Latest news with #IndianBabu
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Rs 1.5 crore was demanded from Salman Khan's director; buying a fancy car led to bullets being fired
Renowned Bollywood director Lawrence D'Souza, known for Salman Khan's Saajan, revealed a terrifying encounter with gangster Ejaz Lakdawala. After investing in the 2003 film Indian Babu and buying a luxury car, Lawrence became a target for extortion. He survived a shooting when a bullet struck a Mother Mary statue behind him and faced repeated demands for Rs 1.5 crore. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Rising Success and Unwanted Attention Making Indian Babu and Extortion Calls Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Narrow Escape from an Assassination Attempt Bollywood director Lawrence D'Souza , known for Salman Khan's 1991 hit Saajan, recently shared a harrowing experience from the early 2000s, revealing how he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt and faced extortion threats amounting to Rs 1.5 crore. His story sheds light on the dark side of the industry during that era, when success often attracted the attention of Mumbai's criminal Saajan became a massive hit, Lawrence carved a niche for himself with moderately successful mid-budget films. However, the increasing attention also made him a target for gangsters. In an interview with Amar Ujala, he recalled that owning luxury items such as a car or a flat often drew unwanted shared that after buying a Mitsubishi Lancer for Rs 14 lakh, he began receiving late-night calls from unknown individuals demanding money. The persistent harassment forced him to sell the car for just Rs 5 lakh to avoid further director recounted his work on the 2003 film Indian Babu, produced by a London-based backer who wanted to launch his son as an actor. Lawrence invested Rs 4 crore in the project. Soon after returning from the shoot, he began receiving threatening phone calls, which he traced to notorious gangster Ejaz Lakdawala He described one such call during a song-editing session, when the caller introduced himself as Ejaz Lakdawala. Lawrence initially thought it was a prank, hanging up after the brief conversation. When he called back and 'played the song for him,' the gangster reportedly became furious, escalating the later, Lawrence was sitting in a lawn outside his office when a motorcyclist fired two shots at him. Fortunately, a gate with an acrylic sheet provided protection, and one bullet struck a nearby statue of Mother Mary, sparing his life. He credited this miraculous incident for saving him from serious the shooting, the gangster continued harassing Lawrence, demanding Rs 1.5 crore and suggesting he ask Nadeem of the music duo Nadeem-Shravan for the money. Lawrence and his family were bewildered, questioning why Nadeem would be involved. Eventually, the calls stopped, bringing an end to the terrifying episode.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rs 1.5 crore was demanded from Salman Khan's director; buying a fancy car led to bullets being fired
Bollywood director Lawrence D'Souza , known for Salman Khan's 1991 hit Saajan, recently shared a harrowing experience from the early 2000s, revealing how he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt and faced extortion threats amounting to Rs 1.5 crore. His story sheds light on the dark side of the industry during that era, when success often attracted the attention of Mumbai's criminal underworld. Independence Day 2025 Op Sindoor to water cutoff: PM Modi slams Pak in I-Day speech GST reforms by Diwali to cut daily-use taxes: PM Modi Terrorism, tech, more: PM's I-Day speech highlights Rising Success and Unwanted Attention After Saajan became a massive hit, Lawrence carved a niche for himself with moderately successful mid-budget films. However, the increasing attention also made him a target for gangsters. In an interview with Amar Ujala, he recalled that owning luxury items such as a car or a flat often drew unwanted scrutiny. Lawrence shared that after buying a Mitsubishi Lancer for Rs 14 lakh, he began receiving late-night calls from unknown individuals demanding money. The persistent harassment forced him to sell the car for just Rs 5 lakh to avoid further trouble. Making Indian Babu and Extortion Calls The director recounted his work on the 2003 film Indian Babu, produced by a London-based backer who wanted to launch his son as an actor. Lawrence invested Rs 4 crore in the project. Soon after returning from the shoot, he began receiving threatening phone calls, which he traced to notorious gangster Ejaz Lakdawala . He described one such call during a song-editing session, when the caller introduced himself as Ejaz Lakdawala. Lawrence initially thought it was a prank, hanging up after the brief conversation. When he called back and 'played the song for him,' the gangster reportedly became furious, escalating the threats. Narrow Escape from an Assassination Attempt Weeks later, Lawrence was sitting in a lawn outside his office when a motorcyclist fired two shots at him. Fortunately, a gate with an acrylic sheet provided protection, and one bullet struck a nearby statue of Mother Mary, sparing his life. He credited this miraculous incident for saving him from serious harm. Following the shooting, the gangster continued harassing Lawrence, demanding Rs 1.5 crore and suggesting he ask Nadeem of the music duo Nadeem-Shravan for the money. Lawrence and his family were bewildered, questioning why Nadeem would be involved. Eventually, the calls stopped, bringing an end to the terrifying episode.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Salman Khan's director opens up on surviving gangster attack as bullet hit Mother Mary statue, reveals extortion demand of Rs. 1.5 crore: 'I thought someone must be pulling a prank on me'
