Shooting Attack on Tiger Shroff Raises Fresh Concerns Over Bollywood's Criminal Underworld

INDIA | TUNGARU PRESS

A shooting incident involving Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff has reignited concerns about organised crime in India's entertainment industry, bringing back memories of a period when powerful criminal networks held significant influence over Mumbai's film business.

The 36-year-old actor, widely recognised for his action-packed films, reportedly escaped unharmed after gunfire erupted as he was leaving a football ground in Juhu, an affluent Mumbai neighbourhood popular among Bollywood celebrities.

The attack occurred on Sunday evening while Shroff was departing the venue in his BMW. His driver and a video blogger who had arrived to film the actor were reportedly injured.

The incident has attracted widespread attention across India, with investigators examining possible motives, suspected criminal connections and the individuals responsible.

Police Investigate Possible Gang Connections

According to reports, Mumbai police have detained or arrested 10 suspects as part of their investigation.

Authorities are examining suspected weapons deliveries across several Indian states, along with financial transactions believed to be connected to those involved in the shooting.

The investigation has also brought renewed attention to Lawrence Bishnoi, a notorious Indian gangster whose criminal network has previously been linked to threats and attacks involving Bollywood personalities.

Following the incident, a social media post allegedly published by an associate of the Bishnoi gang circulated online, claiming responsibility for the shooting.

An audio recording also emerged featuring a man identifying himself as Anil Pandit, who reportedly claimed that Shroff had been targeted because of his alleged association with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.

However, Mumbai police have not confirmed the authenticity of these claims or established whether the Bishnoi gang was responsible for the attack.

Investigators are continuing their efforts to determine who organised the shooting and what motivated it.

Bollywood's Troubled History With Organised Crime

The attack has revived memories of the 1990s and early 2000s, when Mumbai's criminal underworld exercised considerable influence over Bollywood.

During that period, organised crime groups were involved in financing films, demanding protection payments and intimidating producers, actors and other entertainment professionals.

Some criminal organisations also attempted to influence casting decisions, film distribution and commercial arrangements.

Former Mumbai Crime Branch chief D Sivanandhan, who assumed the position in 1998, recalled how influential gangsters operating from overseas locations, including Dubai, could interfere with major decisions within the Indian film industry.

At the time, Bollywood relied heavily on private investors, creating opportunities for criminal organisations to become involved in film financing.

Violence was also used to enforce demands and intimidate those who resisted.

In 1997, prominent music producer Gulshan Kumar was murdered outside a temple in Mumbai.

Three years later, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan survived an assassination attempt.

These incidents highlighted the dangers faced by entertainment industry figures during a period of widespread underworld activity.

Criminal Influence Extended Into Film Financing

One of the most prominent cases investigated by Sivanandhan involved the Bollywood film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, starring Salman Khan.

Investigators uncovered connections between individuals involved in the film's production and organised crime networks.

The producer and his assistant were each sentenced to six years in prison under Maharashtra's organised crime legislation.

A financier associated with the production received a one-year prison sentence for failing to disclose information about those criminal connections.

Authorities also seized the film's negatives, and its eventual release proceeded under court supervision.

According to Sivanandhan, some filmmakers knowingly accepted financial assistance from criminal figures, creating relationships that were difficult for law enforcement agencies to dismantle.

However, he cautioned against assuming that the latest violence represents the return of Mumbai's traditional mafia.

He explained that earlier criminal organisations, including networks associated with Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel and Arun Gawli, operated through structures closely connected to Mumbai.

Today's criminal groups, he suggested, function differently.

Lawrence Bishnoi and the Rise of Modern Criminal Networks

Lawrence Bishnoi has emerged as one of the most widely discussed figures in India's contemporary organised crime landscape.

Originally associated with northern India, Bishnoi has remained imprisoned since 2015.

Despite his incarceration, his name continues to appear in reports involving alleged threats, violent incidents and criminal activities.

His network has attracted attention for its suspected ability to operate across different regions and international borders.

Bishnoi has previously issued threats against Salman Khan over a 1998 blackbuck poaching case.

Blackbucks are considered sacred by members of the Bishnoi community.

In April 2024, gunmen fired several shots outside Khan's Mumbai residence.

Later that year, politician Baba Siddique, who maintained close relationships with Khan and other Bollywood celebrities, was murdered.

Mumbai police linked both incidents to the Bishnoi gang, although investigators did not establish Bishnoi's personal involvement in Siddique's killing.

These cases have intensified concerns about the potential reach of organised criminal networks, even when suspected leaders remain behind bars.

However, authorities and observers have cautioned that not every threat or claim made in the gang's name has been independently verified.

Social Media Changes How Gangsters Spread Fear

Former Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria has previously warned that modern criminal networks differ significantly from the traditional underworld organisations that once dominated the city.

Unlike earlier gangs that maintained a visible presence in particular neighbourhoods, newer networks can operate through digital communications and connections extending across international borders.

This makes identifying their leadership structures and tracking their activities more challenging for investigators.

Social media has also transformed how criminal organisations establish their reputations.

In previous decades, Bollywood films often shaped public perceptions of gangsters through dramatic portrayals of organised crime.

Movies such as Satya (1998) and Company (2002) introduced audiences to fictionalised accounts inspired by Mumbai's criminal underworld.

Actor Manoj Bajpayee's portrayal of gangster Bhiku Mhatre in Satya became particularly influential.

Film scholar Ashvin Immanuel Devasundaram told the BBC that these cinematic representations left a lasting impression on audiences.

Today, however, criminal groups can use social media to circulate threats, claim responsibility for attacks and promote intimidating public images without relying on film portrayals.

Online platforms allow such messages to reach enormous audiences almost immediately.

As a result, even unverified claims can generate widespread fear and speculation.

Security Concerns Grow Among Bollywood Celebrities

Following the reported attack on Shroff, authorities reportedly increased security around the residences of Salman Khan and filmmaker Rohit Shetty.

The incident follows other security threats involving prominent figures in India's entertainment industry, including gunfire outside Khan's home in 2024 and an attack targeting Shetty's residence earlier this year.

The All Indian Cine Workers Association has called for stronger protection for actors, filmmakers and other industry professionals.

The organisation expressed concern that further attacks could occur if authorities fail to address the growing security risks.

The latest developments have raised questions about whether Bollywood celebrities are once again becoming targets of organised criminal intimidation.

Is Mumbai's Underworld Returning to Bollywood?

Despite growing public concern, former law enforcement officials say there is currently insufficient evidence to conclude that organised crime has regained the same level of control over Bollywood that it exercised decades ago.

Changes in film financing, stronger law enforcement measures and the expansion of legitimate investment have significantly reduced the industry's dependence on questionable private funding.

However, the nature of criminal intimidation appears to have evolved.

Rather than attempting to control film production and distribution, modern criminal networks may seek attention and influence through threats, targeted violence and online publicity.

The shooting involving Shroff demonstrates how a single violent incident can generate national headlines, heighten security concerns and create uncertainty throughout the entertainment industry.

For Bollywood, the challenge may no longer be the widespread criminal control of film financing seen in previous decades, but the ability of suspected criminal networks to spread fear through isolated attacks amplified by digital platforms.

As investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting, questions remain about who ordered the attack and whether it signals a broader threat to India's entertainment industry.

For now, the incident serves as a reminder that although Bollywood has moved beyond much of its troubled history with organised crime, concerns about celebrity safety have not disappeared.

Source: BBC News | Reporting by Zoya Mateen, Delhi
Adapted and rewritten for Tungaru Press