Bollywood, the Underworld & the Ghosts of the Past

“Lights, Camera, Action... Crime?”

The story of Bollywood is not just about dreams, glamour, and blockbuster movies. It has another side—a dark, unseen world where gangsters finance films, producers take orders from underworld dons, and stars mysteriously disappear or die under suspicious circumstances.

But why? Why was Bollywood under the shadow of criminals? And more importantly, is it still?

Let’s rewind.

The Dawn of Bollywood’s Underworld Era

In the 1980s and 1990s, Bollywood was booming, but there was a catch—producers didn’t have enough legal financing options.

Enter Dawood Ibrahim and his D-Company.

Dawood, India’s most-wanted fugitive, saw Bollywood as a goldmine. He started funding films, making producers, actors, and even directors dependent on him. But the price was heavy. If someone didn’t listen, death threats followed.

🎥 Example? The 1997 film Chhote Sarkar starring Govinda was attacked by the underworld because the producer refused to pay protection money.

Bollywood had become a business run by crime syndicates. And then, two shocking stories shook the industry forever.

Story 1: Mamta Kulkarni – From Bollywood Queen to Drug Fugitive

A Star Who Vanished

Mamta Kulkarni, the leading actress of the 90s, shared the screen with Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Akshay Kumar. She had everything—fame, money, power.

Then, suddenly, she disappeared.

📌 The First Sign: Underworld Party in Dubai (1997)

• In 1997, Mamta was seen at a lavish party hosted by Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai.

• Coincidence? Maybe not. Reports suggested she had underworld connections helping her career.

📌 The Real Twist: Her Relationship with Drug Lord Vicky Goswami

• In the early 2000s, Mamta moved to Kenya, away from Bollywood.

• She was now with Vicky Goswami, a global drug kingpin.

• Reports say she helped run a multi-billion-dollar drug empire.

📌 2016: India Issues Arrest Warrant

• A ₹2,000 crore ephedrine drug bust in Maharashtra linked Mamta and Vicky.

• India declared her a fugitive.

• She escaped to Kenya, where she still hides today.

Bollywood’s once-glamorous star had turned into an international criminal mastermind.

Story 2: Divya Bharti – A Mysterious Death that Haunts Bollywood

Imagine this: You’re 19 years old. You’re Bollywood’s biggest superstar. You’ve worked with Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, and Sunny Deol.

And then, one night, you mysteriously fall from your 5th-floor apartment and die.

📌 April 5, 1993: The Night That Changed Bollywood

• Divya Bharti fell from her balcony in Mumbai.

• She was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

• Official cause? Accidental fall.

📌 Why is This Suspicious?

• She was not drunk, no alcohol found in her system.

• No suicide note.

• The case was closed in just 2 months, despite no conclusive evidence.

📌 Was the Underworld Involved?

• In the 90s, Bollywood producers were forced to take money from gangsters.

• Divya’s husband, Sajid Nadiadwala, had alleged links to the underworld (according to some reports).

• She had reportedly threatened to leave Bollywood, which could have angered powerful people.

📌 The Unanswered Questions

• If it was just an accident, why was the case hushed up so quickly?

• Why did no one in Bollywood talk about her death?

30 years later, the truth behind Divya Bharti’s death remains a mystery.

Bollywood’s Shadow War with Crime Lords

Bollywood has had more than just two underworld-linked cases.

🎥 Sanjay Dutt & the 1993 Mumbai Blasts

• Sanjay Dutt, son of legendary actor Sunil Dutt, was arrested under TADA for possessing illegal weapons supplied by Dawood Ibrahim’s gang.

• The weapons were used in the 1993 Mumbai blasts that killed 257 people.

🎥 Rakesh Roshan’s Shooting (2000)

• Hrithik Roshan’s father, Rakesh Roshan, was shot outside his office.

• Why? He refused to pay underworld money for his film Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai.

🎥 Gulshan Kumar Murder (1997)

• The T-Series owner was shot dead outside a temple in Mumbai.

• Reports suggested Dawood Ibrahim’s gang ordered the hit because Gulshan refused to pay extortion money.

The Present: Is Bollywood Still Controlled by the Underworld?

Today, Bollywood has changed.

• Corporate studios like YRF, Dharma, and Netflix finance films now, reducing the underworld’s influence.

• But hints of underworld control still remain.

Example: The Mumbai Police still monitor threats to Bollywood celebrities. Salman Khan recently received death threats from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s group.

So, the big question is:

Is Bollywood finally free from the underworld, or is it just a well-hidden secret?

Final Thoughts

The story of Mamta Kulkarni’s crime empire and Divya Bharti’s mysterious death are not just gossip. They are evidence of Bollywood’s dangerous past.

We may love Bollywood for its songs, romance, and action. But behind the silver screen, there’s a world that remains unseen.

A world that still haunts the industry.

What do you think? Is Bollywood clean today, or are the ghosts of the underworld still running the show?

Let me know your thoughts.