Mumbai: Until recently, celebrity-spotters hoping to catch a glimpse of film stars would stake out Bandra Bandstand, Juhu or Film City in the suburbs. The hunt has now taken an unexpected turn to south Mumbai-to Courtroom No. 55, tucked away on the fifth floor of a building in the city civil and sessions court complex in Kala Ghoda.

For those tracking Bollywood's uneasy brush with the gangland network of Lawrence Bishnoi, this is the arena where the famous meet the infamous.

Presided over by special judge Satyanarayan Ramjivan Navandar, the court is hearing a cluster of cases linked to the Lawrence gang under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). The list includes alleged firing outside actor Salman Khan's Bandra residence and filmmaker Rohit Shetty's home, and the murder of politician Baba Siddique who had ties with Bollywood's elite. If MCOCA is invoked in the attack on actor Tiger Shroff, that matter too could find its way here.

It was the Salman Khan case hearings that first brought the chamber into the spotlight. He is expected to appear as a key witness along with his brother, actor-producer Arbaaz. It was on the same building's fourth floor in Courtroom No 52 that Salman was sentenced to 5 years in jail for running over four people and killing one in 2002 (he was acquitted by Bombay high court). His repeated appearances over 2 years then drew large crowds.

Among regular visitors was Pranita Fulsagar from Pune who travelled four hours for every hearing. Now married to a cop and mother to twins, Fulsagar, 32, is hoping to see the actor in person again. "I have a book full of his pictures," she said. "I want him to live a full and happy life," she said.

Quiet courtrooms in the City Civil and Sessions Court complex have often been dramatically transformed during sensational trials into packed spaced filled with lawyers, litigants, court staff and curious onlookers. They make up a motley bunch. One frequent attendee at Salman’s last trial was a senior citizen from Bandra, who took notes with coloured pens and claimed he had been at the accident spot on the night of the incident. For the Salman Khan case of 2002, the day of the judgment in May 2015 was marked by special arrangements.

Entry to the fourth-floor courtroom was cordoned off, and people scaled the building opposite the court using water pipelines to catch a glimpse of Khan through the courtroom window. Court staff fear a repeat of the dangerous climb, this time a floor higher, when Khan arrives to depose in the MCOCA trial. Threats received by the actor from the Bishnoi network culminated in the firing outside his home on Apr 14, 2024 and triggered a major investigation into organised crime rackets operating across states.

The Baba Siddique case has added a graver dimension. Siddique was shot dead outside his son’s office in Bandra (E) on October 12, 2024. Police linked the murder to Bishnoi-led organised crime activity. The tone in court around such a case is sombre. Even in a room used to high-profile name-dropping, a murder trial changes the atmosphere. There is less whispering, more note-taking, and a constant reminder that behind every “sensational case” is a dead man, a grieving family and a prosecution required to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The Rohit Shetty case has added to the impression that Courtroom 55 is the place where cases involving alleged gang threats to Bollywood are heard. Now, with reports that the Tiger Shroff case may be tried under MCOCA, Courtroom No 55 could see another high-profile number. MCOCA cases are not routine assignments, they require allegations of organised crime activity, prior offences, continuing unlawful activity and sanction from the authorities.

If that threshold is crossed, Courtroom No 55 could be assigned with hearing more such remands. Yet despite the celebrity backdrop, everyday life inside 55 remains rooted in bureaucratic reality. Known for maintaining a strict, no-nonsense courtroom, Judge Navandar delivers sharp judicial remarks when police procedure falters.

When investigators recently faced difficulty securing physical custody of Anmol Bishnoi, the judge pulled up the Crime Branch for showing little effort and asked why video conferencing had not been used if transfer orders were stuck in red tape. In 55, celebrity, box-office success and gangster notoriety carry little weight if the paperwork is not in order.

Orry, formally known as Orhan Awatramani, is bored. After participating in an adventure-based reality show, he finds himself struggling to feel equally stimulated by anything else. “I’m so bored. I have nothing to do,” he confesses. But as he sits down for a conversation with Bombay Times, Orry may appear dazed at first, but once he begins talking, his words come at a rapid-fire pace. In the conversation, Orry talks about loneliness, friendships, love, identity, and more. While he remains guarded about certain aspects of his personal life, he is characteristically unfiltered about everything else. Excerpts follow:

So why is Orry bored? He replies, “People are always like, ‘Oh, Orry, how can you be bored? How can you be sad? Look at your life, you're Orry.’ To me, I’m just me. In my life, being Orry is the normal. It’s very scary in life when you realize a Friday night has been stolen from you. If every night in your life could be a Friday night, there’s no specialty to a Friday night. Normal people get to look forward to a Friday night, but every night of my life is like a Friday night. So, I’ve been robbed of being able to look forward to the weekend. Maybe I need to get a job, just to occupy myself and have a purpose.”

Despite being surrounded by people and maintaining friendships across industries, Orry says he occasionally experiences loneliness. “You can be friends with everyone and, yet, at times have a lonely moment. All my friends are very productive, and they’re always doing things. But I’m not, because I seem to have more hours in a day than other people. Others go to work in the morning; they have jobs, they have partners, they have kids, they have Pilates. I don’t do all of that. So, it’s the emptiness in the day that often causes the loneliness. It’s not a permanent feeling in my life. It’s a visitor, it comes and goes. It’s not like I’m a lonely person,” he explains.

As the conversation dives deeper, Orry discusses sexuality. He has spoken nonchalantly about his sexuality, whether making a gay joke on a comedy show or calling himself gay in his reels. He, however, never dramatically made an announcement.

“We’ve never actually had a cool, fun, mainstream person like me before. But I’m not the face of this (queer) community. I never asked to be the face, nor did I take this responsibility or associate too much because I don’t do any community things. People dump this leader-of-the-community tag on me, then get upset with things I do. But I’m always going to live my life for myself first,” he tells us.

He goes on to add, "No one (from the community) did anything for me. When I first popped off, and I was getting so much hate and trolling, it’s not like this community came and supported me and was my emotional support. I was my own support. And now that I’m successful and big, people want to claim that I’m from this and I represent that. No, I’m just here for myself. I represent myself. What I would like to inspire people to do is not take themselves so seriously."

