Akshay Kumar said the death of suspect Singh Rajput caused everyone to “introspect”.
Bombay:
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar on Saturday issued a heartfelt appeal to fans as well as the media not to paint all movie personalities with the same brush, addressing the controversy and coverage surrounding the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the allegations of rampant drug addiction in the film industry. .
In an almost four-minute video, the 53-year-old actor said that the drug addiction problem exists in Bollywood just like any other industry, but it shouldn’t be assumed that every person in the profession is part of the problem. .
“Today I speak to you with a heavy heart. I want to say so much these past few weeks but there is so much negativity everywhere,” he said.
“We can be called stars, but Bollywood was created because of your love. We are not just an industry, but through our films, we have presented Indian values and culture to the world,” Mr. . Kumar.
The actor added that the cinema has always been a reflection of society, raising relevant issues such as “corruption, poverty or unemployment”, and will continue to do so.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is investigating allegations of widespread drug abuse in Bollywood and has so far arrested Sushant Singh Rajput’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and some suspected drug traffickers for having allegedly facilitated the actor’s drug use.
The central agency also questioned Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan as part of the investigation in a separate case.
Influential Bollywood names have faced the wrath of many on social media and various other platforms for being a negative influence.
Akshay Kumar said the events following Sushant Singh’s death in June caused everyone in the film industry to “introspect”.
The actor said he cannot deny that there are some in the industry who may be involved in illegal activities, but most people will cooperate with the investigation.
“I will be a liar if I say that this problem does not exist in our industry. It exists, like any industry. But not every person in every profession is involved in such problems. It is impossible,” he said. he says.
“Drugs are a legal matter and I have every confidence that our law enforcement authorities and the courts will conduct a fair investigation into this matter. I know this for a fact that every person in the film industry will cooperate with them in this survey. It is my request, do not look at the whole industry with the same lens. It is not fair, “he said.
The actor called on the media not to engage in callous and irresponsible coverage because, he said, even a single “negative issue” can damage an artist’s hard-earned reputation.
“I want to ask the media to keep doing their job and making their voices heard, but with sensitivity. One negative element can damage a person’s reputation that they have built over years after hard work,” Mr. Kumar said.
(With PTI entries)
