Why Hindi movies are so popular in India !!
mystic_rajan
Indian Express, Jan 8, 2001,
The nexus between the underworld and Bollywood is slowly crystallising with
an ``astonishing evidence'' indicating that about 60 per cent of the films
are financed by mafia dons, the official said on condition of anonymity. As
many as 20 films released recently are suspected to have been financed by
the underworld don, Chhota Shakeel, who allegedly forced many stars into
signing movies and rescheduling their shooting dates, he told PTI here.
Since the arrest of Mr. Nizim Rizvi, producer of the unreleased film Chori
Chori Chupke Chupke, allegedly financed by Chhota Shakeel of the notorious
Dawood Ibrahim gang, Crime Branch sleuths had got a lead and were now
zeroing in on more ``go- betweens'' in the film industry, he said. ``A few
more arrests within a couple of days are expected''. Ms. Mukherjee and Ms.
Zinta, who starred in Mr. Rizvi's film, would be interviewed to know whether
they were aware of the producer's alleged mafia connections. Mr. Rizvi, who
was arrested on December 13 under various sections of the Maharashtra
Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), has been charged with entering into
a criminal conspiracy with Chhota Shakeel to eliminate eminent film
personalities, including producer, Mr. Rakesh Roshan, who was attacked last
year in an alleged extortion bid. The Mumbai Crime Branch, led by the Joint
Commissioner of Police, Mr. D Sivanand, has effected two arrests in the case
so far, and interrogated Mr. Salman Khan, who also acted in Mr. Rizvi's
film. The Rizvi case assumes significance for the reason that police have
claimed to have clinched `concrete evidence' for the first time about
Bollywood's nexus with the underworld which was suspected for long. The
Rizvi statement has thrown a flood of light on the modus operandi of mafia
which has been forcing directors, producers and actors into coercion, with
the police claiming to be in the possession of a transcipt of a telephonic
conversation between the arrested producer and the Karachi-based underworld
don, the official said ... Mr. Rizvi, once a clap man who was paid Rs. 1,000
a month rose to become assistant producer, making some `B' and `C' grade
films and later shot into limelight with the Rs. 12.7 crores budget Chori
Chori Chupke Chupke which featured Mr. Salman Khan, Ms. Rani Mukherjee and
Ms Preity Zinta. Police believe the money came from Chhota Shakeel and they
claim to have sufficient evidence to prove that Mr. Rizvi had acted as a
front man for the underworld don. But the film's financier, Mr. Bharat Shah,
maintained that he had financed through recorded payments. Mr. Rizvi also
allegedly threatened actor-producer Mr. Ajay Devgan's secretary to
reschedule the opening of Raju Chacha, which clashed with his film's
release. It is alleged that Mr. Rizvi had used Shakeel to pressure stars to
act in his films and forced many distributors to reschedule their films to
get maximum profit for himself. Film producer, Mr. Harish Sugandh, brother
of producer, Mr. Jhamu Sugandh, has been summoned to city police
headquarters and is likely to be quizzed tomorrow in connection with
financing of his recent film, police sources said here today. Earlier,
police recovered some documents and diaries from the producers' office here,
the sources added. - PTI