Indian filmmaker Hansal Mehta says though the Hindi movie industry has its “rotten apples”, “any generalisation about the film industry being mostly about drugs, sex and scandals is unfair…This is an industry of artists not debauches."
It all started when Kangana Ranaut made some shocking revelations on Twitter about Bollywood’s drug culture.
The actress tweeted that she was not only sedated without her knowledge but talked about the most popular drugs that are ostensibly used in Bollywood house parties including cocaine and MDMA.
Most popular drug in the film industry is cocaine, it is used in almost all house parties it’s very expensive but in the beginning when you go to the houses of high and mighty it’s given free, MDMA crystals are mixed in water and at times passed on to you without your knowledge.
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) August 26, 2020
Citing a suspected drug connection in the ongoing Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide case, Kangana went on to 'expose' the drug scene in the film industry, while naming A-listers who allegedly ill-treated her.
She claimed that “Every night there used to be parties and drugs used to flow like water. Drugs like LSD, cocaine, and ecstasy pills they’d even consume during the day… They know that I know these secrets so they tried to discredit me, termed me bipolar, or get me killed.
I am more than willing to help @narcoticsbureau but I need protection from the centre government, I have not only risked my career but also my life, it is quiet evident Sushanth knew some dirty secrets that’s why he has been killed.
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) August 26, 2020
Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani tweeted that “not one person from that industry contradicts her. What inference is the public to draw from this deafening silence?"
A Bollywood actress makes a serious charge claiming personal knowledge on a TV channel with a large viewership that 99% of Bollywood consumes narcotic drugs. Not one person from that industry contradicts her. What inference is the public to draw from this deafening silence?
— Mahesh Jethmalani (@JethmalaniM) August 31, 2020
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta then decided to break his silence on the allegations and tweeted that in his 23 year career, “not every party has been scintillating”.
Instead some “have been usually fun, full of camaraderie, bonding with colleagues and mostly great conversations over booze, cigarettes and some great, great food", he added.
I've spent nearly 23 years making movies in Bombay. Not every party has been scintillating but some I've attended have been usually fun, full of camaraderie, bonding with colleagues and mostly great conversations over booze, cigarettes and some great, great food.
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) August 31, 2020
Making an appeal to “stop targeting one industry”, he said "toxicity often engulfs your life through experiences, relationships, failure but it's how you move on that counts most. How well you cope with the present is most important as is how well you let go of a bitter past. This is true for life. Not just one industry or its people".
