Cinema noir

The Mumbai police's first big breakthrough in uncovering Bollywood's links with the mafia may lead to more. Or so Bollywood fears and hope...

The Mumbai police8217;s first big breakthrough in uncovering Bollywood8217;s links with the mafia may lead to more. Or so Bollywood fears and hopes. It is bracing for more revelations after producer Nazim Rizvi8217;s alleged confession that Chhota Shakeel bankrolled Atilde;sup2;f40Atilde;sup3;Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. Underworld finance in the film industry is common knowledge but unproven. Bollywood has a love-hate relationship with the mafia. Some have thrived on the connection, others have been terrorised by it. Still others are liable to be smeared by it for no fault of their own 8212; industry watchers point out that it is impossible for those working on a film to be certain about the origins of a producer8217;s funds. Hence the mixed feelings. Where the police will take the investigation from this point on is of great interest. The fate of Rizvi8217;s film which has been seized 8212; and possibly other films and many individual careers 8212; hangs in the balance. So far the police have said they also intend to question the financier ofAtilde;sup2;f40Atilde;sup3;Chori Chori8230; and its stars, distributors and exhibitors. More interrogations could follow. It will not be surprising if Bollywood is living on a knife edge of suspense.

But how far in fact will the probe be carried? Will it go far enough? Some are already complaining, with little justification, about a witch-hunt. But others welcome the probe, albeit silently, and hope it will lead to a much needed clean-up of film finance and put an end to mafia intimidation, the signing up for a film with a gun held to their heads. Although there is no hard evidence about the extent of mafia involvement, the general belief is the links are extensive. Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel, Chhota Rajan, Abu Salem and smaller members of the species are said to have fingers in many pies. But it is a complex picture. While some sections of Bollywood are deeply in collusion with the mafia, black money deployed comes from other sources as well. It is probably an exaggeration to say no part of the industry is untouched by tainted money but the vast sums gambled on films and the shabby accounting systems suggest the rot is widespread.

The police may be able to reveal how much is black, white and grey if investigations go ahead without interference. It is a big if8217;. Shoals of interests are involved. Not only does it require great skill to navigate through them but without political backing and public support the joint police commissioner heading the investigation cannot hope to get very far. The public seems cynical, and is not likely to be shaken by the fall of more heroes. As for the powers-that-be, already police questioning of Bharat Shah, Bollywood8217;s biggest financier, seems to have opened up a Pandora8217;s box of trouble. There was an immediate impact on the Bombay Stock Exchange where entertainment stocks were hit and triggered a sharp fall in the index after a week of steady upward movement. After the affair was discussed in the Maharashtra Assembly meeting in Nagpur, no one was left in any doubt that Bollywood has powerful political connections. So it is not hard to imagine what pressures will be brought to bear on the police tolimit their investigations. The endgame is hard to predict. For Bollywood8217;s sake, the first catch should not turn out to be the last.