The shooting in Juhu may have missed Tiger Shroff, but it has reopened a conversation the Hindi film industry has never fully escaped. On Wednesday, actor Manoj Bajpayee described the recent threats against film personalities as “unfortunate,” and summed up the industry’s position in one phrase: it “has always been a soft target.”
What we know
On Sunday, gunmen opened fire on Shroff in Mumbai’s Juhu area. He escaped unhurt. His driver and an autorickshaw driver were injured in the incident. Bajpayee told PTI he was relieved. “It is unfortunate, and it is a relief that Tiger is safe, and he is well, his driver is recovering,” he said. “At this point, we have nothing more to add, as the investigation is going on. Let’s see how it all unfolds.”
The Juhu shooting follows recent security threats reported against filmmaker Rohit Shetty and actor Salman Khan. Together they form a pattern that has made security a subject of public discussion rather than private concern.
An old description, a present feeling
Asked whether the industry was seeing a return to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when threats against film personalities were a cause for concern, Bajpayee returned to the same description. “The industry has always been a soft target,” he said. “But all I would say is that we are not experts on law and the (police) department is taking strict measures and we don’t have any doubts about it.”
The phrase “soft target” matters because it names a particular vulnerability: an industry that is highly visible, often moving through public spaces with limited protection, and easily discussed when something goes wrong. Bajpayee’s point is that this exposure is not new.
- Tiger Shroff escaped unhurt on Sunday; his driver and an autorickshaw driver were injured.
- Bajpayee called the threats “unfortunate” and the film industry a soft target.
- He said law enforcement is taking strict measures and that he has no doubts about it.
- He made the remarks while promoting “Gajab Raat,” which debuts on Netflix on October 23.
The psychological cost
For those who work in front of the camera, the damage is not only physical. Bajpayee, a National Award-winning actor, was candid about the wider effect. “It definitely affects each and every one, as you are helpless,” he said.
That helplessness is the undercurrent of his remarks. The investigation is ongoing, and he is careful not to second-guess the police. But his phrasing makes clear that the industry’s old anxieties have resurfaced alongside its new risks.
He was speaking during promotions for “Gajab Raat,” directed by Ritesh Shah and produced by Neeraj Pandey’s Friday Storytellers banner. The film releases on Netflix on October 23.
Source: Mint
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