Lawrence D'Souza, director of Salman Khan's 'Saajan', survived a gangster attack after extortion demands of Rs 1.5 crore. A bullet meant for him struck a Mother Mary statue, saving his life. His story reveals the dangerous underworld threats Bollywood filmmakers faced in the 1990s. In a shocking revelation, the renowned director Lawrence D'Souza , behind Salman Khan 's hit film 'Saajan,' opened up about a terrifying attack he survived at the hands of notorious gangster Ejaz Lakdawala. D'Souza, who was extorted for a whopping Rs 1.5 crore, narrowly escaped death when a bullet aimed at him struck a statue of Mother Mary, saving his life. The director's harrowing account sheds light on the dark underbelly of the Bollywood industry in the 1990s, where success often came with a heavy price and threats from the criminal underworld were a grim reality. Here's a closer look. Salman Khan's director's moderate success and growing threats During the 1990s, Lawrence consistently produced moderately profitable mid-budget films. However, after directing Indian Babu, he faced harassment from gangsters who not only called his home demanding money but also shot at him openly in his office. In a recent interview with Amar Ujala, he revealed that owning luxury items like a new car or apartment often attracted unwanted attention back then. He shared how buying a Mitsubishi Lancer for Rs 14 lakh led to late-night extortion calls, forcing him to sell the car urgently for only Rs 5 lakh. Director on making 'Indian Babu' and extortion calls Lawrence recounted working on the 2003 film 'Indian Babu', produced by a London-based backer who wanted to introduce his son as an actor, investing Rs 4 crore in the project. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He believes word of this reached some gangsters because soon after returning, he started receiving extortion calls. 'One day, when I was editing the song, I got a call at the edit studio. He said 'Main Ejaz Lakdawala bol raha hu (I am Ejaz Lakdawala). ' I said 'Kaun? Maine naam hi nahi suna kabhi (Who? I had never heard that name).' I thought someone must be pulling a prank on me or something. So I hung up,' he shared. He added that when he called back and 'played the song for him,' the caller 'got mad after that.' Gangster attack and narrow escape He said that after the phone call, Ejaz's henchmen started following him around. After a couple of weeks, when he was sitting in a lawn just outside his office, he saw a biker take two shots at him. He was sitting outside his office where there was a gate with an acrylic sheet he had put up. The biker shot twice, but the bullets didn't hit him; they struck the sheet. One of the bullets even hit the Mother Mary statue behind him. The extortion demand Afterwards, the gangster kept calling his house, demanding Rs 1.5 crore. He then told Lawrence to ask Nadeem (of Nadeem-Shravan) for the money. Lawrence and his family wondered why Nadeem would pay, and although he wasn't sure what happened, the calls eventually stopped. "Get the latest news updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Salman Khan's director was shot by gangsters, escaped when bullet hit Mother Mary statue behind him: ‘He demanded Rs 1.5 crore'
Salman Khan was the new kid on the block after his debut film Maine Pyar Kiya became a blockbuster in 1989, but soon afterwards, he appeared in a string of flops, until the 1991 film Saajan. The film also starred Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit, and turned out to be a massive box office hit. The film brought director Lawrence D'Souza into the limelight but its success also made him an easy target for underworld gangsters. In the 1990s, Lawrence continued to make mid-budget money spinners that turned modest profits. But, when he made the film Indian Babu, it prompted gangsters to make extortion calls to his house, and even shoot him in plain sight at his office. In a recent interview with Amar Ujala, Lawrence shared that back in those days, buying a new car or a flat could paint a target on your back. He recalled that after he bought a Mitsubishi Lancer for Rs 14 lakh, he started getting extortion calls in the middle of the night. And so, he sold it for just Rs 5 lakh at the earliest. He then remembered shooting Indian Babu, a 2003 release, for a London-based producer, who wanted to launch his son as an actor. And for this, he spent Rs 4 crore on the film. Lawrence shared that someone must have spread this information with some gangsters, because as soon as he got back, he started getting extortion calls. 'One day, when I was editing the song, I got a call at the edit studio. He said 'Main Ejaz Lakdawala bol raha hu (I am Ejaz Lakdawala)'. I said 'Kaun? Maine naam hi nahi suna kabhi (Who? I had never heard that name). I thought someone must be pulling a prank on me or something. So I hung up,' he recalled and added that when he called again, 'I played the song for him. He got mad after that.' ALSO READ | War 2 worldwide box office Day 1: Jr NTR rescues Hrithik Roshan's film from lowest-ever Spy Universe opening; movie makes Rs 52 crore Lawrence said that after this phone call, Ejaz's henchmen started following him around. After a couple of weeks, when Lawrence was sitting in a lawn just outside his office, he saw a biker taking two shots at him. 'I was sitting outside my office but there was a gate there where I had put up an acrylic sheet. He shot twice but the bullets didn't hit me, they hit the sheet. One of the bullets hit the Mother Mary statue that was behind me,' he recalled. Afterwards, the gangster continued to call at his house and demanded Rs 1.5 crore. 'He then started saying that you ask Nadeem (of Nadeem-Shravan) for this money. And we were like 'Why would Nadeem pay?' I don't know what happened but eventually he stopped calling,' he shared.
