Bollywood is deliberately being shown as a dark world where drugs, sex and alcohol is common: Ramesh Sippy

NEW DELHI: Producer-director Ramesh Sippy is recent in the line of people from the Bollywood fraternity to come out in support of the film industry over drug abuse allegations. Sippy, who produced the critically acclaimed film ‘Sholay’, has stated that the allegations against Bollywood’s drug connection, that is part of the probe being carried out in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, is incorrect.

The filmmaker stated that the drug allegations against ‘Bollywood’ are wrong and incorrect. He said that he won’t deny that drugs aren’t used at all in the industry, however, he mentioned, it is used in the same way it is anywhere else in the world.

In addition to this, Sippy said, that he isn’t endorsing the use of drugs and he has never consumed it himself. He said that it is being portrayed as if the industry is a scary place where drugs, alcohol and sex are being promoted. He said with confidence that this surely isn’t the reality.

He added that there might be some who are addicted to drugs, but to generalise is absolutely wrong. He concluded by saying that just because people wanted to know about celebrities since they are public figures, that is why the media is portraying things this way.

Earlier, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan had given a Zero Hour notice in the Upper House over an alleged conspiracy to defame the film industry.

“Entertainment industry provides 5 lakh employment every day and indirectly provides livelihood to five million people. At a time when the situation is depressing and employment is at its worst level, in order to divert people’s attention, we are being flogged by social media,” Jaya said, adding that all this was because the government was not coming out in support of the industry.

She stated, “The people who made their names in the industry have called it a gutter. I completely disagree. I really dissociate myself and I hope that the government tells these people who have made their earning and name and fame in the industry to stop using such language.”