Producer Sandip Ssingh breaks his silence over allegations levelled against him and various controversies surrounding his role in Sushant Singh Rajput’s life. Last night, the filmmaker even posted his personal chats shared with the late actor and his sister on social media
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; September 7, 2020)

Taking off from our last conversation (published on June 29), you had said that Sushant and you go back a long way. You even went and visited his father in Patna. But his family has come forth and said that they don’t know you. Many don’t believe that Sushant and you were close friends. What is the truth?
Sushant and I met in 2011 and I had offered him the TV show Saraswatichandra. He’d said he did not want to do shows and wanted to get into movies. I liked his honesty and he liked the fact that I told him to focus on films. That is how we became friends. We travelled together, had meals together. But there was no occasion where he could introduce me to his family. So, how will they know me? Is it necessary that if we are friends with a star, their entire family has to know us? My friendship with him was deep and it dates back years. People have been questioning it and I was forced to put out my private chats with Sushant on social media (last night), to just tell people that we were friends. My silence has been misconstrued as my weakness. No one had personally called and told me that he’s no more. I also saw it on TV, after which Mahesh Shetty and I travelled there together in my car. I thought many people, including his friends from the industry, would come. It was just Mahesh and me. If I saw a sister, alone in this situation when the family was scattered all over, should I have thought of my career, my body language, how I look or how I gesture to someone with a thumbs-up? Should I have fled from the scene? What wrong did I do by helping a family that was grieving a severe loss? Main to uss maiyyat mein bhi kaandha deta hoon jisko main nahi jaanta, yeh to mera yaar tha… I don’t understand what the problem is if I arranged for his funeral and took on responsibilities while his family was away. Are we now implying that if we see someone in trouble, we should scoot, because trying to help someone can land us in trouble? Insaniyat ki nahin, kamzori aur buzdili ki haar honi chahiye.

In the last 20 days, you were captured on a news channel dodging the camera crew and fleeing the scene in a car. Your colleague, actor Shekhar Suman, even said that if you are honest, you must not hide.
When did I try to run away? I spoke to Bombay Times, right after his funeral. Even before the family could speak, I spoke to the press openly. Even before debates happened. Main kahan bhaaga bhai? If I had done something wrong, I would not have spoken out. I am a filmmaker, and I have a zillion other things to attend to, apart from giving media bytes. The times are such that people are unwell; friends have been facing troubles on the health front. I was asked for interviews, I gave them. But eventually, people started accusing me, questioning everything I had said. Usko todke marodke uske meanings nikaalne shuru ho gaye… News without proof is being shown on TV. It seems the ED had summoned me. Who has seen the summons? The police and the ED would have called me if they had found something to question me. I stood with the family for three days through thick and thin. There are visuals of that, and people are questioning me about it? Gunehgar maan liya mujhe? I was shocked that no one from the industry showed up at his house or at the hospital. Some people came to the funeral.

After your interview, Rhea Chakraborty, Samuel Haokip and several others have stepped forward to say that Sushant never mentioned you in the time that they were with him.
In one-and-a-half years, I was busy making films and so was he. He had his projects that kept him occupied, I had my own production ventures to look into. The biopic on Prime Minister Modi required a lot of effort and my 100 per cent focus. Friends go out off touch when they have work. Are you perpetually talking to the same set of friends who you were with in Class 10 or in college? Practically, it’s not possible. Just because we had not been in touch for a year or more, and he had not told me things, should I not have gone to his house when I learnt of his demise? Should I have forgotten our good old days and thought about log kya kahenge? Police poonchtaach karegi?

Why did you wait for so long to speak?
Main sehm gaya! My friends, mom and family reprimanded me for being there for Sushant’s family. They said, ‘You have made a mistake by going there. Tune toh aa bail mujhe maar wala kaam kar diya. Baaki industrywale, his friends are intelligent, but you are an emotional fool to go and help.’ I got scared, darr gaya main. I want to make films and I have a career ahead. So, I became quiet. But for the last 20 days, there are media people with cameras outside my building, as if I am some fugitive. I am trying to lead a normal life, I continued with my movements, but people have crossed their limits. They are showing footage of my car and saying main bhaag raha hoon!