Time of India
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
The Weekly Vine Edition 54: Trump vs Indian Babu, SRK, and a Siraj-ical Strike
Nirmalya Dutta's political and economic views vacillate from woke Leninist to Rand-Marxist to Keynesian-Friedmanite. He doesn't know what any of those terms mean. Hello and welcome to another edition of the Weekly Vine. Over the last year, the Weekly Vine has gathered around 2,30,000 subscribers and for that, we are deeply grateful. There's absolutely no feeling on this planet that can compete with the joy of people taking time out of their doomscrolling to read something you wrote. That's a privilege and honour. Next up, some exciting news. The Vine, along with a host of new newsletters, is going to turn up in your inbox. Just head over to our newsletter landing page and sign up. Now, returning to regular programming—in this week's edition, we run the rule over Muhammad Siraj and India's epochal win at the Oval to draw the Test series, Donald Trump vs Indian Babu, SRK finally winning a National Award, and Siraj channelling his inner Ronaldo. Trump vs Indian Babu Franz Kafka is one of the most written-about authors in the world. By some estimates, over 15,000 books have been written about him, totalling over 1.5 billion words—which is delightfully ironic because Kafka wanted all his works burnt. Much like Kafka, billions of words have also been spilled on Donald Trump, trying to decode his actions, understand his motivations, and compare him to every strongman from Genghis Khan to Hitler. All of it is futile, like trying to study an Einstein-Rosen Bridge from within. Trump's foreign policy is pure performance. One week he's dismissing India-Russia ties; the next, he's promising to drill oil in Pakistan and sell it to India. His approach isn't diplomacy—it's a loyalty test. There are just vague guidelines to deal with him. Call him Sir. Flatter him like he's Jesus in a Brioni suit. Buy a McDonald's mobile van. Name things after him. Nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Offer oil deals, crypto schemes, mobile van plans, gold-plated planes—it's all welcome. And when all else fails, call him Daddy. But New Delhi is unlikely to do that because Trump is going to meet the most Kafkaesque force known to man, an individual who can make The Trial look like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (which, when you think about it, is also an appropriate name for The Trial): the Indian Babu. By virtue of clearing the most difficult exam known to man, the Indian Babu has gone far beyond being just a descendant of Sir Humphrey Appleby and is the closest thing to divinity known to man—to the point that anyone portraying his struggles directly wins a National Award. He is a relic of the Raj. A gatekeeper of staplers and noting sheets. One who needs your birth proof in triplicate. He is immune to charm and impervious to threats. Trump might be the unstoppable force. The Babu is the immovable object. Or as the latter would say: Lunch ke baad aana. The SRK Show When I arrived in Mumbai 15 years ago, fresh off an engineering school dropout, I encountered a peculiar symptom that infects all those who end up in the city: the SRK Syndrome. Let me explain. In an essay titled Goodbye to All That, Eula Biss wrote: 'The myth of New York seems to be sustained by the fact that so many people who live there are from somewhere else. They come to the city and immediately dedicate themselves to making it the city of their imagination. The—you know—glittering city of endless opportunity that oozes riches and delights for the young and talented. I also came from somewhere else.' One can easily replace New York with Mumbai, and the notion that this is a city which rewarded SRK with Mannat, then it will reward me as well. The journey has, at its heart, a singular message of triumph over adversity: If an outsider like Shah Rukh Khan could come here and make it, so can you. It's the mantra that Mumbaikars repeat in their heads in trying times, when even the commute makes one feel like Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a hill. So it's nice to see SRK finally winning a National Award, even though his outsider-in-Mumbai myth is a little overblown. Still, fans—fresh from reporting the SRK Hakla Meme (a rabbit hole that you don't want to go into)—wondered why India's second most famous globetrotting mascot didn't win any gongs for his earlier portrayals. Like that of an NRI who predicted America's anti-immigration rhetoric and