While Orry may challenge conventional expectations of how a man should look or behave, he says his understanding of masculinity is surprisingly traditional. “I’m a very old-fashioned person. To me, masculinity means exactly what you would immediately think when you hear the word masculinity. It’s 2026, and now when you hear the word masculine, people get triggered and confused. But to me, masculine means that macho, alpha male guy. To me, masculinity means Rohit Shetty. When I think of a masculine person, that’s exactly what comes to mind — tall, broad, macho, fit, deep and smooth voice, chivalrous, or maybe even toxic. To me, that’s masculinity. I don’t believe in any other form of it,” he explains.

While he does not wish to define his sexuality in this conversation, Orry says he was fortunate to have the freedom to explore different parts of his personality while growing up at boarding school. “I don’t think anyone is 100% masculine. There are some boys who are very masculine and some boys who are less so. My physical attributes would never allow me to have the most masculine physique, but I was always athletic and fit. I went to an international boarding school that allowed me to explore all parts of my personality. I have had phases where I was extremely feminine and I was like, that’s not me," he explains, and adds, "I’m a dude at the end of the day. I have more guy friends than I have girlfriends. I’m in more boy groups than I am in girl groups. I may not be the most masculine person, but I am a guy at the end of the day, and I like that I’m a guy who is a bit feminine as well. I can wear the things I want, but I can also pull them off.”

Orry is also averse to the idea of labelling his sexuality or identity. "My life doesn't run on validation from other people. I don't need you to validate me when I do well. I don't need you to validate me when I do badly. So, your tag — it doesn't affect me at all," he states.

Looking back at his younger years, Orry says he does not believe he experienced the same degree of confusion with his identity that many people do because he was able to explore without fear. “A lot of guys do struggle, and sometimes a lot of other people get upset with me because I didn’t have that struggle. But I was very clear in my mind. Even if I did have that struggle, let’s say you’re in an ocean and you’re drowning, but you can see the shore — I knew how to swim to the shore. So even if I was struggling and it was hard, I knew the direction I had to go, and I knew what had to be done and I did it.”

He explains, "I was never shy to try new things. I was never scared to venture down a path that other people hadn’t. I was able to try different personalities, different outfits, different levels of masculinity and femininity. I was able to do all the trial and error and permutation combinations till I found myself in the way I am today.”

Orry is equally candid about love, heartbreak , and relationships. "I have been in love many times. I’ve been heartbroken so many times. The concept of love keeps changing. I don’t find love in stability, compatibility and fondness. I find love more in drama and toxicity. I need that storybook love with Romeo and Juliet where they both kill each other and realize it was a mistake, but they’re dead. For me, that is more love. I need love to be an emotional roller coaster," he explains.

Ask him when was in love last and he admits, "I am currently single. My last breakup was last week ago." Talking about it, he says, "You do learn a lot from every relationship, and you really learn a lot about yourself more than anything else. I’ve always been the kind of person to drop everything for the person I’m in love with. My life usually becomes about the other person and I move into that person’s life. I leave Orry world and join La La Land of the other person. The last relationship really taught me that Orry world comes first."

The internet believes he is dating a guy named Shivpreet Suvarna. However, Orry debunks the rumours right away. "Shiv is my friend. There's nothing there. We play into the narrative because it works for content," he reveals.

July has been a busy month for actor Arshad Warsi, with the web series Pritam And Pedro releasing earlier this month and the multi-starrer Welcome To The Jungle next in line.

Amid the packed schedule, Warsi finds himself reflecting on how the industry’s work culture has changed since he made his debut in 1996. Recalling a conversation with filmmaker Rohit Shetty from the sets of the Golmaal franchise, the actor says, “There were two sequences where (actor) Ajay Devgn and I had to do some heavy stuff, like hanging, falling and running at a fast pace. We’d finish our take and wait for the next shot.”

He adds, “Rohit told me, ‘It’s so shocking that younger actors do one shot and then go for a massage, and we have to wait till they come back.’ And here were two actors nearing our sixties and simply waiting for the next setup.”

The 51-year-old agrees with Shetty and says that patience is a quality he believes the younger generation lacks: “The younger lot, unfortunately, are very delicate. They’re in a hurry and they’re not very accommodating. The good part is they’re professional, serious, and focused on what they want,” he concludes.

During the release of Anek (2022), filmmaker Anubhav Sinha had proposed that small films could adopt a model of limited theatrical release, followed by a quick OTT première. He believed the approach would give small movies the chance to co-exist alongside big-screen spectacles. However, now, days after his latest offering Assi has arrived in cinemas, the director admits he has had a change of heart. 

“I’m saying the exact opposite today. The future is this size [of films]. Mid-size, medium budget, and high-concept films have the highest chance of a good ROI [return on investment],” he tells mid-day.

In the past eight years, Sinha has championed mid-budget movies, delivering thoughtful stories in Mulk (2018), Thappad (2020), and Bheed (2023). “That’s the only cinema I know as a maker,” he smiles. 

Even as tentpole movies dominate theatres today, the director remains clear that filmmakers should continue to make rightly budgeted, content-driven movies and they will find their audience. “I love Rajkumar Hirani and Rohit Shetty films as a viewer. But as a filmmaker, this is all I want. So, I will fight for my and my peers’ right to make films we believe in.”

Is making such films in today’s ecosystem difficult? Sinha admits it’s tough, probably tougher for others than him.

“[You have to] make a good film and recover the money. I make my films frugally. But it’s not easy for everybody. There will be six more directors who want to make such films; they are running around with their scripts. But they won’t get funded. I’m too senior and I’ve seen more than reasonable success. [So] I get to do this.”

Leading film industry bodies met in Mumbai on Saturday (February 14) to chart urgent action following recent threat calls and extortion attempts targeting members of the Hindi film fraternity.

