Even as crackdown on the drug racket rages on in the film industry, filmmaker Indrajit Lankesh, who prompted this outburst is only too pleased at the turn of events. “When I first got to know of the drug racket in the Kananda film industry, it hurt me. So, I decided to speak up,” says filmmaker Indrajit Lankesh, who continues, “Some actors have come into sets drunk and doped. But neither the Karnataka Film Chamber, nor any other board came forward to address the issue or take any action.
So, I thought I will bell the cat.” Satisfied with the message sent across, he explains that there are youngsters who consider actors as their role models and were falling into the trap of believing such acts are “cool” or a part of the industry. “Our seniors have struggled for the survival of Kannada cinema and the language. But the third generation of actors who have come in, some from outside, don’t even know the history or the importance of the language,” he rues, adding that they come for the glam quotient and the money. “They are giving a bad name to the industry.”
When asked about why only women were being called in for investigations related to the issue, Lankesh firmly says he has named many male and female actors. That’s not all, the filmmaker believes it’s not just actors involved in the case but politicians’ kids, event managers and model coordinators as well. “I have named actors as well. But if the police have not found any evidence against them, they must be smarter than the police.”
But has his whistleblowing act caused him to be the subject of any alienation in the industry? “I have always been the black sheep of the industry,” says the journalist-director. He recalls a lesson taught to him by his father - “As a media professional, you can have friends but not close friends. Otherwise, your commitment will be compromised. But I am still surrounded by a few good people in the film industry.”
Having followed the case diligently since day one, he feels the developments coming out of it are all “good signs.” “Better late than never,” he says, adding, “The mafia is getting exposed, and celebrities, who thought that nothing would happen to them, are learning a much-needed lesson.”
There’s more that seems to be upsetting the filmmaker these days. “Prakash Padukone, who comes from a small village in Udupi, has never forgotten his roots. I still remember how proud Kannadigas felt when he won his world championship,” says Lankesh, who refers to Padukone senior as a culturally-inclined, deep rooted, and disciplined person. He adds, “But his daughter, Deepika Padukone, was probably influenced by the atmosphere of Bollywood or its members. She began her career in a Kannada film, Aishwarya, which she refuses to even mention. She should feel proud to be a Kannadiga like her father.”