Are coriander leaves more dangerous than ganja?
Undoubtedly, cinema is a very powerful medium. The contribution of the medium of cinema in the shaping of the post-independent India is immense. Cinema has left an indelible impact on the lives of people and their religious, social, and political life. Beyond the notion that art is for art’s sake, cinema has engulfed us. When India was opening itself towards adopting modern life, Bollywood played a major role in leading the country in this direction. In fact, the country opened itself to the modern way of life through cinema. Cinema acts like a mirror to the life of people and people have changed their lives through cinema. In India, many celebrations that people follow gained popularity due to cinemas. The contribution of cinema in building secular values is no less. In Karnataka, the movies of Dr Rajkumar have left a considerable impact on the lives of the people and have shaped an entire generation. Not just his movies but Dr Rajkumar’s personality was a model for people.
All this doesn’t mean that cinema has done only good. It is also responsible for many evils. The world of cinema is not just what we see on the silver screen but is a huge industry involving politicians, criminals, and the corporate sector who are intertwined and have a nexus with each other. What we see on the screen is not the only truth. The truth behind the screen is most ignominious! Hundreds of people are out there who use the cinema industry to hide black money. It is highly likely that a criminal would have invested his money in a purely devotional movie. Wicked politicians might be part of movies that fight battles against political evil. Cinema is a Maya Bazaar – a world of fantasies! It is not easy to distinguish what is true and what is false. Many actors and artists of the generations of yore were committed to their craft and had discipline, restraint, and humility. They were aware of realities. Because of such qualities, a super star like Dr Rajkumar was able to accept both highs and lows with equanimity and was rooted in the hearts of people. We remember Dr Rajkumar not only as an actor but as a man of good heart. But today’s actors don’t have such maturity and get caught in the magical vortex of cinema and eventually lose themselves. And there are several such actors before us.
The recent two-month lockdown has revealed the hollowness of the cinema industry. It has also exposed the tainted in the industry and has dealt almost a death blow to it. Those working behind the scenes are not the only ones whose livelihood has been affected. Newspapers are regularly publishing reports about actors shining on screens resorting to suicides. In the beginning, suicides of actors of TV serials were being reported. But when Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput committed suicide, the secrets of Bollywood started coming to the fore. Most importantly, the ‘drugs mafia’ that has engulfed the cinema industry has become national news. Although, initially it was alleged that political forces were behind the suicide of Sushant Singh, it has now come to light in the course of investigation that he was taking drugs and going suffering from depression. The link between political leaders who were acting as links between people in the cinema industry and the world of drugs is slowly emerging. The producer of the movie based on the life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also standing as an accused.
Kannada cinema stars are not left behind. A leading Kannada actress has been arrested in connection with drug dealings and several others are under the scanner. Another actress has openly justified consumption of ganja comparing it to the holy ‘tulsi plant’. In this state, transporting even ‘coriander leaves’ to the market during the night-time is considered a crime and it is mocked on the social media. But the police hesitate to act when an actress openly issues a statement that ‘bhang’ is sacred’. The common man is left wondering if this means ‘coriander leaves’ are more dangerous than ‘bhang’! We are now seeing how unfettered freedom and the unrestrained life of actors and actresses have spoilt not only the cinema industry but the society at large. Many actors who are anxious about their future after the lockdown are depressed and struggling to finance their lavish lifestyles and addictions. According to some reports, the financial crisis in the cinema industry has made some actors and actresses so desperate that they are resorting to prostitution. Some of them are forced to become drug peddling pimps. Some are resorting to suicide. While actors such as Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, MGR, Rajnikanth, Dr Rajkumar lent dignity to the cinema industry, today’s actors who have no understanding of the deeper undercurrents of the industry have now become victims of a dangerously extravagant lifestyle. They have not only destroyed themselves but also rendered the entire film industry an accused in the eyes of the public and the law.
