The spectre of the underworld appears to be haunting Bollywood once again. The reported firing at actor Tiger Shroff’s vehicle, allegedly leaving his driver injured, has caused anxiety within the film fraternity, reviving memories of the 1990s, when extortion calls, threats and shootings were part of the industry’s grim reality.
For filmmakers and actors who lived through those turbulent years, the latest reported incident has raised an unsettling question: Could Bollywood once again face an atmosphere in which security concerns influence not just personal safety but also professional decisions?
The reported shooting outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in February had already triggered concerns over the safety of prominent industry figures. The alleged attack on Shroff, reportedly carried out in a crowded area close to a police station, has only deepened those fears.
With several celebrities already moving around under security cover, these incidents have renewed the debate over whether the industry’s existing safety arrangements are adequate to deal with emerging threats.
From Extortion to Public Intimidation
A senior filmmaker who was himself targeted by the underworld during the 1990s believes the nature of intimidation may be changing.
“Security in Bollywood, from tonight on, has to begin with one hard assumption: the underworld is back in the business of deciding who works with whom. And the old rules of the 1990s, when the fight was over financing, casting and distribution, are giving way to something cruder. Public punishment for disobedience,” he warned.
During the 1990s, the underworld’s alleged influence over the film industry extended to financing, casting and distribution. Threatening calls and demands for money created an atmosphere in which some of Bollywood’s biggest names were forced to seek police protection.
The filmmaker fears that the latest incidents may signal a different form of intimidation, with violence in public spaces being used to send a message to the wider industry.
He believes security measures must now extend beyond actors to include producers, directors, technicians and other professionals associated with film production.
“Security can no longer be built around the face on the poster. It has to cover sets, offices, homes and the roads between them, for everyone on the call sheet,” he said.
Social Media Adds a New Dimension to Threats
Unlike the 1990s, when threatening telephone calls were among the principal tools of intimidation, social media has emerged as another means of spreading fear.
The filmmaker expressed concern over an online claim attributed to Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu, whose alleged involvement in the reported attack remains unverified.
“Whether or not Anil Pandit and Harman Sandhu actually ordered tonight’s shooting, their post does the work of terror without firing a single bullet. It spreads fear, grabs headlines and pushes studios into quiet compliance,” he said.
According to him, the earlier underworld nexus was largely driven by financial interests and the desire to exercise influence over the film business. He believes the present pattern of threats may also carry an ideological dimension, making the situation more complex.
However, the motives behind the reported incidents and the identities of those responsible remain matters for investigation.
The filmmaker has advised industry professionals to take practical precautions, including changing travel routes, avoiding public announcements of schedules and seeking Crime Branch briefings ahead of major shoots.
He also referred to a conversation with a former Mumbai Police Commissioner, who offered a different interpretation of the reported attack.
According to the filmmaker, the former police chief felt that if the attackers had intended to kill, they could have done so, and that the incident appeared more likely to have been designed to frighten the industry.
The filmmaker emphasised that the industry should not allow intimidation to dictate its decisions, urging its members to remain firm, alert and united.
Those Were Dark Days for the Industry
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit has warned against allowing the atmosphere of fear that once gripped Bollywood to return.
“Mumbai Police must ensure that the atmosphere of fear under which the film industry operated during the 1990s does not return. Those were dark days for the industry and the state, when the entire entertainment fraternity was forced to work under constant fear,” he said.
Pandit called upon the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police to act decisively and ensure that the film fraternity can continue working without intimidation.
He pointed out that the industry is already facing difficult times, with declining work opportunities affecting professionals across different departments. Renewed security concerns, he believes, could further damage confidence in the film business.
Demanding high-level protection for Shroff and his family, Pandit stressed the need to prevent criminal elements from creating an atmosphere in which filmmakers and actors feel threatened.
Paparazzi and the Challenge of Celebrity Security
The reported attack has also prompted questions about the safety of celebrities during public appearances and the growing number of photographers and social media content creators who follow their movements.
Celebrity photographer Manav Manglani believes the relationship between Bollywood stars and the paparazzi is unlikely to change fundamentally, although greater vigilance will become necessary.
“I don’t think the equation will change. The equation will remain the same, but I think they’ll become a little more alert,” he said.
Manglani feels that public relations teams and event organisers must take greater responsibility for deciding who is permitted to cover private celebrity functions.
With social media opening the doors to a large number of independent content creators, he believes proper screening has become increasingly important.
“You can’t call any Tom, Dick and Harry with 10,000, 20,000 or 30,000 followers to cover your event,” he remarked.
He explained that while actors cannot control the presence of fans, photographers or bystanders in public places, organisers can regulate access to private events and ensure that only genuine media professionals are invited.
Manglani said he has instructed his own team to remain particularly alert during celebrity appearances, pay attention to people in the vicinity and watch for suspicious activity.
Referring to stars such as Salman Khan and Ranveer Singh, who continue to pose for photographers despite security concerns, he said the long-standing professional relationship between celebrities and the paparazzi need not suffer. What is required, he believes, is greater awareness and caution on both sides.
Can Bollywood Prevent Another Era of Fear?
The latest concerns have brought back uncomfortable memories for an industry that has already experienced the consequences of organised crime and intimidation.
For those who witnessed the 1990s, the fear is not merely about the safety of a particular actor or filmmaker. It is about the possibility of threats once again influencing how the industry operates.
The situation today is different in many ways. The film business has changed, security arrangements have evolved, and social media has transformed how celebrities interact with the public. Yet the anxiety caused by threats and reported shootings remains familiar.
Whether the recent incidents represent a broader resurgence of underworld influence remains to be established. But the concerns expressed by filmmakers and industry professionals underline the need for vigilance and a strong response from law enforcement agencies.
The challenge for Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra government is not simply to protect high-profile celebrities but to ensure that actors, filmmakers, technicians and others associated with the entertainment business can work without fear.
“Authorities should take strong measures to prevent a return of the 1990s. During that period, the Mumbai Police controlled multiple dreaded gangs, including some operating from foreign soil,” said senior crime journalist and author Manish Pachouly.
He added that since Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol are already in Indian jails, it should not be difficult to control the gang’s activities. However, he pointed out that Mumbai Police have been unable to secure their physical custody for effective interrogation.
For Bollywood, which has spent decades trying to leave behind the troubled chapter of the 1990s, the stakes remain high.
The industry has witnessed the consequences of threats and intimidation in the past. What it hopes for now is a swift and effective response from the authorities to ensure that filmmakers, actors and everyone associated with cinema can continue their work in a safe and secure environment.