Representatives of the Producers Guild of India, Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC), Western India Film Producers’ Association (WIFPA), and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) convened at the IMPPA office in Andheri at noon. Those present included Guild members Nitin Tej Ahuja and Shibasish Sarkar, along with FWICE president Birendra Nath Tiwari and senior representatives from other bodies. IFTPC president Ratan Jain could not attend but extended his support to whatever decision was taken.

The meeting follows threats targeting actors Salman Khan and Ranveer Singh, and filmmaker Rohit Shetty, among others. “This is no longer about isolated incidents. There is a palpable sense of fear. When leading actors and directors receive threats, the anxiety trickles down to every unit member, from spot boys to assistant directors. This is how Sikandar (2024) was shot following threats on Salman Khan and in the past year, the fear has only escalated,” a source told mid-day.

The bodies resolved to draft a joint letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking immediate intervention.

“We will collectively urge the state to ensure protection not just for high-profile celebrities, but for entire film units. Shoots involve hundreds of daily wage workers. Their safety cannot be compromised,” an insider told mid-day.

The source added, “If there is disruption due to fear or extortion, it directly impacts livelihoods of workers on set. These are regular people trying to make an honest earning. Films will be impacted because fear will drive people out of the industry.”

Mumbai: Ten days after gunshots were fired outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty's residence in Juhu, actor Ranveer Singh was learnt to have received a threat accompanied by a demand for several crores.

Sources said the threat was sent as a WhatsApp voice note from an unidentified number to Singh's secretary. The sender claimed to be speaking on behalf of the Bishnoi gang.

Security around Singh's residence was increased after the voice note, said police sources.

In a related development, the managing committee of the Beau Monde residential tower in Prabhadevi approached the Dadar police station about the deployment of six armed private security guards without the permission of the society at the flat occupied by Singh and his actor wife Deepika Padukone. In a written communication, the society said suddenly now a uniformed police official was also seen stationed with the actors.

Though senior police officials remained tight-lipped on the extortion matter, sources said Singh was not an isolated target. Over the past 15 days, about a dozen Bollywood personalities are said to have received threatening calls from people who identified themselves as members of the Bishnoi gang. No complaint or FIR has been registered so far by any of the threatened celebrities.

The latest threat comes even as the crime branch is struggling to nab the unidentified shooter who fired five rounds outside Shetty's home last month.

On Feb 5, TOI was the first to report the surge in threat calls undert the headline ‘5 More Bollywood celebrities targeted by Lonkar: Cops'.

Investigators said that soon after the firing at Shetty's house, several Bollywood figures began receiving extortion calls. Most of them reportedly blocked unknown numbers or stopped answering unfamiliar calls altogether.

Even Singh's secretary is believed to have blocked unknown callers, which may have prompted the extortionist to send a voice note directly to the assistant's phone.

The growing menace of the Bishnoi gang — particularly after the firing outside Salman Khan's residence, the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique last year, and the attack on Shetty's house — has gripped Mumbai's film fraternity with fear, evoking memories of the 1990s and early 2000s when underworld influence, shootouts and threat calls were rampant.

At least nine teams of the crime branch are camping in Lucknow and adjoining towns in Uttar Pradesh to track down the shooter involved in the Shetty firing case. A police official told TOI that the shooter had been identified and digitally tracked to Lucknow, and efforts are underway to arrest him at the earliest.

Twenty years is a long time to be away from a franchise you love. Naturally then, Sharman Joshi — who was part of Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), which kicked off filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s comedy franchise — is itching to return to the world of Golmaal 5. “I’m likely to start working on it soon,” the actor told mid-day.

A lot has happened in the interim. Golmaal, led by Ajay Devgn, has had three instalments. Joshi wasn’t a part of them, with reports claiming that he had hiked his fees, which didn’t go down well with the producers. In several interviews, he claimed it was a miscommunication from his team that led to his ouster and he didn’t know until later.

Even as he has joined Golmaal 5 that will star Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arshad Warsi, Kunal Kemmu, Tusshar Kapoor, and Shreyas Talpade, he wished he hadn’t lost the years. “I missed Rohit’s energy on sets, Ajay sir’s intensity and calmness. I missed Tusshar too. Rohit’s entire team is warm and inclusive.”

The comic caper will go on floors in late February. While rumours are rife that Akshay Kumar will play the antagonist, Joshi is keen to explore his on-screen dynamics with Talpade and Kemmu. “I [had seen] Shreyas’s work during intercollegiate competitions as our colleges were next to each other. I’ve been his fan since Iqbal [2005]. Kunal and I will reunite after Dhol [2007].”

‘Rang De Basanti’ (2006) completed 20 years of release last month. Remembering it, the actor said, “Last week, I was listening to the album, and all the fond memories came rushing back. Working on it was a fabulous journey.”

Sharman Joshi denied being approached for the ‘3 Idiots’ sequel. “I’ve not been informed about it so far, but I hope it happens,” he said.

Pune: The four people arrested from Dhayari and Karvenagar in connection with the firing at film director Rohit Shetty's house told police that Karvenagar's Shubham Lonkar paid them Rs. 40,000 to arrange the scooter used in the crime in the early hours of Sunday.

"Lonkar is using all his contacts in Pune city for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang," Pune Commissioner of Police (CP) Amitesh Kumar said.

Deputy commissioner of police (Zone III) Sambhaji Kadam told TOI, "We helped the Mumbai police to zero in on five men, but they arrested four of them after conducting an inquiry."

The Mumbai police arrested Swapnil Bandu Sakat (23), Siddharth Deepak Yenpure (19), Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji (19) and Aditya Gyaneshwar Gayaki (19), all residents of Dhayari and Karvenagar. "Yenpure took the scooter to Mumbai with another person. He bought the scooter from another man in Dhayari, but it was not transferred to his name. Thus, the scooter owner was also taken to Mumbai for probe," Kadam said.

"Yenpure met Lonkar, the prime suspect and a member of the Bishnoi gang, and the latter paid Rs. 40,000 to him and another person for the scooter. Lonkar made an online payment to them. The same scooter was used in the firing at Shetty's residence," he said.

One of the four men arrested from Pune is a peon of a private school. The others did odd jobs like selling vegetables and driving private vehicles. "None of the arrested youths has a crime record," DCP Kadam said.

"Lonkar and his arrested brother ran a dairy in Karvenagar. He is using his Pune contacts to get in touch with youngsters and use them in crimes in Mumbai and other cities. We are searching for Lonkar with the Mumbai police," he said.

The firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s Juhu home on Sunday was a result of four months of meticulous planning that involved gangster Shubham Lonkar recruiting hired guns from Pune, arranging a getaway two-wheeler and transferring money to facilitate the operation.

These are some of the details that have emerged from the investigation after the swift arrest of five men accused of carrying out the firing.

However, it has now emerged that the Mumbai Crime Branch had picked up Lonkar for questioning after the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s Bandra residence in 2024, but was let off later due to a lack of conclusive evidence, sources said. Lonkar is suspected to operate from abroad now.

Police sources said on Monday that Lonkar, whose name appeared in a threatening social media post claiming responsibility for Sunday’s firing incident, contacted two of the arrested suspects several months before the incident.

Lonkar reportedly instructed the gang to arrange a motorcycle for the operation and transferred money to them on three occasions to prepare for the preparation. Based on these findings, he has been named an accused in the case.

Sources said investigators have also established that the Facebook post claiming responsibility for the firing was uploaded by Lonkar himself. The post surfaced within minutes of the incident, spread rapidly across social media platforms, and was deleted shortly thereafter – a sequence police said closely matched the Bishnoi gang’s known modus operandi and was used also in the Baba Siddique murder and the Salman Khan firing cases.

The four accused who have been arrested – Swapnil Sakat, Samarth Pomaji, Siddharth Yenpure, and Aditya Gayaki – are residents of Karvenagar in Pune. Sources said Lonkar had earlier used youths from the same locality in the Baba Siddique murder as well, indicating a recurring recruitment pattern and a familiar support network.

Two months before the firing, Sakat and another arrested accused allegedly travelled to Mumbai on the motorcycle they had bought for the crime. Sources said the vehicle was later handed over to the shooter, strengthening suspicions that the Pune-based suspects were involved in providing logistical assistance.

Investigators have questioned Aman Marote, who had sold the motorcycle to the gang. However, he was released after it emerged that he had no prior knowledge about the bike being used in a criminal operation.

Crime Branch sources are further probing Lonkar’s suspected role in managing the Bishnoi gang’s operations along with Aarzu Bishnoi, Goldy Bishnoi, and Harry Boxer, following the reported split of Rohit Godara and Goldy Brar from the Lawrence Bishnoi group.

Investigators believe that after his release in the firing incident outside Salman’s home in 2024, he remained active and played a key role in major crimes, including the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique.

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Mumbai: The city crime branch is considering questioning gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is lodged in Sabarmati jail, as part of its probe into the firing at filmmaker Rohit Shetty's Juhu bungalow to ascertain the motive, even as it is still tracking down the shooter.

Shetty told police he had got no prior threat from Bishnoi's gang or his alleged gang member, Shubham Lonkar. Police are looking into whether Lonkar, who is absconding, acted without Bishnoi's knowledge. "Lonkar, who is from Pune, recruited only locals for the attack. It appears he is trying to assert his presence in Bollywood in the absence of senior gangsters, possibly to revive or expand an extortion network," said a senior police official.

Police said the four accomplices who were arrested within 12 hours of the firing—Swapnil Sakat (23), Siddharth Yenpure (20), Aditya Gaiki (19) and Samarth Pomaji (18)—provided logistical support and acted on Lonkar's directions. One of them is a collegian, while the others are unemployed. A fifth accused, Aman Marote (27) from Pune, has been served a notice. Police are looking for a sixth suspect who has been identified. Those in custody claimed they were unaware of the others' identities, including the shooter.

Marote told police he sold a scooter to Gaiki for Rs 30,000 about a month ago. Gaiki and Pomaji allegedly rode it to Mumbai and left it at a predetermined spot in Juhu, from where the shooter picked it up, fired five rounds at Shetty's residence, abandoned it 2km away, and fled. The probe shows the suspects came in contact with Lonkar on social media and he remotely coordinated the operation, including giving orders on procuring the scooter and its drop locations.

"Our focus is now on tracing the shooter, whose arrest could clarify who assigned the contract and the precise motive," an official said.

A team is tracing the IP address that Lonkar used to log into a Facebook account and claim responsibility for the firing. The post was deleted in a day. Police said there are similarities between the post and those issued after the Salman Khan firing and minister Baba Siddique's murder in 2024.

Another team is also looking into the financial trail based on the payments made to the suspects for the scooter's purchase and related expenses.

(With inputs from V Narayan)

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The Mumbai Anti-Extortion Cell has arrested four persons from Pune in connection with the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu. Police have also seized the two-wheeler used in the crime.

Investigators have established that the arrested accused were in contact with Shubham Lonkar, a resident of Akola and an alleged member of the Bishnoi gang, who police say masterminded the firing. Lonkar later claimed responsibility for the attack through social media posts.

He is also one of the accused in the Baba Siddique murder case. Police said one of the arrested accused, Swapnil Bandu Sakat, was in direct contact with Lonkar and actively involved in planning the incident.

- Swapnil Bandu Sakat, 23, unemployed, resident of Vadgaon, Pune. Police say he was in regular contact with Lonkar and helped plan the firing.

- Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji, 19, a college student and resident of Gulmohar Society, Dhayari, Pune. He allegedly helped arrange money to purchase weapons and the two-wheeler.

- Siddharth Deepak Yenpure, 19, a delivery executive and resident of Amrapali Society, Dhayari Phata, Pune. He allegedly helped collect funds and arrange the two-wheeler.

- Aditya Dnyaneshwar Gayaki, 19, a salesman and resident of Karve Nagar, Pune. Police say he purchased the two-wheeler for '30,000 and handed it over to the shooter.

A fifth accused, the shooter, is still absconding. Police teams are conducting searches to trace him.

According to police, Rohit Shetty returned to his residence at Shetty Tower, Juhu, around 10 pm on Saturday. At around 12.45 am, he was on the seventh floor having dinner with his family. Two bodyguards and two police personnel were present as part of his security detail.

CCTV footage showed a man standing outside the building. Security personnel initially mistook the sound of gunshots for firecrackers. However, footage later revealed the man carrying a pistol. Juhu police were alerted immediately, but the shooter fled on a two-wheeler.

Police said the accused reached the Tulip Star Hotel junction, where a police nakabandi was in place. He took a U-turn, rode towards Juhu Church, abandoned the vehicle there, and escaped in an autorickshaw.

During the investigation, police recovered the abandoned two-wheeler near Juhu Church. Details of the vehicle were shared with the Pune Crime Branch, which traced the original owner. The owner told police he had sold the vehicle for Rs 30,000 to Aditya Gayaki.

Police said bank transaction records show that all four accused contributed money for purchasing the vehicle and arranging arms for the shooter.

A police officer said the modus operandi was similar to the earlier firing incident outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments, in which the Bishnoi gang had also claimed responsibility. “Shubham Lonkar is the main conspirator in this case,” the officer said.

Shubham Lonkar is a resident of Akola who later shifted to Pune. Police said he was initially involved in farming and dairy-related work in Akola before allegedly entering arms supply networks.

He was arrested by Akola police in January 2024 in a weapons supply case and later released on bail. Lonkar was also named as an accused in the Baba Siddique murder case in October 2024 and was suspected in the earlier firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence.

Police said Lonkar had expressed a desire to join the Indian Army but failed to clear the examination. Investigators claim he later came in contact with Bishnoi gang members in Rajasthan and became associated with the gang. Lonkar and the shooter remain absconding. Further investigation is ongoing.

Violence shook the neighbourhood of Juhu when two assailants, in the small hours of Sunday, fired multiple rounds outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence, Shetty Tower. Following the attack, Mumbai Police beefed up security at the director’s property as it investigated the matter. Now, mid-day has learnt that security will be deployed on the set of his next, Golmaal 5 that is expected to roll soon.

A member of the film’s creative team revealed, “The film was to roll after February 15 in Mumbai. Whether the shoot dates move will now depend on Shetty and clearance from the police.”

For now, there has been no intimation of a date change. However, the insider revealed that a security team of about 60 will be put into place if Shetty reports on the laugh riot’s set on the scheduled date. Apparently, a two-tier  security ring will be implemented — the first comprising the local police, and the second consisting of Shetty’s personal bodyguards.

“More importantly, there will be an access-controlled zone in which Rohit will operate, and only a few will have access to it. Every person entering the set, including junior artistes, vendors, and daily-wage crew, will be pre-registered with ID verification; no spot entries will be allowed. Vehicle movement will also be regulated with all equipment trucks and vanity vans logged in advance and checked at entry point,” said the insider. 

Keeping the filmmaker’s safety in mind, details regarding the shoot timing and locations will be given on a need-to-know basis. The insider added, “The call-sheet circulation will be restricted, and location details will be shared in a staggered manner.” 

Meanwhile, Shetty’s other film, the Rakesh Maria biopic — which had gone on floors in April 2025, with John Abraham stepping into the shoes of the former Mumbai Police Commissioner — has been on hold over the past fortnight. A source revealed to mid-day that the director was in Ooty for a recce until January 30. “Until mid-January, the film was being shot in South Mumbai. Another two weeks’ work is left on it. But now, the remaining shoot will be reconsidered,” said the source. 

Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) as well as All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) condemned the incident. In its statement, citing the earlier attacks on Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and murder of Baba Siddique, the AICWA said, “This pattern reflects a systematic attempt to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation within the film industry.”

Four gang members of the Bishnoi gang were arrested by the police for firing at Bollywood director Rohit Shetty’s Juhu residence at 12.42 am on Sunday. The accused, aged between 19 and 27, were arrested by the Pune police following information from their Mumbai counterparts, who tracked them down with the help of their scooter and CCTV cameras.

Police said unknown men arrived in a vehicle and fired five rounds outside the bungalow. One bullet reportedly smashed through the gallery glass. Officers tightened security at Shetty’s residence and seized CCTV footage from the area. Investigators spotted a vehicle in the footage and tracked its movement towards Pune, after which Mumbai Police alerted Pune Police.

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the firing outside Rohit Shetty’s Mumbai home, Shetty Tower. In a post, his men said the multiple gunshots were fired as a warning to the Singham director. This was not the first time the gang has targeted celebrities from the Hindi film industry. Past targets include superstar Salman Khan, AP Dhillon, Badshah, Kapil Sharma, and Munawar Faruqui.

A case was registered at Juhu police station, and the Crime Branch took over and formed 12 teams. Since Shetty did not report any earlier threat or complaint, officers said they were checking every angle. Acting on Mumbai Police inputs, Pune Police detained four men and handed them over to Mumbai Police, who brought them to the city on Sunday night and questioned them about their alleged role, the mastermind, and the motive. An officer said police will arrest them if the evidence matched. Those arrested were identified as Aditya Gyaneshwar Gayaki (19), Siddharth Deepak Yenpure (20), Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji (18), and Swapnil Bandu Sakat (23).

Meanwhile, a threatening message went viral from gang member Shubham Lonkar’s Facebook account, claiming the attack and warning Shetty. The post said this was just a trailer; the next bullets would be in his chest, and that his condition would be worse than Baba Siddique, who was gunned down by the Bishnoi gang in October 2024.

Police sources said technical analysis of the scooter’s movement patterns and related inputs led investigators to the Waraje area of Pune, from where the suspects were taken into custody for questioning. The men, who are said to be working as drivers and mechanics, are suspected to have helped arrange transport, shelter, and escape routes for the attackers.

Mumbai Police are treating the threat linked to the firing outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence as a high-risk organized crime act after investigators found striking similarities with the Bishnoi gang’s earlier modus operandi, sources said.

According to Crime Branch sources, the Bishnoi gang has a consistent pattern of claiming responsibility through social media posts immediately after an attack. The post is then widely circulated, screenshots are taken, and the original social media account is deleted shortly thereafter. This tactic makes it difficult for investigators to trace the original URL or determine the exact location from where the post was uploaded.

Sources said the same method was used during the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s residence and in the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique. In both cases, threatening posts were uploaded shortly after the incidents and the accounts were deleted soon after, erasing key digital trails.

In the Shetty case, police found that a threatening Facebook post claiming responsibility surfaced within 45 minutes of the firing and was deleted later, raising red flags. Shubham Lonkar is an unknown destination outside India and is suspected to be the mastermind. Rohit Shetty was on the sixth floor of his tower when the incident took place.

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Mumbai: Police are probing if the firing at filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s bungalow could be linked to his upcoming film projects. Shetty shares close ties with senior police officers and is often seen sharing the dais with them during programmes. He recently acquired the rights to former police commissioner Rakesh Maria’s book on the underworld.

Police have increased security around his residence. Police and forensic teams secured the premises to carry out a detailed examination.

The gunman was arrested along with three others from Pune. The four arrested men are: Swapnil Sakat (23), Siddharth Yenpure (20), Aditya Gayaki (19) and Samarth Pomaji (18). One is a college student and the others are unemployed. Police haven’t said who among them is the gunman. A fifth, Aman Marote (27), also from Pune, has been served a notice and will be called for questioning.

The firing was at 12.45 am on the first floor of Shetty Tower, Hasya Kalakar Mehmood Chowk, Juhu.

In a social media post, written in Hindi and English, gangster Shubham Lonkar, an associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, said: “Ram Ram, Jai Bajrang Bali, to all brothers. We, Shubham Lonkar, Aarzoo Bhishnoi, Hari Boxer, and Harman Shandu, take responsibility for the firing that took place today at film director Rohit Shetty's house (Shetty Tower) in Mumbai.”

It said: “We messaged him many times telling him not to interfere in our work, but he didn't understand. We've given him this small trailer. If he doesn't understand our message and doesn't listen to us, then the next bullet won't be fired outside his house, but inside his bedroom, right in his chest. And this is a warning to the entire Bollywood industry: mend your ways while you still have time, otherwise, your situation will be very bad.” Police said they are verifying the claim, given that Shetty is not known to have received threats.

Police said the suspect came on a bike from Pune (from where he left on Saturday), fired five rounds and abandoned his bike 2 km away. “The bike had a Pune registration. The rider was captured on CCTV near Shetty's home.”

The officer said the bike was not stolen and was owned by one of the suspects, and it is in custody of Crime Branch and Anti Extortion Cell. "The bike’s details led us to the suspects.”

The police said Shetty has three guards in the building. "The guards were inside the building, with one visiting the toilet. All rushed out on hearing bullet sounds. The bullets struck the first floor and the wall of the building. Shetty called the police," said a crime branch officer.

Pune is believed to be where the Bishnoi gang plotted the murder of NCP MLA Baba Siddique, in which police had arrested four suspects from Pune’s Karvenagar and Shivane areas, including Pravin, brother of Shubham Lonkar, who ran a dairy in Karvenagar.

A senior crime branch official said no direct link has been found yet between the Juhu firing case suspects and those arrested in the Siddiqui murder, though the angle is under investigation.

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After shots were fired outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments in 2024, a similar firing incident is now reported outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence in Juhu.

The incident took place around 12.40 am on Sunday at the 10-storey Shetty Tower, located at Hasya Kalakar Mahmood Chowk. An unidentified man allegedly fired five rounds at the building before fleeing the spot. The filmmaker, along with his family, was present at his residence when the firing occurred.

Following the incident, the Mumbai Crime Branch, with assistance from Juhu police and the Pune Crime Branch, detained five suspects from Pune in connection with the case.

According to police sources, the accused had purchased a two-wheeler in Pune a few days earlier. The vehicle was registered in another person’s name. The shooter allegedly conducted reconnaissance of the area and mapped out escape routes prior to the attack.

“At around 12.40 am, the accused arrived on the two-wheeler and parked it two buildings away from Rohit Shetty’s residence. He then walked to the spot and fired five rounds,” a police officer said.

“One bullet struck the safety glass of a balcony, two hit the wall on the first floor, and the remaining two hit the safety wall near the building entrance.” The entire incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed in the building and nearby areas.

After firing, the accused fled on the two-wheeler. However, upon encountering a police nakabandi near the Tulip Star Hotel junction, he made a U-turn and escaped towards Juhu Church. Out of fear of being caught, he abandoned the vehicle near the church and boarded an autorickshaw. When the driver refused to go to Kalyan from Juhu, he was dropped at Juhu Chowpatty. He later changed autos, reached Santacruz station, travelled to Kalyan and eventually escaped to Pune by train, police said.

During the investigation, police examined multiple CCTV cameras but found only blurred footage of the accused parking the two-wheeler. The vehicle was seized from the spot. Using the registration number, police traced the original owner, who revealed that he had recently sold the vehicle to the shooter. Mumbai Crime Branch officials subsequently alerted the Pune Crime Branch, leading to the detention of five suspects from different locations in Pune.

- Aman Anand Marote, 27, resident of Karve Nagar

- Aditya Gnaneshwar Gayaki, 19, Karve Nagar

- Siddharth Deepak Yenpure, 20, Dhayari

- Samarth Shivsharan Pomaji, 18, Dhayari

- Swapnil Bandu Sakat, 23, Pune district

Police recovered five used bullet cartridges and sent them for forensic examination. Bullet impact marks have also been documented. 

A senior Crime Branch officer said Shetty had not received any threat calls or messages prior to the incident. “There is no record of threats or any ongoing dispute. He was not involved in any controversy. We are still trying to determine why his residence was targeted,” the officer said.

Following the firing, a social media post surfaced claiming responsibility in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Police said the post, which also carried threats aimed at the film industry, is currently being verified. No official confirmation has been made so far regarding the authenticity of the claim. 

Investigators are also examining whether the incident could be linked to the recent launch of a book on the Mumbai underworld by former police commissioner Rakesh Maria, an event attended by Shetty and actor Ajay Devgn. Police have not established any direct connection so far.

“This was not an attempt to kill the filmmaker,” a Crime Branch officer said. “It appears to be an act meant to intimidate. The motive behind the firing is still unclear and remains under investigation.”

After wrapping up a series of outdoor shoots in South Mumbai, filmmaker Rohit Shetty has taken the production of his next, the Rakesh Maria biopic, to Mira Road. mid-day has learnt that Shetty and actor John Abraham are currently filming in Ellora Studios, where a set of a police station has been built. During this two-week leg, the actor-director duo will focus on dramatic police station scenes and high-intensity interrogation sequences.

The yet-untitled film is an adaptation of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Maria’s autobiography, Let Me Say It Now, and traces some of his significant cases.

A production insider reveals, “The South Mumbai portions gave the real-world texture to the story. Now, we’ve shifted to a more controlled set-up. Unlike Rohit’s past cop action movies, this one is being mounted as a gritty procedural drama. We are filming the interrogation scenes of the many high-profile investigations that Maria headed. Every day, we shoot with a crowd of 50 to 100 people.”

According to unit sources, the movie includes five major action set-pieces, all of which will be filmed towards August-end. The film is aiming for a 2026 release. The insider adds, “The post-production will begin soon. Rohit is approaching this one differently. It’s not just an action spectacle; it will be a deep dive into the mind of a man who faced some of Mumbai’s darkest chapters.”

Rohit Shetty’s films are synonymous with flying cars, gravity-defying stunts, and a generous dose of comedy. However, the filmmaker now plans to shift gears and explore a new genre—horror. Sources reveal he is set to produce a horror film with Nushrratt Bharuccha in the lead. Following the Singham franchise, Simmba (2018), and Sooryavanshi (2021), this move marks a significant departure from the high-octane universe Shetty has crafted over the past decade.

An industry insider close to the project shared that Shetty has been toying with the idea of making a horror film for over a year. “He’s always been drawn to stories that evoke strong emotional reactions, and horror can be just as visceral as action. Nushrratt was his first choice. Her performance in Chhorii showed she can carry a horror plot with both vulnerability and strength,” the source added.

Shetty has roped in E Niwas to helm the yet-untitled project. “E Niwas brings a gritty lens that will keep the horror raw and unsettling, which is exactly what Rohit wants,” said the insider.

Currently in pre-production, the film centres on a woman grappling with supernatural forces tied to a long-buried secret. The source further informed that script revisions and casting are still underway. The film is expected to go on floors later this year, once the actors and the filmmaker align their schedules and sign on the dotted line.

In February, mid-day reported that John Abraham and Rohit Shetty would be teaming up for an action film (Taking a break from cops, not action, Feb 1). Over two months on, the actor-director duo is ready to roll their project, which is a screen adaptation of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria’s autobiography, Let Me Say It Now. mid-day has learnt that the film will go on floors on April 18 at Essel Studio in Trombay. Shetty has apparently charted out a four-month schedule for the actioner, and hopes to complete a chunk by June-end.

The filmmaker is known for creating his cop universe in Bollywood. But unlike his cop entertainers, the yet-untitled movie will mark a tonal departure for Shetty as he attempts his first real-life story. Sources say that the film, backed by Shetty and Abraham along with a studio, is being mounted on a budget of over Rs. 100 crore and will chronicle the supercop’s storied 36-year career.

An insider tells us, “Rohit always wanted to make a cop film rooted in truth. Rakesh Maria’s life reads like a thriller; it’s intense and has many high points, from his investigation of the 1993 Bombay blasts and the 26/11 attacks, to his brush with the underworld. Maria and Shetty have been in talks for a while, and it’s finally starting now. With the autobiography serving as the blueprint, the film will trace the story of a Bandra boy becoming a cop, his relationship with Mumbai and how he played a crucial role in protecting the city that faced many attacks.”

Insiders tell us that the movie will be shot across 40 locations in Mumbai, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Dongri, and Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

The source adds, “In the first schedule, Rohit will focus on Maria’s early days in the force. About 150 crew members will be on set, including action coordinators, prosthetics experts, and a research team on standby. A set depicting the Maharashtra ATS headquarters will also be erected.”

mid-day reached out to Shetty, who didn’t respond till press time.

It’s widely believed that Rohit Shetty’s next will be Golmaal 5. But don’t be surprised if the director helms an action entertainer before diving into the comedy franchise’s universe. We’ve heard that Shetty, over the past month, has been in talks with John Abraham for an action thriller. That leads us to the obvious question: Is Abraham joining the filmmaker’s famous cop universe? The answer is no.

Sources tell us that Shetty has planned a standalone film, which is currently at the scripting stage. A source reveals, “Rohit has had the idea of this film for a long time. After Singham Again [2024] released, he began developing this project while the Golmaal 5 script gets locked. He wants to go beyond the cop stories and the comedy franchise. A few preliminary meetings with John have taken place. If the dates work out and the draft is ready, the slick actioner could roll as early as April. A final call will be taken by March.”

If things work out, this will be the first collaboration between Shetty and Abraham. The plan is to shoot it in Mumbai in a straight schedule over 45 days. “The actor and director have discussed possible dates. They both are keen to shoot it over the summer after which Rohit will move to Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 shoot,” says the source.

That works perfectly for Abraham as he hopes to roll his movie on motorcycle racing in Isle of Man in August (‘My motorcycle racing is starting in August’, Dec 13). mid-day reached out to Abraham, and Shetty’s team. Both remained unavailable for comment.

Standing out in an all-star cast of Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone, Tiger Shroff, Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh can’t be easy. But Arjun Kapoor was confident that Danger Lanka, the “unhinged” antagonist in Singham Again, would leave an impression. Evidently, the actor’s gamble has paid off—his performance in director Rohit Shetty’s film is being talked about, even weeks after the release.

“I have played shades of grey since the beginning of my career. But this was an unhinged bad guy. There is no logic. This was a villain who thinks he is doing everything right. I loved depicting that mindset,” begins Kapoor.

Singham Again came to the actor at a time when he was going through a slump after back-to-back underperformers in Ek Villain Returns (2022), Kuttey (2023) and The Lady Killer (2023). Was he surprised that Shetty didn’t care about his box-office performance?

“Credit goes to Rohit sir; he took a chance on me when my films were not doing as well. Also, Singham Again was such a big franchise film on its own that my valuation didn’t matter,” he says.

If Shetty’s world of alpha cops promises larger-than-life heroes, it also carries expectations of villains that are equally mighty. Before the film’s release, many were skeptical whether Kapoor would be able to do justice to the role of Devgn’s nemesis.

Did he harbour doubts? “No, those questions didn’t occur to me because I back myself completely as an artiste. I know what I am capable of. The audience is right in having those questions, but there were hints in my [previous] work, like Ek Villain Returns. Rohit sir is intelligent enough to catch on those hints. The physicality I carry is an advantage. Plus, I’ve been a lead actor; so, you get a [known] face to stand opposite these faces. If it lands, it lands really well. And that’s what happened,” he smiles.

Throughout our conversation, the actor’s belief in his craft is unmistakable. It’s this belief that was his constant companion when he hit a low period. That’s not to say he didn’t have moments of self-doubt. “When you’re down, you’re alone because it’s the nature of this profession. You have to back yourself.” 

The success then must be feeling sweeter today, with a touch of vindication. “Of course! But I did the film not to prove anyone wrong. I did it to prove myself right,” he asserts.

Now, it’s time for Kapoor to reap its benefits. He says there is already a shift in the industry’s outlook towards him. “I sense an excitement where filmmakers are feeling they can see me in different types of roles. Next month, I’ll begin to think about what I want to do next.”

The war between the two Diwali releases, Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, had been heating up over the past few weeks. It took a bitter turn on Saturday when the makers of Ajay Devgn’s cop actioner released the title track on YouTube and other social media platforms. Soon, T-Series, which has produced Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, issued a copyright strike as the song infused some elements from the original Singham (2011) theme, the rights of which rest with the music label.

As a result, director Rohit Shetty and his team had to pull down the title track from all platforms, rework the composition and have it uploaded again on Tuesday afternoon.

A source reveals, “The song included a 10-second element from the theme of the original Singham. As is customary, T-Series flagged off the content because using anything above three seconds [without owning the copyright] is non-permissible. Bhushan Kumar’s company issued a copyright claim, and the song had to be pulled down. A simpler way to do this would have been to reach out to Singham Again’s team and sort out the matter. Saregama, which is the cop fare’s music partner, uploaded the track on Tuesday after composer Ravi Basrur removed the contentious bits and stitched it together.”

This dispute is being viewed as a “clash effect” by the internet. Fans and industry observers feel that T-Series’ decision to enforce its copyright claim could be strategically influenced by the upcoming clash between Kartik Aaryan’s horror comedy and the Devgn-starrer.

Another source notes, “Since the Singham Again team had to upload the track again, it lost all the original viewership and likes on YouTube.”

Robust security, limited movement, and a singular priority—Salman Khan’s safety. That has been the producers’ common approach as the actor is juggling three projects, Sikandar, Bigg Boss 18, and a cameo in Singham Again, even as the shadow of threat looms large on him in the wake of Baba Siddique’s murder.

After the politician’s murder on October 12, Khan had reportedly conveyed to the makers of Sikandar and Bigg Boss that he would continue filming despite the threats made to his life by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Now, mid-day has learnt that the sets of the reality show and A R Murugadoss’ directorial venture have been built in close proximity at a suburban location, keeping the actor’s safety in mind. Not just that, even as Khan kicked off the shoot of his Singham Again cameo on October 22, filmmaker Rohit Shetty ensured that the set-up for the cop actioner was in the same venue.

Sources from the set told us that besides the Y+ security detail that has been given to Khan, the superstar has an additional 50 private security guards.

A source revealed, “The Singham Again set was highly secured, with almost 70 guards monitoring every movement on the floor. There were checks at every entry and exit point. Salman had a solo shoot, for which he reported at 10 pm and work went on till late at night. In fact, he was shooting for a Bigg Boss episode before reporting to Rohit’s set.” The actor—who reprises his Chulbul Pandey role in the Ajay Devgn-led film—is expected to shoot for one more day.

Producer Sajid Nadiadwala is said to be ensuring that similar protocols are followed on the Sikandar set too. Another source told us, “Mobile phones have been banned from the premises. Surveillance cameras were put in place on both Sikandar and Singham Again’s sets to monitor the vicinity.”

Over the past few days, Khan has been filming an elaborate action sequence for Murugadoss’ action fare. On Tuesday, aided by the fact that the sets are only a few minutes away from each other, the superstar apparently reported to duty after wrapping up Singham Again’s shoot for the day.

“There was a chroma screen shoot. They have created the backdrop of a railway track against which Salman’s character fights an army of 35-40 baddies. He shot till 6.30 am before calling it a day.”

Costume designer Navin Shetty has worked on the Singham franchise since its inception. But with Singham Again bringing together the three established super cops—Ajay Devgn’s Bajirao Singham, Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi, and Ranveer Singh’s Simmba—he had the task of lending a different look to each on-screen hero.

“Rohit sir’s [Shetty, filmmaker] brief was that he wanted Ajay’s civilian look to be different from the previous Singham editions. At the same time, he didn’t want me to lose the strong, tough persona of Bajirao Singham. We have given him solid colours with denims,” says the stylist, breaking down Devgn’s look in the Diwali release.

Next came Kumar and Singh’s avatars. Navin says he thoroughly enjoys working with Kumar. “When you have a fit actor like Akshay sir, you get an upper hand to play around with styles and cuts. Ranveer used to be flamboyantly dressed [in his personal appearances]. Rohit sir wanted to break that image with Simmba [2018].”

Deepika Padukone and Tiger Shroff are the latest entrants in the cop universe. “The youth looks up to Tiger when it comes to fitness. Rohit sir wanted Tiger to look muscular and tough.”

The designer’s brief for Arjun Kapoor’s antagonist was simple—depict him as an all-evil being. “He is the Raavan of the story. We experimented a lot with Arjun’s hair, make-up and costumes. Black was the colour for this guy—strong, wild and deadly.”