There is speculation that you were planning to flee the country...
Am I a wanted criminal or fugitive that I will run away? I have given 20 years to this industry. I have studied in a Hindi-medium school, I have sold ice-cream before becoming a journalist, a company CEO and eventually, an independent producer. Mira Road mein raha, CEO ki naukri ki to learn filmmaking because I did not have resources to formally learn it. Uske baad, I worked on my own, started my company, and made four modest films on my own steam. Should I let it all go? Why should I?

The ambulance driver has been in the news for being in constant contact with you. Your CDR has been accessed and now he is being questioned by the CBI.
Meri toh izzat tak ko nahi baksha gaya! When people started writing nonsense about my mother is when I could not take it and decided to speak up. Social media has been so unkind. I am breaking my silence because of that. Did anyone ever think that mujhpe aur Mahesh Shetty pe kya guzri hogi? People, who didn’t know Sushant, are not his friends or associates, are screaming on national debates that I should be arrested. My question is, for what?

There is talk that after the ambulance driver, it’s your turn with the CBI.
Please tell me, when have I not made myself available to any officer from any department to answer their questions? I am ready to face anyone to get justice for Sushant. I was demanding a CBI probe in my interviews. A parallel media trial is working like it’s above the Supreme Court and the CBI. I am ready to face the CBI. I have already gone through a round of questioning. I cannot disclose the conversation, but they asked all the questions that people have been asking me anyway and I have not hidden a thing from them.

You are also being connected with Disha Salian’s death.
My last chat with her happened in 2017. She had come to my office — as a Cornerstone employee — to discuss a project for an actor she was representing. The meeting was coordinated by my office staff. Then, I heard that she died by suicide on June 9. That is all.

When was the last time you spoke with Sushant?
It was a normal chat, one and a half years ago, before I started making the PM Modi biopic. Yes, we used to chat on messages a lot before that. Even the film, Vande Bharatam, was being planned around that time.

With the drugs and the mental health angles being probed, did you know if Sushant consumed any substance or that he had a mental health issue?
We had a respectful friendship. He never did such things in front of me. If he did anything behind my back, I wouldn’t know. The Sushant I saw and knew was a sharp, intelligent actor, a great dancer, writer, reader and someone who enjoyed learning new things. If you read our chats, you would know that we met over meals, not drinks.

Surjeet Singh Rathore, who had apparently announced a film with Sushant, has alleged that you were a ‘mastermind’ in this case, and has spoken of a Dubai connection.
He needs to be clear about who he is first. He got publicity, he announced a film on Sushant and now, where has he gone? When we were to take Sushant’s body for cremation, the police saw him and asked me who he was. I said I didn’t know him. Sushant’s jijaji OP Singh’s team was already there to help with things. The next thing I know, he is on TV and making accusations. He made the most of the publicity he got. His comments are being taken seriously even without someone checking on his credentials. And Dubai connection! There was a picture of me with Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and another man, who they had identified as Dawood! It turned out to be a production designer, who has credible work to his name. He had to step forward and identify himself.

What has this entire phase meant for you?
There is pain and anger — thousands of people are calling me with suggestions, and thank God, I didn’t listen to them. I am suffering and I know what I am going through. My family is asking me to leave this industry and work somewhere else. My mother and sister have suffered in silence. People are hitting my car when I drive out of the compound. The society is asking me to vacate my flat. People have tried to barge into my house with cameras. For what? What have I done? A lot of people know what I have done, why can’t they speak up? Everyone is waiting for me to break my silence. I did that twice. This is the third time. Talking to the media, it feels like I am in the Supreme Court answering questions. I feel like I’m facing a trial. I have spoken the truth, and I am still answering allegations which are baseless, levelled by people who seek publicity. I will definitely take legal action against those people who have troubled me for no reason.

In hindsight, do you think remaining silent was the correct decision?
Today, I feel that maybe going and standing with the family in their time of need was wrong. Maybe, I should have been selfish and not gone there. Saara bakheda hi nahi hota! Taras khaao mujhe pe, main maafi maangta hoon if I have hurt sentiments.

Arjun Bijlani, a friend and former neighbour of Sushant Singh Rajput, says that he is baffled by the multiple theories floating about the actor’s death
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; August 30, 2020)

It’s been over two months since Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence, but his friend and former neighbour, TV actor Arjun Bijlani, is yet to come to terms with the fact. Arjun and Sushant were neighbours till about five years ago, when the latter moved out of the apartment, which he shared with his then girlfriend Ankita Lokhande. Shaken by Sushant’s sudden demise, Arjun had tweeted a few days ago, “Can’t stop thinking what happened to Sushant. God pl punish the real culprits (sic).”

‘SUSHANT AND I USED TO DISCUSS FILMS AND HE WOULD NEVER GET BOGGED DOWN BY ANYTHING’
While there are various theories doing the rounds about the actor’s death, initially, it was alleged that nepotism in Bollywood had driven him to take the extreme step. However, Arjun doesn’t think so. “Sushant was a happy-go-lucky guy, and we used to regularly discuss work. In fact, we have had many discussions on competition, various film projects and how we, as outsiders, can also make it in films. He would always say that it never bothered him that he was not from a filmi family. He used to tell me that these things are trivial and he would fight against all odds to achieve his dreams. So, I really don’t feel that he would (allegedly) commit suicide because of such reasons,” he says.

‘DURING OUR FRIENDSHIP, I NEVER FOUND HIM GRAPPLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES’
There are also speculations that Sushant was grappling with depression. Ask Arjun about it and he replies, “Sushant was not someone who would get depressed over things. Also, during our friendship, I never found him grappling with mental health issues.”

Arjun adds, “He was also not someone who would be bogged down by financial concerns. So, I am baffled by the multiple theories that are floating about Sushant’s death. I sincerely want the real reason behind his death to come out. A happy, promising and talented guy like Sushant just disappeared from our lives! We all need to know what happened. I am happy that the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) is investigating this and we all hope to get closure soon.”

‘SUSHANT AND I LOST TOUCH IN THE LAST ONE YEAR’
Arjun regrets the fact that over the years, Sushant and he lost touch. He recalls how he never got any response to his last message to Sushant. “I don’t remember exactly when I met him last. Maybe at some party with a bunch of friends, at least a year ago. But I do remember thinking of him on May 29 and texting him, because I wanted to know how he was doing. However, I never received any reply. The next news I heard about him was on June 14, that he had died by suicide. Later, I came to know that in the last year, he had changed his number several times and therefore, my message never reached him,” he shares.

So, how did they lose touch? “Well, he moved to Bandra and got busy with films. We never really lost touch. We used to bump into each other at parties. But, we both got busy with work. Even Mahesh Shetty, who was his best friend, wasn’t really in touch with him,” Arjun replies.

Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 16, 2019)

Mirror was the first to report (July 24) that Ajay Devgn, who plays Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik in the upcoming war-drama Bhuj: The Pride of India, will shoot for his introductory scene and an action-packed climax in the Mandvi district of Gujarat. Now, we have learnt that Ajay was joined by TV actor Mahesh Shetty as his co-star during the Gujarat schedule.

“I play Ajay sir’s brother, Laxman Karnik, in the film. It’s a real-life story about two brothers stationed in Bhuj during the 1971 Indo-Pak war,” says Mahesh, describing the shoot as one of the most beautiful experiences of his acting career. “Working with Ajay sir is a tick mark off my bucket list,” he smiles.

The Gujarat schedule of this Abhishek Dudhaiya directorial, which also features Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjay Dutt, Parineeti Chopra and Rana Daggubati, kicked off on July 24 and concluded by mid-August. “We shot at real locations, including the airport in Mandvi. The whole war set-up for filming included as many as 700-800 extras and several aircraft from that era, which made it easier for me to act,” the actor shares.

The film is based on a true story with the 1971 Indo-Pak war as the backdrop. Devgn’s protagonist is inspired by the real-life Karnik, who was in-charge of the Bhuj airbase, which remained operational despite heavy bombings during the war. Mahesh informs that he had to do his share of research for the part. “The Bhuj airstrip is one of the most famous stories around the war, so of course, I was aware of it. But I had to do extensive homework to play Laxman convincingly. Knowing a lot of people in the air force came handy. Since the film is set in a different era, I met a lot of veterans from the force. Abhishek Dudhaiya was extremely well-prepared, which made work relatively easier,” the actor reveals.

A major chunk of his portions has already been shot. He bagged the film through several rounds of auditions. “Given the hard work that has gone into it, I expect the best,” he concludes with a smile.