Not entire Bollywood involved in drugs controversy, says Akshay
Bollywood star Akshay Kumar on Saturday posted a message, addressing the tragic death of fellow actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the subsequent allegations of rampant drug abuse in the Hindi film industry. Speaking in light of the accusations, the 53-year-old actor urged fans as well as the media to not paint a grim picture of all those associated with Bollywood. Here's more on this.
'Bollywood created because of audience's love'
"Today, I am talking to you with a heavy heart. I wanted to say so many things in the past few weeks but there is so much negativity everywhere," Akshay said in the video. He added that film actors might be called "stars," but "Bollywood has been created because of your love." "Through our films, we have showcased Indian values and culture throughout world."
Akshay said that drug abuse does exist in Bollywood
In his video, nearly four-minutes-long, Akshay said Sushant's death earlier in June has pushed everyone in the film industry to "introspect." He accepted that the problem of drug abuse exists in Bollywood, just like it might be present in other professions. But one should not assume that every person is part of the problem, he added.
"Impossible that every person is involved"
"I will be a liar if I say that this problem (or drug use) does not exist in our industry. It exists, just like every industry. But every person in every profession is not involved in such problems. This is impossible," the actor added.
A high-profile drugs case is currently under probe
Akshay's appeal has come at a time when a high-profile drugs case related to Sushant's death is being probed by the Narcotics Control Bureau, the central anti-drugs agency. Last month, actor Rhea Chakraborty, who had earlier been dating Sushant, was arrested on charges of procuring banned drugs such as marijuana. Actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan were also questioned.
'Authorities and courts will conduct a fair probe'
"Drugs is a legal matter and I am totally confident that our law enforcement authorities and courts will conduct a fair investigation into this issue," Akshay added. He expressed confidence that every person from the movie industry will cooperate in the ongoing probe. The actor, however, requested fans to not look at the entire industry with the same lens, as "this is not right."
He requested media to refrain from insensitive coverage
Lastly, Akshay requested the media to not indulge in insensitive and irresponsible coverage as it could damage the "hard-earned reputation" of artistes. "I want to request the media that they continue doing their jobs and raising their voices but with sensitivity. One piece of negative issue can damage a person's reputation that they built over the years after lots of hard work," he concluded.
