Alcoholism in Bollywood; Actors who paid the price

Bengaluru, May 6: Alcoholism has destroyed many lives-be it common man or celebrities. Take the case of Salman Khan, who has been held guilty for the 2002 hit and run case where he run over five men sleeping on the pavement, killing one and injuring four other. However, he is just one of a case in the Bollywood film industry.

Call it the Art of Self-Destruction, these bollywood celebrities have done it all to destroy their lives and other's lives too. Here are a list of celebrities-some of them still fighting the vice and some having lost the battle to disease or death.

[Read: 2002 hit and run case: Mumbai sessions court holds Salman Khan guilty]

Arjun Rampal: He started drinking at the age of 21 years, in the peak days of his training as an athlete. He has been addicted with alcohol since then. He is said to have confessed about his problem with alcohol.

Manisha Koirala: She has battled cancer, but we are not sure whether she could overcome her inclination for alcohol and nicotine.

Mahesh Bhatt: A well known director, he is known to have combated alcoholism with his film 'Daddy'. One of the most successful films, Bhatt is known to give his struggle with alcoholism a cinematic narration.

Rakhee Gulzar: Compared to Meena Kumari, Rakhee lost her life to alcohol after battling depression caused due to unsuccessful marital life with her ex-husbands.

[Read: Salman Khan verdict: Have we spoken anything about those poor who were overrun?]

Dharmendra: He has quit drinking now and has taken up the pen. An alcoholic for 15 years, he is open about his struggles with the vice and how it had ruined his life and career.

Meena Kumari: The 'Queen of Tragedy' of the 60s, she lost her life to alcohol. She died of liver cirrhosis at the age of 39. Blame her personal life, but the habit also earned her the name.

Guru Dutt: Hearthbreak led to alcholism in this legend's life. The discoverer of Waheeda Rehman, he also fell in love with her. But when their love story did not work, he turned to alcoholism and committed suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills and alcohol.

Silk Smitha: The item girl of the 60s, Smitha turned alcoholic in the fag end of her life when she could not cope with her failure career-wise and romantically. She fell into severe depression and committed suicide.

OneIndia News