Bollywood Faces Renewed Security Concerns Amid String of Attacks

A recent shooting targeting Indian actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai has revived concerns over organized crime in the Hindi film industry, according to a report by Deutsche Welle (DW). Police reported that the shooting injured Shroff's driver, and an audio message from presumed attackers claimed responsibility while threatening individuals working with actor Salman Khan.

Recent Incidents and International Reach

DW reported that the recent shooting is part of a broader string of attacks on prominent figures in the Mumbai-based film industry since 2022. Incidents cited include:

• Gunshots fired at Salman Khan's apartment and filmmaker Rohit Shetty's home in Mumbai.
• An attack on actor Disha Patani's family home in northern India.
• A reported extortion demand of nearly $1.1 million received by actor Ranveer Singh.
• Three attacks on a café owned by comedian Kapil Sharma in Surrey, Canada.

The apparent perpetrators of the recent threat claimed a connection to Lawrence Bishnoi, a 33-year-old incarcerated gangster originally from Punjab. However, police have not officially confirmed the gang's involvement in the Shroff shooting. In September 2025, Canada designated the Bishnoi gang a terrorist entity, and the FBI added alleged North American syndicate leader Satinderjeet Singh (also known as Goldy Brar) to its Ten Most Wanted list.

Contrasting with 1990s Organized Crime

Experts interviewed by DW noted that while the current threats evoke memories of the 1990s mafia era—when figures like Dawood Ibrahim, Abu Salem, and Chhota Shakeel extorted and targeted Bollywood—the current situation differs significantly.

• Past Crime Wave: Former Mumbai Police Commissioner D. Sivanandhan noted that 1998 saw extreme violence with 101 businessmen shot dead over extortion. Authorities subsequently dismantled those gangs using a strict organized crime law passed in 1999, electronic surveillance, and preventive detentions.
• Current Dynamics: Crime journalist S. Hussain Zaidi stated that calling the current situation a full resurgence would be an exaggeration, as rival gangs are not active in Mumbai in the same manner as the 1990s, and digital payments have made large cash extortion more difficult to hide.

Conversely, Sivanandhan argued that current shootings and social media claims remain aimed at collecting extortion, describing Bollywood as being used by outsiders as an "ATM."

Industry Response

Concerns over the ongoing security environment have prompted reactions from labor representatives. Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, President of the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah, warning that leading names might leave Mumbai if underworld fear persists and asserting that the industry will not be allowed to operate under constant threat. Several Bollywood stars have reportedly enhanced their personal security measures in response to the incidents.