Anu Aggarwal opens up on B’town’s ‘underworld’ secrets

Anu Aggarwal opens up on B’town’s ‘underworld’ secrets

‘Aashiqui’ fame Anu Aggarwal, opens up over Bollywood’s strong bond with the underworld amidst the 1990s. She went on to reveal that most film funding at the time came from figures like Dawood Ibrahim through under-the-table deals, calling the industry a “dirty business.”

Anu also addressed about the overwhelming fame she faced, leading her to walk away from the limelight. Notwithstanding the success of Aashiqui, she claimed she was never fully paid, receiving only 60% of her agreed fee.

Anu Aggarwal, who won for herself then nationwide fame with her debut in the 1990 romantic film Aashiqui, has made candid revelations about the shadowy underworld influence in Bollywood during the 1990s.

In a recent interview, she described the film industry of that period as a “dirty business,” highlighting how much of the financing came from illicit sources. Aggarwal also pointed out that amidst her era in the industry, Bollywood was essentially controlled by underworld figures, including Dawood Ibrahim.

In her conversation with she recounted that most of the money flowing into films came through under-the-table deals. According to her, “It was ruled by people like Dawood Ibrahim. All the money that was coming into the film industry came from the underworld. It was a completely different scenario.”

Anu’s rise to fame was swift. Aashiqui’s massive success turned her into a household name overnight, but the adoration soon became overwhelming.

The constant public attention affected her deeply, leading her to retreat from the spotlight. She spoke about the level of obsession fans had, with some even traveling internationally just to get a glimpse of her residence.
She noted tha to walk around alone and live alone at that time…she had fans standing under her building. Luckily, it was an MLA-MP building, so we had police protection. It was madness. People would fly from countries just to see her building, just like how it is for Shah Rukh Khan today. Shah Rukh is my neighbour, and that’s what used to happen to him, and ran away from it.”

This era of fame, rather than being a time of celebration, turned suffocating. Anu finally chose to walk away from films, not because of bitterness or disillusionment, but because the intensity of fame was too much to handle. She explained that she had already accomplished her dreams and wanted to pursue personal growth outside of the industry.

Notwithstanding the commercial triumph of Aashiqui, Anu Aggarwal revealed she was never fully paid for her role in the film claiming that she only received 60 percent of the remuneration promised to her and that the remaining amount remains unpaid even decades later. She went on to add that she hasn’t fogotten the full fees for Aashiqui till today. She has only been paid 60% of the full fees. They still owe her the 40%.

Following her breakthrough, she acted in other films such as Ghazab Tamasha, King Uncle, and Ram Shastra, among others.

However, her rising career came to a sudden halt after a devastating car accident in 1999.
The crash left her in a coma for 29 days, and she never returned to acting after recovering. Her final film appearance was in the 1996 thriller Return of Jewel Thief.

While the industry’s dark associations and the pressures of fame could have been enough to push anyone out, Anu clarified that her decision to leave was personal. She emphasized that she had no regrets and simply wanted to explore a life beyond cinema.

News Edit KV Raman