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Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol unveil ‘DDLJ’ sculpture at London’s Leicester Square
London (PTI): Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol huddled under an umbrella on a rainy Thursday in London to unveil their bronze likeness from an iconic ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ scene.
The sculpture of the duo joins Leicester Square’s ‘Scenes in the Square’ trail depicting memorable shots from some of the world’s most famous films, with ‘DDLJ’ marking a Bollywood first and the 30th anniversary of the 1995 box-office hit. It is in this popular London square that SRK as Raj and Kajol as Simran first cross paths unknowingly.
“DDLJ was made with a pure heart. We wanted to tell a story about love, how it can bridge barriers and how the world would be a better place if it had a lot of love in it, and I think this is why 'DDLJ' has had a lasting impact for over 30 years now," said Khan.
“Personally, 'DDLJ' is part of my identity, and it is humbling to see film, and Kajol and me, receiving so much love since it was released,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the Heart of London Business Alliance, behind the cinematic trail at Leicester Square, for celebrating ‘DDLJ’ and “immortalising” its lead stars.
“Seeing ‘DDLJ’ become the first Indian film to be honoured in the iconic Scenes in the Square trail is an emotional moment and has brought back so many memories.
"I feel immense pride knowing the film has been embraced around the world, and I want to share this moment with the entire cast and crew of ‘DDLJ’, my friend and director Aditya Chopra and the Yash Raj Films family. This is a moment I will never forget,” added Khan.
Kajol, joined by her daughter Nysa and son Yug, posed with Khan in front of the statue as she braved the rain in a green saree.
“It’s incredible to see ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ continue to receive so much love, even 30 years later. Watching the statue being unveiled in London felt like reliving a piece of our history - a story that has truly travelled across generations,” said Kajol.
“Seeing it find its rightful place in Leicester Square, a location of such enormous significance to ‘DDLJ’, makes this moment even more special. For the film to be honoured in this way in the UK – the first Indian film to receive such recognition – is something that will forever stay in the hearts and minds of all the ‘DDLJ’ fans across the world,” she said.
Their statue, captured in a dancing pose from the hit song ‘Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna’, joins the likes of Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, Mary Poppins, and Batman in what is dubbed as an ever-growing celebration of movie magic in a square packed with multiplex cinema screens.
“When ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, DDLJ, was released 30 years ago, the film became a defining moment for Indian cinema and changed the face of the industry, capturing the hearts of everyone who saw it all over the globe," said Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films.
“We’re thrilled to be the first Indian film to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square’. It also marks 30 years of DDLJ, a film that has spread love and joy globally, and shows the cultural impact it has had in UK.
“We are honoured that our superstars and our film are being recognised on the world stage alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy to Harry Potter. This statue will be a great way to express the international appeal of Indian movies and build bridges amongst communities through cinema,” he said.
Since its release in 1995, ‘DDLJ’ has become the longest-running film in Hindi cinema history.
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “We’re proud to welcome global megastars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to our Scenes in the Square trail.
"Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a cinematic phenomenon that has shaped generations, and London’s first tribute to Indian cinema honours a story whose magic continues to captivate audiences worldwide.”
It is a particularly special year for the film, with a musical based on the romance playing to packed houses at Manchester’s Opera House earlier this year. Aditya Chopra reprised his role as director of the English language stage production, ‘Come Fall In Love – The DDLJ Musical’, which revolved around the love story of Simran and Roger.
The script was a nod to the original as it followed Simran as a young British Indian woman who finds herself engaged to a family friend in India in an arranged marriage. However, the plot thickens when she falls in love with a British man named Roger.
Bade Bade Deshon Mein, Aisi Chhoti Chhoti Baatein Hoti Rehti Hain, Senorita!
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) December 4, 2025
Thrilled to unveil the bronze statue of Raj & Simran at London’s Leicester Square today, celebrating 30 years of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)!
Incredibly delighted that DDLJ is the first Indian… pic.twitter.com/8wjLToBGYc
