Govinda’s Performance and Bollywood’s Underworld Connection
In the chaos of Bollywood during the 1990s, the underworld exerted overwhelming influence over producers, directors, and actors. Govinda once admitted that he had performed for a Dubai-based gangster but explained that performers at the time had little choice and feared for their lives. The film industry functioned under the shadow of notorious figures such as Dawood Ibrahim and Abu Salem.
Claims by IPS Officer D. Sivanandhan
Former Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Mumbai (1998–2001), D. Sivanandhan, described how the criminal world funded several major Bollywood projects of that era. According to him, these associations were not limited to the 1990s.
Films like Satya, Company, Daddy, Shootout at Wadala, and Shootout at Lokhandwala were made to "lift the image of the gangsters. They were all funded and financed by them only."
Sivanandhan revealed that Mohanlal’s role in Ram Gopal Varma’s Company was inspired by him. He also alleged that popular films of the 1970s, including Deewaar and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, had similar financial backers from the underworld.
Govinda’s Reaction
After performing at an event linked to the underworld, Govinda reportedly said, “Naach ke aaye hain” – suggesting he was there simply to perform, not to endorse anyone.
Despite acknowledging these uncomfortable realities, police at the time refrained from action against actors, understanding their vulnerable position in a climate where declining such performances could have been deadly.
Legacy of an Era
The intertwining of cinema and crime during the 1990s left a lasting imprint on the Hindi film industry. Even as filmmakers like Ram Gopal Varma sought to depict the criminal underworld, their works became entangled with the very networks they portrayed.
Author’s Summary: D. Sivanandhan exposed Bollywood’s close ties with gangsters during the 1990s, claiming films about crime were ironically financed by criminals themselves.