Picture being painted that actors left acting to grow ganja: Sena

Mumbai: An attempt is being made to discredit the film industry based in Mumbai, probably to ensure that the renowned personalities residing here leave, Shiv Sena alleged on Friday amid the ongoing Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) probe.

Sena, through party mouthpiece Saamana, said that the stars from the Hindi film industry, Bollywood, have been used by politicians in the Centre as well as the State from time to time to suit their needs.

This comes at a time when the NCB has summoned several prominent Bollywood actors, including Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, among others associated with the industry in connection with a drug case related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Saamana said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several states have used the same film personalities when it suited their needs. It added a “picture” was being painted to show all major film stars are drug addicts and grow ganja in their homes.

“Is such an environment being created so that the cinema industry and the personalities working in it leave Mumbai? This speculation is gaining ground. In a systematic fashion, a picture is being painted that the actors, directors, cinematographers, etc have left acting and become drug addicts and leaving art, they have started farming ganja and afeem in the galleries, and balconies of their homes,” the editorial said.

The mouthpiece said attempts were being made to “finish off” the Mumbai industry as Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced a film city in his state. It added that the idea of starting a film city is good but running it is hard as several studios in Mumbai are facing tough times.

The editorial said Mumbai as a film city will always stay relevant. It said the Centre should have thought of starting a film city in Kashmir.