‘Bloody’ era of Bollywood and underworld: Ram Gopal Varma revealed the scary secrets of the 90s, why were Rakesh Roshan and Gulshan Kumar on target?

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) is known for his outspoken statements and films based on the underworld. Recently, in a conversation with crime writer Hussain Zaidi, he recalled the era of the 1990s, when the shadow of gangsters like Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel loomed over the Mumbai film industry. RGV revealed that the motive of the underworld was not just to get money but to establish its ‘control’ by scaring the big stars of Bollywood.

‘Kill one, recover from ten’: the dreadful formula of the underworld

According to RGV, the actions of gangsters were not random. They deliberately chose influential names like Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Rakesh Roshan. He told that there was a famous saying in the underworld – “Kill one, extort money from ten.” His argument was that whenever he targeted a big star or filmmaker, fear spread throughout the industry. They used this fear to extort money from other people and to have their own way in casting.

Attack on Rakesh Roshan: Was Hrithik Roshan’s ‘dates’ the reason?

Referring to the fatal attack on Rakesh Roshan in January 2000, RGV made a shocking claim. He told that this attack happened right after the blockbuster success of the film ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’.

Reason: Chhota Shakeel reportedly wanted Hrithik Roshan’s dates for a film project.

Result of protest: When Rakesh Roshan flatly refused to give his son’s dates, bullets were fired at him outside his office on 21 January 2000. Rakesh Roshan narrowly escaped this attack, but this incident shook the entire industry.

Gulshan Kumar’s murder: Abu Salem and the battle for credibility

The public murder of music mogul Gulshan Kumar in 1997 had written the darkest chapter of Bollywood. RGV gave several reasons behind this:

Oppose: Gulshan Kumar was not a person to bow to the demands of extortion and he had protested.

Display of Strength: Gangsters like Abu Salem wanted to build their credibility within the underworld. Targeting a successful and influential person like Gulshan Kumar was a means for him to show his power.

Shock news: RGV recalled that when Gulshan Kumar was murdered, he was at producer Jhamu Sugandh’s house and everyone present there was deeply shocked by the news.

From funding to casting: Underworld interference

RGV made it clear that at that time the underworld was not limited to just threats. The crime syndicate had a huge involvement in the funding of films, distribution abroad and even the casting of heroes and heroines. Former Mumbai Joint CP (Crime) D. Shivanandan has also confirmed that many films based on the lives of gangsters were funded by the underworld during that period.