For those who think India is only battling a rising number of Covid-19 cases and some rather troublesome neighbours, there is another little storm brewing in a teacup which is threatening to explode - The #JusticeforSSR campaign seeking investigation into the mysterious death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. With enough murkiness, mystery, intrigue, feme fatales, drugs, politics, drama to be a Bollywood “Masala Movie”, it has Indians the world over lapping it up with their daily cuppa Chai!
It all started when Sushant, a Bollywood star from the state of Bihar, was found dead in his Mumbai apartment by his flatmates on the 14th of June. It was immediately declared a suicide by media and corroborated within hours by the formidable Mumbai police who, for reasons best known to them, thought it best to quench public curiosity before proceeding with a post mortem and investigation. This, in spite of having been alerted by Sushant’s family previously, about a possible threat to his life.
The reason for suicide was apparently Bipolar disorder, having been diagnosed with it just months prior to the event, allegedly triggered by (as per his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty) a ghastly painting at a Gothic Italian hotel! In an attempt to convince a disbelieving public a youtube video was released of his psychiatrist throwing caution and doctor patient confidentiality to the wind and declaring him Bipolar.
Whether it was political pressure from the ruling Maharashtra Government or just a desperate attempt to cover up a shoddy investigation, the Mumbai police steadfastly refused to investigate the matter as a homicide until a report about wrongful death was lodged, resisting intense media and public pressure. In the meantime the family, not surprisingly, decided to lodge the report in Bihar, leading to a public tussle between the state governments and their Police forces. The case was eventually handed over to a central agency (CBI) who normally look into crimes of national importance. But with the Bihar elections looming and its politicians keen to ride the wave of public sympathy for a star from the state of Bihar, the keen interest of India’s central government in both the Bihar state elections (very important for their alliance and image) and the Maharashtra Government who they had been eyeing to topple, I suppose this could be considered a case of national importance too! And so the saga continues, with the CBI doing it’s own independent enquiry, and the media parallelly running a “ trial” of their own!
But what has made Sushant’s death catch the frenzied attention of the entire nation and media? This was not the first time a reigning star had died under mysterious circumstances. Parveen Babi, Jiah Khan, Sri Devi are just a few illustrious names in a long list of Bollywood celebrities whose deaths to this day remain a mystery. The answer perhaps boils down to two rather explosive elements 1. The divide in the Indian Society and what Sushant and his success meant to the ordinary Indian 2. A Bollywood star called Kangana Ranaut
Now, the complexities of Indian society, primarily its class divide with sensitivities and sensibilities as different as chalk and cheese are difficult to understand if one is not Indian. In a nutshell you have the aspirational anglicised, rich and metropolitan on one side and on the other, the aspiring “desi” (rooted in Indian culture) middle class from the 2nd and 3rd tier cities and heartlands facing age old prejudices, a rather sad legacy of the British rule. Bollywood is no different. In fact, in the last few years, Bollywood seemed to have alienated itself from the common man with its unapologetic celebration of the west, eliticism and incestuous promotion of their own. If one is to go by who are the biggest producers, who gets plum projects, accolades, awards, good press and consequently endorsement deals, Bollywood seemed to be run more as a fiefdom and those who did not belong or bow to the feudal lords (film families/producers) could not hope to survive. As one yesteryear actor turned MP said in parliament recently “ how can you bite the hand that feeds you?” stating exactly how Bollywood bigwigs perceive themselves (the feeders) and the outsiders who come to make it big in the movie business!
Sushant, a brilliant young man from humble beginnings, and the youngest of 5 siblings from Bihar, had made it big, against all odds, in the big bad world of Bollywood . He was looked up to with pride by the Biharis and as a ray of hope by all outsiders hoping to make it big in Bollywood where your surname and command over the English language seems to open more doors than talent does. This talented young man however seemed to have ruffled some rather important feathers on his way to the top and if one is to believe Kangana Ranaut, a Bollywood superstar and outsider just like Sushant, “he paid the price of his life for it”!
Convinced that “injustices” meted out by Bollywood's cliquish bigwigs, with their well oiled machinery involving production houses, PR agencies, Press and the Bollywood grapevine, Kangana Ranaut, made some rather explosive statements on media. The proof she said, was in the pudding for all to see, in the form of some pretty bad press, absence of accolades for Sushant’s successes, false allegations, loss of key projects and friends and incessant rumours amongst other insults borne by the young man in the years leading to his death. He still had his share of good projects, admirers and a huge fan following, but one can argue he was never given his due.
Sushant’s death and Kangana’s subsequent interview both struck a very deep chord within Indians resulting in a massive public outcry against Bollywood insiders and support for further investigation into the actor's death. The media was quick to jump on board, tirelessly presenting sting operations, debates, salacious storylines and dubious “witnesses”, to feed the ever growing beast of public obsession.
Mired in the middle of the controversy and mystery surrounding his death is his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, the prime accused, a rather attractive and westernised young woman whose fault so far seems to be an affinity for smoking pot with her now dead boyfriend and that she isn’t India’s idea of a “good Indian girl”. She seems to have some very serious allegations pointed towards her by Sushant’s family including abettment to his suicide and siphoning off his funds. With three investigative agencies on the case these questions should soon be answered. For now, arrested for possessing, using and possibly peddling drugs, she seems to be content to cool her heels in jail and fend off media scrutiny.
Rhea’s attempts to gain people’s sympathies as a victim of the media circus while justified (no one deserves it) finds hardly any takers amongst the general population. But caught in the net of the Narcotics Bureau, and in a prime position to name names, Rhea has suddenly found new friends amongst the suddenly vocal Bollywood lobby. An industry where mafia money and drugs, we are told, are as ubiquitous as botox, people are getting rather jittery it seems. And with India’s most expensive lawyers fighting for her (quite handy for an impoverished actor) she seems to be the horse to bet on.
In the meantime the feminists are crying hoarse about misogyny ( for arresting a woman for possessing drugs). The media is making the most of this unexpected bonanza of public obsession. Bollywood folks are busy cementing relationships through social media support of causes they may not care, know or agree about and the politicians, not to be left behind, are using all of the above to try and win elections and topple governments!
댓글