Television actor Narayani Shastri has made startling claims about the alleged prevalence of drug use within the entertainment industry. In a recent interview, she alleged that illegal substances such as cocaine and MDMA have become commonplace at television parties and even claimed that some productions have faced delays because actors were allegedly unfit to shoot. Narayani said she has personally witnessed substance use at industry gatherings and also admitted that she had experimented with drugs in the past but said she never became addicted.
Narayani Shastri claims drugs have become common at TV parties
Speaking to Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Narayani Shastri alleged that the culture at entertainment industry parties has changed significantly over the years. According to the actress, parties that once allocated budgets for alcohol are now, in some cases, allegedly setting aside money for illegal drugs.
Sharing what surprised her the most, she said, “Earlier, there would be a budget for alcohol at parties. Now there’s a budget for drugs. I was shocked when I saw this.” Narayani explained that witnessing this shift was one of the reasons she gradually stopped attending industry parties, adding that she felt such gatherings had changed from social events into something very different. She clarified that while she did not personally know those allegedly consuming drugs, she had witnessed people using them at parties and said, “I have seen people doing stuff.”
Narayani Shastri
When asked about the substances she had allegedly seen being consumed, Narayani identified cocaine and MDMA. She claimed that at smaller gatherings, those present were generally aware of who was using drugs, whereas larger parties tended to be more discreet, with such activities remaining hidden from public view.
Does drug use affect television shoots?
also claimed that drug consumption sometimes extends beyond parties and impacts professional work. According to her, there have been occasions when actors allegedly arrived on sets so drugged that they could could not shoot. She recalled waiting nearly four hours for a shoot to begin because one actor was allegedly ‘not in a condition to even stand up.’ The actress also claimed that producers are often left with limited options in such situations, as replacing a lead actor midway through a project could significantly affect the production and the show’s continuity.
During the conversation, Narayani also spoke candidly about her own past experiences. She admitted that she had experimented with illegal drugs out of curiosity but maintained that it was never a habit. According to the actress, she only tried different substances once to understand their effects and never developed an addiction.