BJP warns Filmmakers, TVs against hiring Mariah

Mumbai: Filmmakers and television companies were Monday warned by political parties to refrain from casting Kannada actress Mariah Monica Susairaj, convicted for the murder of a television executive.

The Mumbai units of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) reacted following reports that filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma wanted to hire Mariah for his next film and that Susairaj could be invited to join the next season of Bigg Boss. Colors channel, which airs `Bigg Boss`, has denied this. Mumbai BJP youth wing general secretary Amit Satam warned filmmakers and TV channels against casting Susairaj in any of their ventures. Shiv Sena`s Bharatiya Chitrapat Sena chief Abhijit Panse said Ram Gopal Verma was indulging in "publicity stunts" by offering a role to Susairaj. He threatened to unleashed `Shiv Sena style` opposition in case any filmmaker or TV channel hired Susairaj. Panse said there had been a trend to cast people with shady or criminal backgrounds on TV reality shows. The MNS Cine Workers Association flayed the alleged moves to invite Susairaj in Bigg Boss. Its president Amey Khopkar said: "Maria has a criminal background and therefore nobody wants to see her in films or television shows." He warned that any filmmaker or TV production house hiring her would face the party`s wrath. Last week, former naval officer Emile Jerome Mathew was awarded 10 years in jail after a Mumbai court found him guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the killing of Neeraj Grover. His fiancee Susairaj was given a three year jail term for destroying evidence. A struggling actress, she walked out free from jail two days ago as she has already served the sentence as an undertrial. IANS