Mumbai’s glitzy film industry is gripped by fear following a brazen shooting at director Rohit Shetty’s Juhu bungalow last Sunday. The incident, which sent shockwaves through Bollywood, has been linked to Shubham Lonkar, a fugitive gangster and close aide of jailed don Lawrence Bishnoi. Police sources reveal that Lonkar has targeted at least five top celebrities with extortion calls demanding hefty ransoms.
Despite the mounting dread, none of the stars have come forward to file complaints, leaving law enforcement in a bind. A senior officer disclosed that intelligence intercepts confirm threatening calls to multiple actors and filmmakers, but the code of silence prevails. ‘It’s challenging to act without formal reports,’ the officer noted, highlighting the industry’s reluctance to engage authorities.
The plot thickened with the discovery of Lonkar’s chilling social media post. In it, he warned Shetty directly: ‘We’ve messaged you multiple times to stay out of our business, but you didn’t listen. That was just the trailer. Next time, the bullet goes straight to your chest. This is a warning to all of Bollywood—mend your ways.’
Shetty, however, maintains he received no such threats. Crime branch teams are scouring the country for the shooter, while the industry buzzes with whispers of an underworld resurgence. As tensions simmer, questions loom: Will Bollywood break its silence, or will fear dictate the narrative? The coming days could redefine safety in Tinseltown.