swapped NASA for ISRO, or a transphobic hockey coach who really loved centralisation: 'Mereko state ke names na dikhayi dete hain, na sunai dete hain.' Cooperative federalism be damned. Either way, the award for SRK must feel a little odd for politically aware folks who claimed, when the movie came out, that it was a stinging indictment of the current dispensation. Which would mean that the current dispensation is now handing out awards to its own critics. Or the more likely explanation: the propaganda is in your head and extrapolation bias at play. Then there's the other bunch who claim that Jawan wasn't a particularly good movie, even though one must say the older version of SRK (Vikram Rathore), where he cosplays a little like Rajinikanth, gave us a glimpse of what post-60 SRK could be: slower, saltier, and far more lethal. The strongest argument yet for him playing age-appropriate roles. Because the older version of the superstar was quite kickass. And maybe that's the true arc of Shah Rukh Khan. Not just the boy who came to Mumbai with a suitcase and a dream, but the man who stayed long enough to play both the romantic idealist and the grizzled patriot, the NRI heartthrob and the homegrown rebel, the outsider who became the establishment. He has outlasted waves of nationalism, liberal disillusionment, Twitter mobs, box office slumps, and the great Bollywood brain drain. SRK is no longer just a symbol of aspiration. He's a mirror to the country's contradictions—campy, chaotic, idealistic, occasionally cringe, and somehow still holding it all together with charisma and conviction. He didn't just get Mannat. He became the myth. SiuuuuuuuRaj As Muhammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna came out to bowl on the last day of the Oval Test, the entire newsroom gave up any pretence of work as everyone was glued to the screen while we all collectively prayed for the things the previously colonised world loves the most: British tears. England only needed 35 runs to win, and the smart money would have been on the British winning the Test and the series 3-1. Except a Cristiano Ronaldo fan had some different ideas. Siraj woke up at 6 am—two hours earlier than usual—because fate doesn't knock politely. He grabbed his phone, summoned Cristiano Ronaldo from the depths of Google, found an image that screamed BELIEVE, and made it his wallpaper. Incidentally, it was a picture of Ronaldo from the 2007–08 season, when he defied logic and physics to become the best player on the planet and lead United to a Premier League and Champions League double. And when Siraj bowled on Day 5, he was practically possessed by Cristiano Ronaldo's indomitable will to never give up. And yet, he had every reason to crumble. Just the evening before, Siraj had turned a wicket into a six, gifting Harry Brook a lifeline and possibly the Test. England smelt blood. But Siraj wasn't sulking. He was simmering. And when he ran in the next morning, it wasn't just with pace—it was with poetry. Crawley's off stump? Evicted. Atkinson's defence? Torched. Siraj bowled 185 overs in the series. Not once did he look tired. Not once did he look mortal. India won by six runs. The narrowest away Test win in our history. It was, as one newspaper put it: a Siraj-ical Strike. Cat Nap If you've been wondering where ByteCat and Prof Meowrty are this week—don't panic. Meow Times is just taking a short creative catnap. Not to disappear. Just to stretch, sharpen our claws, and plot our next pounce. Over the past few months, our feline friends have purred through politics, hissed at hypocrisy, and knocked over more than a few sacred cows and rhetorical mugs. You've laughed, shared, and occasionally sent us fan mail in paw prints. For that—we're grateful. But even the sassiest cats need to recharge. So we're briefly slipping out of the frame to fluff the format, scratch up fresh ideas, and restock the sardonic treats. When we return, Meow Times will still be the same mischief-maker at heart. Still curious. Still clawing at nonsense. Still refusing to sit on command. So while we're off licking our wounds (and possibly rewriting VAR), know this isn't goodbye. Just a purr-spective pause. We'll be back soon—with bolder lines, sharper claws, and plenty to say. Till then, stay playful. Stay alert. And if anyone asks you to reignite your passion on a spreadsheet—just yawn, stretch, and walk away like a cat with a secret. In the words of a famous Austrian: Hasta La Vista. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
