Bollywood seeks Sena cover

AUGUST 5: It was a fair show of solidarity when filmmakers gathered at the IMPPA House, Bandra, on Monday morning to discuss the recent thr...

AUGUST 5: It was a fair show of solidarity when filmmakers gathered at the IMPPA House, Bandra, on Monday morning to discuss the recent threats from the underworld, on the industry. However, while invitations were issued to filmstars as well, all of them, especially Govinda, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan who have received threats in the past, remained conspicuous by their absence.

One of the presidents of the Filmmakers Combine and chief of the Shiv Sena Chitrapat Shakha, Gajanan Shirke, attempted to mobilise filmmakers to discuss the problem and take steps to contain threats on their lives.

Bollywood had a taste of the makebelieve, when an attempt was made on the life of Rajiv Rai, director of Gupt, last week by notorious gangster Dawood Ibrahim8217;s men.

While reports of movie moghuls facing extortion threats have sent shock waves down the industry, the Police Commissioner8217;s statement that owing to the decline in the real-estate business, gang warfare has now found fresh pasture in the film industry, does little to quell their fear.

It was then, decided at the informal meeting at the IMPPA House, to seek the help of the Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray. The Sena chief has asked the delegation to meet him tomorrow. Meanwhile, Joint Commissioner of Police Crime R S Sharma is meeting a delegation from the industry tomorrow evening.

Said Shirke: quot;These unlawful entries require to be curbed immediately, which is why a delegation from the industry have decided to call on Balasaheb Thackeray and the chief of police to seek their help.quot;

He admitted that people in the industry have been glorifying their incomes by giving false figures, irrespective of the success or failure of their ventures. This, he adds, sometimes attracts the attention of the criminals.

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Present at the meeting at IMPPA were Gulshan Rai, whose son Rajiv Rai was attacked recently, B R Chopra, Yash Chopra, Gafarbhai Nadiadwala, Mehul Kumar, Pahlaj Nihalani, K D Shorey, T C Dewan, Surender Kapoor, Gajanan Shirke and Ram Mohan. They unanimously agreed that such threats of extortion not only endanger their lives, but make the business of filmmaking itself difficult.

Gulshan Rai, who is under armed protection, appeared calm, with his son away in London. quot;I have no enemy. I don8217;t barrow money from any one. I go about my business with my money, I don8217;t owe money to anybody. And yet, we are the targets. It hampers our flourishing business,quot; said he.

Producer T C Dewan agreed with him, stating that false display of wealth in the attempt to build larger than life images have attracted the underworld.

He pointed out that only five per cent of the films succeed at the box-office, while 95 per cent lose money.