Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has made shocking and sensational revelations about the influence of the underworld on the Hindi film industry in the 1990s. He told that during that period, many big names of Mumbai film industry used to receive threats from gangsters and they were put under pressure regarding films, funding and casting.
In conversation with crime writer Hussain Zaidi, producer Ram Gopal Varma said that the aim of the underworld was not just to make money, but also to control the industry and show its power. “When the underworld wanted to show its power, it used to target big names like Rakesh Roshan, Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan,” he said.
According to Verma, it was not easy to reach the big stars directly, hence fear and violence were resorted to. He said that if any person refused to accept their demands, he would be made an example to scare others. “If someone refused, their aim was to set an example, ‘Look what happened to him, this can happen to you too.’” He also mentioned an underworld saying, “Kill one, extort money from ten.”
Referring to the incident related to Rakesh Roshan, Verma said that after the success of the film “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” in January 2000, he had received threats from gangsters. It is alleged that people associated with gangster Chhota Shakeel tried to control Hrithik Roshan’s film projects. When Rakesh Roshan refused, he was fired upon outside his office on 21 January 2000, in which he narrowly escaped.
At the same time, Verma also threw light on many aspects regarding the murder of Gulshan Kumar, a big name of the music industry, in 1997. He said Gulshan Kumar’s growing success, influence and alleged opposition to extortion demands could make him a target.
Verma said that when this news came out on the day of the murder, there was a deep shock in the industry. At that time he was present at the house of producer Jhamu Sugandh and everyone around was shocked by this incident. Ram Gopal Varma’s revelations once again remind us of that era when crime had reached its peak due to the relationship between Bollywood and the underworld, and the underworld was succeeding in creating terror in the hearts of people.
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