Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma recently shared his thoughts on the drama surrounding his film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. He delved into how the movie became tied to rumored underworld connections during its making.
In a conversation with journalist Hussain Zaidi, Varma recalled how financier Bharat Shah got involved. Shah was approached by someone claiming to have Salman Khan’s availability for the project. To confirm this, Shah reached out to Salman, who assured him that he had indeed booked dates. This confirmation encouraged Shah to support the film.
However, things took a turn when Shah learned about producer Nazim Rizvi’s supposed ties to underworld figure Chhota Shakeel. Despite this, Shah believed Rizvi was operating a legal business and didn’t feel that his own involvement was problematic. Varma explained, “He thought that just because Rizvi had connections, it didn’t make him a criminal.”
Varma also highlighted the tense atmosphere in the film industry back then, where extortion threats were becoming increasingly common. He recounted an instance where a businessman was threatened for ₹5 crore and turned to Shah for assistance, hoping his connections could help defuse the situation. The final amount was negotiated down to ₹2 crore.
As more people sought Shah’s help, Varma noted that Shah acted without any expectation of personal gain. However, this drew the attention of law enforcement, and Shah found himself under scrutiny. “He was just trying to assist, but the police were monitoring his calls,” Varma said. Shah became anxious as the situation intensified, feeling overwhelmed by the unfolding events.
This complicated scenario led to legal troubles in 2001 when both Bharat Shah and Nazim Rizvi were taken into custody by the Mumbai Police. Ultimately, Shah was sentenced to one year in prison for not reporting Rizvi’s alleged connections. However, he was released soon after since he had already spent over a year in jail during the trial. Rizvi faced serious charges as well, being found guilty of links to organized crime and involvement in extortion related to the film industry.
