Tiger Shroff firing: After decades of calm, fears of underworld's return cast shadow on Bollywood
PTC News Desk: For nearly two decades, Mumbai’s underworld gangs remained largely silent as several major groups collapsed. Bollywood, which had long been a target for extortion, felt safer during this period. However, the recent firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s car on Sunday has raised fears that gang-related threats against the film industry may be returning. This time, gangs based in North India appear to be trying to fill the gap left by Mumbai’s old underworld groups.
The attack has once again raised concerns about the safety of Bollywood celebrities. It has also brought back memories of the period when gangsters openly targeted actors, producers and filmmakers in Mumbai.
Major attacks on Bollywood personalities
Mukesh Duggal Murder (1997)
Film producer Mukesh Duggal was shot dead in 1997 during a gang-related dispute. Reports linked the murder to disagreements over film financing.
Attack on Rajiv Rai (1997)
Filmmaker Rajiv Rai was attacked by shooters linked to gangster Chhota Shakeel outside his office in Tardeo in 1997. A police constable accompanying him returned fire and helped save his life.
Gulshan Kumar’s Murder (1997)
T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar was shot dead in broad daylight in Versova in 1997. The murder was linked to Abu Salem’s gang, which was allegedly acting on behalf of its rivals.
Attack on Rakesh Roshan (2000)
In 2000, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan was targeted outside his office in Santa Cruz, weeks after the release of Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. The attack was linked to shooters associated with Chhota Shakeel. Roshan survived and received medical treatment.
Ajit Diwani’s Murder (2001)
Ajit Diwani, secretary to actor Manisha Koirala, was killed by members of Abu Salem’s gang in 2001 after he reportedly refused to meet their extortion demands.
Attack on Lawrence D’Souza (2002)
Filmmaker Lawrence D’Souza survived an attack in 2002 that was reportedly arranged by gangster Ejaz Lakdawala.
There were also attempts to target other film personalities. One reported plan involved the attempted kidnapping of actor Aamir Khan and filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker after the success of Lagaan.
When Bollywood mulled leaving Mumbai
During the 1990s, Bollywood faced such intense pressure from underworld gangs that a delegation of film personalities met then Mumbai Police Commissioner MN Singh. The delegation reportedly warned that the film industry might leave Mumbai and shift to Hyderabad if the threats continued.
Pressure from politicians and the film industry pushed Mumbai Police to take tougher action against organised crime. The police used a strict encounter policy and enforced the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to weaken the gangs. Several prominent gangsters were jailed or killed, contributing to the decline of Mumbai’s underworld.
By the 2000s, Dawood Ibrahim’s gang had largely stopped making extortion calls to Bollywood. Abu Salem’s influence weakened after his arrest in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2002. Chhota Rajan was arrested in Bali, Indonesia, and deported to India in 2015. He is serving a life sentence. Arun Gawli’s gang activities also declined following his arrest and conviction in the murder of a Shiv Sena leader.
Firing at Tiger Shroff raises fresh concerns
On Sunday, three men allegedly fired shots at Tiger Shroff’s car as he was leaving a sporting event in Juhu. The actor was seated in the front of the vehicle but escaped without injuries. Two other people were reportedly wounded by gunfire.
A few minutes after the incident, a social media post attributed to Anmol Bishnoi, who is linked to the Bishnoi gang, surfaced claiming responsibility for the shooting.
The incident has renewed concerns about whether gangs operating outside Mumbai are trying to establish their influence by targeting Bollywood personalities. The investigation will be crucial in establishing who was behind the attack and what motivated it.
- PTC NEWS
