Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta discussed the relationship between Bollywood and the underworld during the 1990s in a conversation on his YouTube channel, highlighting Shah Rukh Khan’s stance in particular.
According to Gupta, leading actors, actresses, directors and other prominent figures in the film industry faced pressure from underworld groups, who allegedly attempted to influence film financing and production. He said individuals linked to the underworld would sometimes visit film sets and seek involvement in projects.
Gupta recalled several incidents from that era, including the killing of a Punjabi actor who was later reportedly found to have been a police informant. He also mentioned the shooting death of actress Manisha Koirala’s secretary at his office and an attack on filmmaker Rakesh Roshan.
The filmmaker said the pressure went beyond extortion calls, with members of the industry facing threats and demands in different forms.
Gupta said major actors and actresses were often pressured to sign agreements for films that underworld figures wanted to produce. According to him, Shah Rukh Khan was among the few who refused to comply.
He recalled that when Shah Rukh Khan was threatened, the actor made it clear that he would neither work in films backed by the underworld nor perform for them. Gupta quoted him as responding defiantly that he would not make such a film or show and would not bow to their demands even if it meant facing a threat to his life.
Gupta said Shah Rukh Khan’s firm position eventually earned him respect, with even underworld figures recognising that at least one major personality in the film industry was unwilling to submit to their pressure.
Filmmaker Farah Khan had also previously acknowledged that leading Bollywood actors faced pressure from the underworld during the 1990s. Speaking on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast, she confirmed that the three major Khan stars had also faced such pressure.
Farah Khan further recalled that filmmaker Karan Johar received an underworld threat around the premiere of films including Duplicate and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, raising questions at the time over whether the premiere should be cancelled.
Shah Rukh Khan began his acting career in theatre and later appeared in the 1988 television drama Dil Dariya. Due to production delays, Fauji became his first television series to air and brought him widespread recognition.
He subsequently appeared in several television productions, including Umeed, Circus and Wagle Ki Duniya. Although he was initially not strongly interested in pursuing acting as a career, the death of his mother in 1990 prompted him to change his plans and move from Delhi to Mumbai.
Shah Rukh Khan made his film debut with Deewana in 1992 and went on to establish himself as one of the biggest stars in Indian cinema.
Following the success of Pathaan and Jawan in 2023, he is set to appear in filmmaker Siddharth Anand’s upcoming film King, which is expected to be released in December 2026.