After the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, TV studios, for months now, have spent much air-time dwelling on the alleged illegal consumption of drugs in the Mumbai film industry. The names of the who’s who of the film industry have emerged in the course of investigations. Every year, thousands of youths come to Mumbai in search of stardom one day, but many of them end up getting caught in a “dark world” of exploitation, sex abuse, negativity and failure through drugs and alcohol. Many girls end up as bar dancers, sex workers or get exported to the Arab world as sex slaves.
Each year, many of those struggling in search of name and fame in Bollywood, end up being addicted to alcohol, cocaine, LSD, heroin and many more psychometric medicines which temporarily take them away from their miseries. The strugglers first try to engage with the so-called “elite class” through after hour parties and end up spending whatever little money lent by their parents. The outcome is that they end up on the streets as alcoholic or drug addicts and become permanent customers of drug vendors.
Kangana Ranaut has explicitly elaborated her ordeal during her teens in Mumbai, but very few are brave enough to take on these biggies head on. Of course, it’s only when you are successful, do people listen to you. It takes a lot of courage to be a Kangana Ranaut; even Amitabh Bachchan never uttered a single word against this “wrong doing” in his 50-year career, such is the “terror” or “pressure of the mafia” which controls both finances and drugs in Bollywood.
There are many ways to silence you. You are boycotted like Sushant Singh Rajput; you are killed like Divya Bharti; or, have to leave the country like the very successful director Rajiv Rai of Tridev fame. Gulshan Kumar of T-Series was shot in daylight.
As on date, Mumbai is home to millions of aspirants doing petty jobs to meet both ends. The story of Nawazuddin Siddique is illuminating; he spent 12 years on the streets of Mumbai before making it big.
Coming back to the drug business, it is a billiondollar fortune in Mumbai. No wonder, it attracts every single person enjoying power in public places. The politicians become guardians and partners of crime, the bureaucracy and police officials turn blind, and drug dealers can be seen organising parties without any fear. The neta is present, the police officers are present; hence, all the deeds are legitimatised.
The way the political system reacted against Kangana Ranaut is evidence of the conundrum amongst the stakeholders of the “Dark World” of Mumbai. Instead of supporting her endeavour, she was threatened, her office was demolished and the entire Bollywood kept mum against this atrocity to a small-town girl who made it big with her talent and never-say-die spirit. They are trying to ensure none can dare to speak out anything of the inside muck in public in future.
That there has been no single word from the Bachchans, the Kapoors and the Khans in support of Kangana the hegemony of power corridors of Maharashtra, the underworld, and foreign funds.
Deepika Padukone , Shradha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan are not strugglers; they come from most influential families. The trend is dangerous how the next generation is being ruined by these chemicals in the name of distressing and happiness. Remember, these are petty consumers, the real culprits are whitecollared sharks occupying huge public space and minds. They ought to be brought to light to demolish this heinous conspiracy to keep Bollywood under their control.
Mumbai is the capital city of Maharashtra, the financial capital of Bharat. The Chief Minister and his Cabinet run the Maharashtra government from there. The city is host to some of the richest people and some of the biggest business empires of the world. Some of the world’s biggest brands, companies and establishments in South Asia operate from there. But it looks so vulnerable in terms of safety, security and living.
The current episode reminds us how Chicago was once run by the drug mafia and underworld with a coterie of politicians and the police department. We need to keep the city free of these elements as soon as possible. The NCB, CBI and ED must expose the nexus of politicians without prejudice to any party. The police department too must be reprimanded for how this huge racket is running under its nose. It is time to clean up “Amchi Mumbai” from the clutches of evil forces before it’s too late.
The writer is Research Scholar, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat.