Crime diaries of hot-shot Indian celebs

Tanu Talwar

Power intoxicates men, it is said. When a man is intoxicated by alcohol, he comes back to senses, but when drunk on power, he seldom recovers. This adage stands true in the ritzy, mesmerising yet phony world of Bollywood where stardom followed by power makes a combo so lethal that it blurs the thin line between right and wrong making an individual feel supreme and above the law, humanity and sometimes even his own moral righteousness. Power surely corrupts. And it’s not meant for everyone either. Power is a fixation so addictive and supreme that only those who have risen from the dust and gone on to reach soaring heights but have again landed back into murky ditches of failure are able to understand its true disposition. It’s certainly not meant for the young hot blooded hunk, who amidst the limelight, sea of beauty and fans vying for his one fateful touch, is often clueless about the restraint he needs to practice in order to prevent success from going to his head. A screaming sign of the rancorous times is Shiney Ahuja, who has left Bollywood and fans appalled, shook to their very gut with his reported confession of raping his 18-yr-old housemaid. Known for keeping a low profile, the otherwise subdued and seemingly classy Shiney seems to have fetched filmdom one of its sleaziest scandal till date. Sending shivers down our spines, the reel life crime-fighting hero Shiney has in many ways become a real life villain courtesy his conscious driven confession. The horrific act hasn’t only jiggled Bollywood from its comfort slumber but has also opened the floodgates to the past. It has once again reminded us of similar previous incidents that had high and mighty macho men acting like spellbound adolescents to enjoy that one moment of thrill that comes from defying authority and staid norms. So let us just look back at Shiney’s predecessors who caused much shock, horror and disbelief and how law handed them punishment: Doomed Anand Jon A much-celebrated fashion designer in the West, Anand Jon was met with a firm hand by the law when several charges of rape and sexual assault were tried and proved against him in one of the most high profile cases in the US. Coming from India, Jon shot to international fame owing to his super rich client list that included the likes of Paris Hilton. Just as quickly, he went on to bite the dust for his shady acts. Falling apart like a house of cards, Jon went from famous to infamous to downright seedy when on Nov 14 last year a 12-member jury sealed his fate as they found him guilty of 14 felonies including forcible rape. The swanky designer, who was at the highest peak of fame and glory, was once featured on ‘America’s next top model’. But his American dream soon went wishy-washy after he was proved guilty of ghastly acts that involved 7 counts of lewd acts on a child, 2 counts of sexual battery, 1 count of attempted oral copulation and 1 count of possession of child pornography. As it stands now, the fallen designer faces a mandatory life sentence. And if not that, he will have to spend a minimum of 67 years in prison before he can even look at his options for parole. Law basher: Salman Khan Infamously famous Salman Khan, who is known for his relentless rage, fickle temperament and slap slam antics, has lived a life so eventful that it is no less than a twisted Bollywood potboiler. Often standing on the wrong side of the law and opposing authority, Sallu is a true star whose life off-screen is as colorful as his onscreen portrayals. The difference being that he is no hero in real life but an aberrant celebrity who never fails to shock. And even though his personal relationships have always entertained scribes, his first unfortunate stint with the law occurred in 2002. The actor was arrested for rash and negligent driving reportedly under the influence of alcohol. The incident left one person dead and 3 injured. Making nationwide headlines, the episode caused public outrage with several protests against the actor. Though initially charges of culpable homicide were slammed on the actor, they were later dropped, as there was not much evidence. And though the messy incident should have been enough for Sallu to mend his ways, he seemed to have learnt little. Prior to this, Sallu was in the news for the black buck case. He was arrested and sentenced to a five-year jail term for hunting the endangered specie Chinkara. Put behind bars on April 10, 2006 the actor was remanded in Jodhpur jail till April 13. The actor was released on bail only to be put back behind bars again on August 25. After spending 6 days in prison Sallu was released on bail, but the case is far from over. Made mess with Maid: Aditya Panscholi Not many would know but this light-eyed baldie bears more resemblance to the A-typical filmy baddie than just his clean scalp. The actor reportedly had consensual sex with his minor house help. The actor in exchange of a film role lured the girl, merely 15-yrs-old, into having physical intercourse. Once the incident hit the headlines, it caused havoc as many termed the act, as rape for the victim was less than 18 years. And though Aditya escaped the clutches of law over several legal glitches, the episode cost him his swishy girlfriend Pooja Bedi. Dazed, confused and jailed: Sanjay Dutt Coming from a reputed family and endowed with ideal genes, Sanjay Dutt was one of the most promising stars filmdom ever saw. Winning hearts with his debut flick ‘Rocky’, he was on the path of achieving astronomical success when his addiction to drugs and other noxious indulgences took control. At a tender age of 22, Sanjay Dutt, inebriated on fame, battled drug addition after he lost his mother to cancer. A star child, who had grown up with his all whims and fancies fulfilled, Sanju baba had become the industry’s spoilt brat who peeved everyone yet was adored for his boyish charms. But all that changed on April 19, 1993, when Sanjay was arrested in connection with the most dreaded attack the city ever faced that took the lives of thousands of innocents. On charges of illegally possessing arms purchased from gangsters involved in the bombing, the Dutt scion was put behind bars. After spending 16 months in jail, he was released on bail in October 1995. But his troubles were far from over. Besides making rounds in and out of court for several years that followed, Dutt also had to face public rage and humiliation. And though it was his baddie ‘Khalnayak’ role that had paved way for his success, it was only when he turned into the peace-loving ‘Munnabhai’ that he was able to restore his lost glory. When Rakhi had Mika on her lips Just an item girl craving for attention, Rakhi Sawant had her 15 minutes of fame or rather defame when Mika unabashedly caught her and forcefully kissed her at his birthday bash. Considering Sawant was at the receiving end, there was no way that the incident was going to be swept under the rug. Instead it went on to make nationwide headlines when Sawant lodged a complaint against the pop singer for molesting her. Tabloids made merry as Rakhi in her signature style gobbled at the limelight as she went on an interview spree hurling harsh remarks and cussing at Mika. Speaking in one such sensational interview, Rakhi in her outlandish way said, "He bit my lips twice and in the process my earring broke. I am an Indian woman I will not allow a liplock- a peck on the cheek is okay. He brutally assaulted me and forcibly smooched me.” But it didn’t end there. The attention hogging Rakhi knocked on every authority’s door including the NCW to make her moments of fame memorable. The dusky babe dragged Mika to court on assault charges and slammed him with Section 323 (assault) and 354 (molestation). Mika had to pay dearly for his imprudent act. It not only cost him his repute but also got him arrested. Though the singer has been released on interim bail, the case is still very much alive and can kick Mika anytime. From national shame to National Awards: Madhur Bhandarkar A filmmaker par excellence with his kitty ringing with National Award trophies, Madhur Bhandarkar is without doubt one of the most talented directors. But, this magic weaver, who is now accustomed to extol, was once condemned for unsavory reasons. Remember the Preeti Jain episode? Well let’s refresh your memory. A small time starlet Preeti sent the gossip mills roaring when she blatantly spoke of the intimate starry promises Bhandarkar had made to her in exchange for sex. Considering the incident involved the much-revered Bhandarkar, it sent shockwaves across Bollywood. But despite Bhandarkar’s persistent denials and attempts to dub Preeti as an attention craving wannabe, the girl proved that she had evidence to back her claims. Besides stating that she had physical relations with Bhandarkar she also went on record to say that she could give sufficient proof to justify her claims as she had his messages and phone bills to verify her accusations. In her complaint filed with the Mumbai police she had said, "Bhandarkar and I had sex 16 times between 1999-2004. Madhur had promised to give me a lead role in his films. However, he didn’t offer me a lead role in any of his films. At times when I refused, he raped me." On account of these charges Bhandarkar was arrested, but was later released on anticipatory bail. But Preeti, who was breathing fire, dug her own grave when she reportedly paid Rs 70,000 to a hit man for killing Madhur. The plot came to light and Preeti was put behind bars. After months of investigation, the case against Bhandarkar was closed on pretext of lack of evidence. Reel cum real life villain: Shakti Kapoor The reel life baddie Shakti Kapoor didn’t disappoint when he played real life villain to perfection in one of the most seedy sting operations ever. In many ways, it was Kapoor’s infamous episode that proved to Bollywood buffs that casting couch, the most hated term in B-town, was not a myth but a grim reality. Curtains came down for Kapoor when a journalist from a newly launched news channel posed as an aspiring actress and approached the actor for a role in the movies. To everyone’s shock, Kapoor solicited sex from the lady—an act caught on tape and shown repeatedly on news channels with flashy titles. The video had Kapoor saying "I want to make love to you… and if you want to come in this line then you have to do what I tell you to do." Kapoor’s career was doomed. Not only did he leave his family shattered, he was ousted from the film community of sorts. Why? Well, besides making sleazy demands from the lady, the tape also had Kapoor making lewd remarks about top-notch actresses who, he stated, had slept their way to success.