Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar has come to the defence of Bollywood actors amid a row over the Hindi film industry’s alleged links with a drug cartel. The celebrated writer said that he doesn’t believe the reports about the alleged drug abuse in Bollywood because the stars today are obsessed with fitness and more disciplined than yesteryear actors.
In an interview with MOJO, Akhtar said, “I don’t believe in those reports but look at their health, their physique, their physical fitness. These boys and girls, unlike the stars of yesteryear who were not obsessed with their physical fitness, which this generation is. In fact, they spend two to three hours in the gym. Do they look like drug addicts? They are extremely professional and responsible people. Today, the film industry is much more disciplined and responsible than it ever was.”
"Charas & Ganja smoking not such a big issue that it needs India's top agencies"- @javedakhtarjadu on @themojo_in on having battled alcoholism in the past says "I'd discourage any addiction but is this India's most important topic " -Full show here: https://t.co/tfRBqYId8X pic.twitter.com/gBuD8mt5SE
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) September 29, 2020
A few days earlier, in a tweet, Javed expressed his disappointment in the current state of affairs. Taking a dig at news channels, he tweeted that if Karan Johar had invited farmers to his party, then life would have been easier for the channels. The Sholay writer also said that it seems like the party that happened at Karan’s place is “the second most favourite party on the TV channels.”
If Karan johar had invited some farmers too for his party life would have been easier for our TV channels.They would not have had to choose between farmers protest and Karan’s party!. it seems that Karan’s do is the second most favourite PARTY of our channels
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) September 25, 2020
The tweet was about the 2019 party at Karan’s place which was in the news after Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Majinder Sirsa had alleged that drugs were consumed at the party. In the party video, we could see Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Arjun Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Zoya Akhtar, and Vicky Kaushal.
Deepika is now being questioned in a drug case by the Narcotics Control Bureau. She, along with Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor, and Rakul Preet Singh were called for questioning.
The drug angle first appeared in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. His purported girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty was called in for questioning and was subsequently arrested by the NCB.
Source: India Times
