Speak to PM Modi, use your influence to stop 'Bollywood Boycott Trend': Suniel Shetty to UP CM Yogi

Suniel Shetty, Subhash Ghai, Jackie Shroff, Rajkumar Santoshi, Manmohan Shetty, Boney Kapoor and many others attended the meet.

Mumbai, Jan 06: Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty has requested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's help to do away with the 'Boycott Bollywood' trend on social media while requesting him to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's help to clear the stigma around the Hindi film industry.

"I want to talk about this hashtag that's going on - 'Boycott Bollywood'. It can stop if you say something about it. We are doing good work," PTI quoted Shetty as saying in a meeting which was attended by Bollywood dignitaries and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Adityanath, who was on a two-day Mumbai visit, met film personalities such as Suniel Shetty, Subhash Ghai, Jackie Shroff, Rajkumar Santoshi, Manmohan Shetty, Boney Kapoor and many others. The agenda was to discuss shooting and investment prospects in Noida Film City. However, Shetty took the opportunity to put forward the grievances of the film industry.

Shetty further requested Adityanath to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support in clearing the stigma around Bollywood. "It pains me to see this stigma. Ninety-nine per cent of the people here are good. So, please Yogi ji, take the lead and talk to our prime minister about erasing this stigma," he added.

In the clip that has gone viral on social media, Shetty is seen claiming that the Hindi film industry has played a major role in connecting India with the world, and requested Yogi to use his influence in stopping the 'Boycott Bollywood' trend. "We have to join hands and try and get rid of the 'Boycott Bollywood' trend and make people understand that most people in the industry are good. We don't do drugs, we don't harm others.

"I request you to be the person to abolish the stigma. This industry is responsible for connecting India to the world, especially when it comes to music. You're a very big name, sir. If you talk about it, people will listen," the actor said. Shetty said it is wrong to label the industry in a poor light because of "one rotten apple". "Today people think that Bollywood is not a good place. But we have made such good films here. I was a part of such a film too, 'Border', along with others," he added.

The 61-year-old actor remembered the love and affection shown by people of Uttar Pradesh in his early years. Today, I am what I am because of the people from Uttar Pradesh. When they would fill theatres, we knew our films would run well all over. If you take the lead, a change can be brought about in what people are thinking," Shetty said.

The Boycott Trend

The trend gained momentum on social media sites following actor Sushant Singh Rajput's demise in June 2020. People started questioning how nepotism is affecting India's leading industry. Movies like Aamir Khan's 'Laal Singh Chaddha', Anurag Kashyap's directorial 'Dobaaraa', Vijay Deverakonda-starrer 'Liger', and many other films have faced boycott calls from netizens.

Now, Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone's 'Pathaan' is in the line of fire.