Khan discloses pressure from underworld

09-26-2001, 06:29 PM

Shahrukh Khan discloses pressure from underworld
KAAJAL WALLIA

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

MUMBAI: "It is clear that today the entire film industry, especially
well- known actors, actresses, directors, music directors, producers,
etc, are under threat from the underworld." This significant
observation was made by judge A.B. Palkar of the Mumbai High Court
after perusing the 1,300-odd pages of the chargesheet prepared by the
Mumbai police against producer Nazim Rizvi and film financier Bharat
Shah.

The voluminous document reveals a grim picture of the underworld's
stranglehold over the
film industry. In fact, leading actor Shah Rukh Khan's detailed
statement to the police shows precisely how the gangsters, through
their moles in the industry, have been exerting pressure on film
personalities.

Interestingly, despite being continuously hounded by the mafia for
three years, the matinee idol told the police about the harassment
only when he was questioned in the Bharat Shah case.

According to Shah Rukh, he was approached by Nazim Rizvi in 1997-
98. "Rizvi was planning to direct a movie and wanted me to act in it.
Since I was not interested in doing movies with new producers and
directors, I gave some excuse," said Shah Rukh in his statement to
the police.

Six months later at Mehboob Studio, Rizvi "said Chhota Shakeel had
sent him to meet me and that the latter wanted to speak to me. He
then called a person and introduced him as Rahim, Shakeel's man.
Rahim dialled a number on his mobile and gave it to me to speak with
Shakeel. The man on the line identified himself as Shakeel and told
me that Rizvi and Rahim were his men. He further told me to work in
Rizvi's film. I was scared and told Shakeel that I would first listen
to the story and decide."

According to Shah Rukh, the duo met him in mid-1998 in Film
City. "They asked me if I had spoken with the director-duo Abbas-
Mastan. When I told them that I could not speak to them since they
were out of the country, Rahim started abusing me. `Agar aap ko
hamari picture nahin karni hai to sidha naa bol do. Hame c....a bana
rahe ho kya?'

"After about 20-25 days, while I was dubbing late in the night at
Empire Studio, Rizvi and Rahim came there with an agreement asking me
to give the dates for his project in June-July 1998. I refused. Rahim
got annoyed and gave me the agreement and asked me to tear it if I
was not going to sign. I then asked him as to why I should tear it as
it was not my paper."

He said he used to recieve threatening calls on his mobile from Abu
Salem asking him to work in his movie. Shakeel also called twice to
work with a girl called Nagma, he said.

(This is the first in a two-part series on the nexus between the
underworld and the Hindi film industry.)