandi of the fly-by-night operators who cause such misery to those trying to make a living in the business.

Neither of Vishal’s partners-in-crime (Raman Aggarwal and Vikas Sandhu) felt motivated to respond when asked about the missing pay either, keen though they apparently are to reach out to filmmakers so they can “bring your vision to life”. They suggest that anyone who might have an upcoming project to get in touch so “we can work together” - an offer which all and sundry would do well to reject, given their propensity to wander off with other people’s money.

Vishal Johal, Raman Aggarwal, Vikas Sandhu: Freelancers Beware!