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New Delhi: Actors Sonu Sood, Gurmeet Choudhary and Jan Shakti Janata Dal president Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday stepped forward to support comedian and actor Rajpal Yadav, who surrendered before Tihar jail authorities following the rejection of his plea by the Delhi High Court in multiple cheque-bounce cases.

Tej Pratap Yadav, elder son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, announced financial assistance of ₹11 lakh to Rajpal Yadav and his family. In a post on X, he said the support was being extended “in the spirit of human compassion and solidarity” during an extremely difficult phase for the actor’s family.

Actor Sonu Sood said he had signed Rajpal Yadav for his next film and would offer the signing amount as immediate support. Calling the comedian a “gifted actor” who has delivered years of memorable performances, Sood urged producers and filmmakers to come together, saying assistance extended with dignity was not charity but solidarity within the industry.

Gurmeet Choudhary also expressed anguish over Yadav’s situation, describing him as an “immensely talented artiste” who had brought laughter to millions. He appealed to the film fraternity to unite with compassion and help find a solution, saying the industry must stand by its own in times of crisis.

Rajpal Yadav, known for films such as Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Phir Hera Pheri, Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Hungama, faces outstanding liabilities of nearly ₹9 crore linked to his 2010 directorial debut Ata Pata Laapata, which failed at the box office. He had borrowed ₹5 crore for the film from a private firm. The Delhi High Court, while rejecting his plea for additional time, noted that Yadav was required to pay ₹1.35 crore in each of seven cheque-bounce cases and directed the release of amounts already deposited with the court registrar to the complainant.