Roshan is a hero but Bollywood's real life villain too is back in scene

Roshan is a hero but Bollywood's real life villain too is back in scene
Rajeev Masand

MUMBAI, JAN 22: A day after the attack on filmmaker Rakesh Roshan, the film industry was profuse with praise for Roshan's presence of mind and relieved that he was out of danger but the underlying sentiment was clear: the fear of the extortionist has returned to Bollywood.

Roshan, who was getting into his Mercedes when the assailants fired at him on Friday evening in front of his Santacruz office, had instructed his chauffeur to drive him to the nearest police station even as he was bleeding profusely from the bullet wound. His decision not only ensured him security in case the assailants returned, but also got things moving fast at the hospital.

Veteran filmmaker Mohan Kumar, a close family friend of Roshan describes this act as a very intelligent one. "I think he made a very sensible move when he decided to take the law into confidence. Also, once at the police station, he called his father-in-law J Omprakash first, and then on his way to the hospital, he made sure he called his wife too." Kumar, who visited Nanavati Hospital on Friday evening said he communicated with Roshan on the video monitor and mike arrangement that the hospital had provided Roshan with. "He looked bright and very brave," Kumar said, adding that most well-wishers who gathered at the hospital complimented Roshan for his determination and quick thinking.

Actor-director Rishi Kapoor, also a close friend of Roshan who visited the hospital on Friday night said "he seemed relaxed, although I'm sure he was still in a state of shock." Describing the situation as one which baffled him, Kapoor said "I didn't want to pursue the matter with him further at such a time, but I'm sure he's disturbed." Kapoor also lauded Roshan's move to go to the station first. "It's very close to his office, and it was extremely wise of him to go there first," Kapoor said.

Director Rahul Rawail, who was among the last people who met Roshan before the filmmaker left his office on Friday, refused to comment on the issue and just said that he was glad that Roshan was was out of danger.

However, this sense of relief is accompanied with a feeling of uneasiness over the fact that the attack was linked to extortion. "The government needs to take a strong stand against extortionists," said financier Bharat Shah who felt there were far too many loopholes in the Indian legal system. "Even Rajiv Rai's assailants were recently released by the court," he said, explaining that such extortionists need to be dealt with severely. "Most of them are released on bail for about Rs 5,000. That is a very small amount for a crime of this nature. I feel extortionists should be imprisoned for life," Shah suggested.

Revealing that he himself has received several extortion and death threats in the past, Shah says the best step to take is to inform the police, and beef up one's security. "What other alternative do we have?" he asked. Shah said he was aware that several people from the film industry have paid extortion money on receiving threats. "It is because these people have paid money easily, that extortionists continue to make demands," Shah said.

"The best option is for the film industry to take a vehement stand against extortion," he stressed. Pahlaj Nihalani, president of the Association of Motion Pictures and TV Programme Producers (AMPTPP) and the All India Film Producers' Council, felt the film industry will have to shut shop if the government doesn't intervene immediately. "Extortionists have a wide network which includes sources in the police department who inform them when a producer asks for protection or lodges a complaint with the police when he is threatened," Nihalani explained. "Also, in any case thepolice doesn't easily provide protection for film industry people. They generally wait till something happens," he added.

For the filmmaking community, there is no respite, Nihalani insisted. "Even if you do pay an extortionist, the chapter doesn't end there because there are three more parties waiting to get their share. If you don't pay and opt for police protection, then you receive death threats and are even attacked," he explained. Citing the example of director Rajiv Rai who had to flee the country following an attack on his life in 1997, Nihalani said that the situation was getting so bad that the mafia was now even threatening actors to stop working with certain filmmakers who don't pay them. "This has a chain reaction. An actor then ends up signing mediocre films which fail at the box-office and money is lost," he said. The only solution, Nihalani felt, "is for the Centre to hand over this matter to the crime branch, which in turn must take a serious view into the issue and unmask those responsible."

He was also of the opinion that the same culprits are responsible for the large-scale cable and video piracy of Hindi films. "This is a huge racket which needs to be stopped immediately, or else the entire film making community is going to have to look for an alternate source of livelihood," Nihalani cautioned.