In the past week alone, several Bollywood celebs have reported extortion threats and targeted attacks. These incidents have revived fears of underworld-style intimidation reminiscent of the 1990s and 2000s.
Actor Ranveer Singh received a ransom threat via a voice note on Tuesday. On Friday, an alleged fresh threat warned of targeting the actor’s staff and also named filmmaker Rohit Shetty. This comes on the heels of shots being fired outside Rohit’s Mumbai house on Feb 1, after which security was stepped up. A source close to the filmmaker clarifies to us that Rohit’s staff has not been threatened in the new voice note.
Also read: Police invoke MCOCA in Rohit Shetty house firing case
As per India Today, the person in the audio identified himself as Harry Boxer, an alleged associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The voice note reportedly stated, “We have details of every manager and every person who works with you… We won’t say anything to you directly. We will start targeting the people who work under you. We will kill your entire staff.” The authenticity of the new audio threat is being investigated by the Mumbai Police, reported India TV.
On Wednesday, actor Aayush Sharma, Salman Khan’s brother-in-law, also received a threatening email, police said. The sender claimed links to the Bishnoi gang. Crime Branch officials have registered a case and are tracing the message’s origin. Mumbai Police has reportedly indicated that more celebrities may have received threats, but action can only be taken if complaints are filed.
Placing his trust in the police, Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) president Ashoke Pandit says, “If such incidents are not stopped, it will be bad, and will not be restricted only to the film industry.”
Sanjay Gupta, known for directing gangster dramas such as Shootout at Wadala (2013), shares, “We are not in the ’90s, nor is that time coming back. In this AI age, the police force has never been better. The film industry remains targeted because nothing else creates more headlines than Bollywood.”
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) wrote to Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, seeking intervention. President BN Tiwari says, “If a firing can happen in a high-profile area like Juhu in Mumbai, then what kind of security does everyone have? Even if more security is provided, how will we work worry-free?”
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta suggests “urgency, not panic”: “The answer is strengthening security, strong action by law enforcement and a united industry that refuses to be intimidated.”
