Chapter 3: Bollywood and the Underworld – A Dangerous Dance

A Crime Diaries Exclusive | June 2025

Lights, Camera… Extortion?

For decades, Bollywood the world of lights, cameras, and dreams has lived under the shadow of Mumbai’s underworld. As the film industry rose to fame, so did the power of criminal syndicates. Eventually, their paths didn’t just cross they merged. And what began as financing turned into fear.

The Origins of a Dangerous Link

The late 1980s and 1990s marked a booming era for Hindi cinema. But there was a problem with money.

Banks were reluctant to finance films. As a result, several producers turned to cash-rich but dangerous sources: the underworld. Figures like Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Rajan, and Abu Salem began funding films. They did this not out of artistic interest but to launder black money. They also aimed to gain influence and build soft power in society.

Funding with Strings Attached

These gangsters didn’t just offer cash they demanded control.
• Directors were forced to cast certain actors or actresses.
• Scripts were changed to suit gangster preferences.
• Songs glorifying the don lifestyle were pushed into films.

In one case from the 1990s, a director was threatened at gunpoint. The threat was for not casting an actress “suggested” by a gangster. When he refused, a shootout followed outside his office.

Real Cases, Real Blood

Unlike rumors, many incidents have been confirmed by police and media investigations. Below are fact-verified cases of underworld involvement. The evidence of their influence is clear. Mukesh Duggal (Producer) was shot dead in 1998. The incident was a suspected fallout between rival gangs.
• Rajiv Rai (Director of Mohra, Gupt) Survived an attempted hit by Abu Salem’s men in 1997.
• Manmohan Shetty (Founder, Adlabs) Targeted in a 2001 shooting linked to extortion.
• Ajit Diwani (Manisha Koirala’s secretary) was Murdered in 2001 after ignoring threats.
• Lawrence D’Souza (Saajan director) Survived an attack by Ejaz Lakdawala’s gang in 2002.
• Rakesh Roshan was Shot outside his office in 2000 for not paying extortion and survived two bullets.

Anu Aggarwal: A Star’s First-Hand Account

In 2025, Aashiqui actress Anu Aggarwal made rare, bold statements about her experiences in the 1990s. She confirmed what many feared:

“Bollywood was essentially ruled by underworld figures like Dawood Ibrahim. It was a dirty business.”
— Anu Aggarwal, 2025 interview

She described how fear gripped the industry and artists had to move under protection. Her voice was one of the few from inside the glam world to openly acknowledge the deep-rooted mafia control.

Hotels, Phone Calls & Tihar Jail Visits

Police wiretaps and reports revealed many actors and producers received calls from Karachi, Dubai, and Gulf countries. Some even met underworld figures like Dawood during international trips.

A few filmmakers visited Tihar Jail. They went there to meet Abu Salem while he was in judicial custody.

The Price of Speaking Out

Very few dared to expose the nexus. Those who did:

• Faced threats or left India.
• Were blacklisted from projects.
• Or, in some tragic cases, simply disappeared from the industry.

One editor of a top film magazine claimed he was directly threatened after covering the underworld’s involvement.

Law Enforcement vs. Fear

After the 1993 bomb blasts, the CBI and Mumbai Police cracked down hard.

• Phones were tapped.
• Producers were questioned.
• Evidence of underworld funding surfaced.

But convictions were rare. Witnesses backed out, records disappeared, and the industry chose silence over safety.

Final Word

The underworld-Bollywood connection wasn’t a myth it was a business alliance forged in greed, fear, and power.

While many artists stayed away, others danced dangerously close to crime for fame, money, or survival.

This chapter is a reminder that even the brightest lights can cast the darkest shadows.

Sources:

Information referenced in this chapter is based on credible media investigations and official police reports. These include coverage from India Today on the Mukesh Duggal case and Abu Salem’s confessions. There is also Mid-Day’s report on the Manmohan Shetty attack. The Hindu and Rediff cover the attacks on Rakesh Roshan and Lawrence D’Souza, respectively. Additional references are from Times of India on Ajit Diwani’s murder and Anu Aggarwal’s 2025 statements. Finally, Economic Times interviews highlight Bollywood’s underworld ties.

What’s Next?
Where there’s money, power, and loyalty betrayal isn’t far behind.
The Mumbai underworld soon turned into a battlefield, where former allies became sworn enemies. Streets echoed with gunfire, and fear gripped the city like never before.

Chapter 4: The Bloody History of Gang Wars

This is a chilling tale of violence, revenge, and shifting loyalties. These shifts are felt not just among gangsters, but also by the police, the media, and the common man.
Get ready. The real war is about to begin.