Speaking in the Rajya Sabha today, veteran actress Jaya Bachchan came down heavily on all those who have recently attacked the Bollywood industry.
In a scathing attack against BJP MP from Gorakhpur and Bollywood actor Ravi Kishan, Jaya Bachchan claimed that people who rose to fame because of Bollywood have called it a “gutter”. Without naming Kishan, Jaya Bachchan remarked, “I completely disagree. I really dissociate myself from them and I hope that the government tells these people who have earned their name and fame through the industry to stop using such language."
She went on to say that by turning against Bollywood, such actors have bit the hand that fed it. "Jis thaali me khate hai, usi me ched karte hai,” she said in Hindi.
BJP MP Ravi Kishan had earlier said that the “drug conspiracy was a big issue in Bollywood.” Speaking on the first day of the Parliament’s monsoon session, Kishan had said, “Drug addiction is in the film industry too. Several people have been apprehended. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has been doing very good work. I urge the central government to take strict action against the culprits soon. Give them a befitting punishment and bring an end to this conspiracy by neighbouring countries (China and Pakistan).”
Complaining that the country’s prime entertainment industry was being unfairly hounded, Jaya Bachchan said, “I think the government must stand by the entertainment industry as it always comes forward to help the government in whatever effort it makes. If there is a national calamity, they give their money and everything. The government must support it and not kill it." She also added that “just because there are a few people (doing bad things), you cannot tarnish the image of the entire industry."
These comments were made amidst the ongoing investigation being conducted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) which is probing numerous Bollywood actors and actresses with regards to drug links in the aftermath of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.