Bollywood mulling Mumbai exit amid fear, says Congress leader Sapkal
Synopsis
Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal has dropped a political bombshell — claiming Bollywood is weighing a move out of Mumbai as gangster threats paralyse the industry. With Salman Khan, Tiger Shroff and Rohit Shetty named as targets, and the AICWA forced to approach the Union Home Minister for protection, the allegations strike at Maharashtra's cultural identity and the MahaYuti government's credibility.
Key Takeaways
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed on 24 October that Bollywood is considering leaving Mumbai for other states or abroad due to safety concerns.
Threats have reportedly been issued against Tiger Shroff , Salman Khan , and Rohit Shetty , with other actors allegedly on the mafia's radar.
Sapkal alleged gangsters are directing threats from inside Gujarat's Sabarmati jail , accusing the BJP -led MahaYuti government of providing political patronage to criminals.
The All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) reportedly approached the Union Home Minister directly for security, which Sapkal called a 'shameful' indictment of Maharashtra's governance.
Sapkal demanded a High Court-supervised SIT led by an outside IPS officer to reinvestigate the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Pradeep Purnekar in Thane .
CM Devendra Fadnavis , who also holds the Home portfolio, was held 'solely responsible' and called upon to resign if law and order cannot be restored.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Saturday, 24 October claimed that Bollywood, long considered the cultural backbone of Mumbai, is now actively considering relocating to other states or even abroad, citing a pervasive climate of fear gripping the film industry. Sapkal squarely blamed the BJP-led MahaYuti government and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the deteriorating law and order situation in Maharashtra.
Threats Against Film Industry
Sapkal told reporters that film actors, producers and directors are being openly targeted in Mumbai, with threats issued against prominent names including Tiger Shroff, Salman Khan, and Rohit Shetty. He alleged that other artists are also reportedly on the mafia's radar, creating what he described as 'a climate of fear' across the entire industry.
'Attacks have been reported against Tiger Shroff, Salman Khan and Rohit Shetty, while reports suggest that other actors are also on the mafia's radar. The entire Bollywood industry is living under a climate of fear,' Sapkal said. He further alleged that gangsters operating from inside Gujarat's Sabarmati jail are directly influencing the film industry, questioning how this was possible without political backing.
Congress Targets Fadnavis, MahaYuti Government
Sapkal alleged that Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis bears sole responsibility for the situation, accusing him of completely failing to maintain law and order. 'Gangsters could not have become so emboldened without political patronage from those in power,' he alleged. He also pointed to the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) approaching the Union Home Minister directly for security as a 'shameful reflection' of the state's governance failure.
'When artists are being shot at, and Bollywood is preparing to move out of Mumbai, the BJP-led MahaYuti government has lost the moral right to remain in power. If it cannot control crime in the state, it should resign immediately,' Sapkal added. This comes amid a broader political war of words in Maharashtra over rising crime incidents linked to organised crime networks.
The UP Angle: Yogi's Overtures to Bollywood
Sapkal noted that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had publicly spoken about attracting the film industry to his state — and questioned whether the escalating threats in Mumbai were in any way connected to those overtures. He described plans to shift Bollywood out of Mumbai as 'no longer a secret,' framing the pattern as a politically orchestrated push to hollow out Maharashtra's cultural and economic stature. The film industry contributes significantly to Mumbai's economy, and any large-scale relocation would carry substantial financial consequences for the state.
Purnekar Murder: Congress Demands HC-Supervised SIT
Separately, Sapkal visited the family of slain Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Pradeep Purnekar, who was recently killed in Thane, to offer condolences. He demanded that the existing Special Investigation Team (SIT) — which he called 'merely a charade' — be replaced by one led by an IPS officer from outside Thane, with the entire investigation conducted under the supervision of the High Court.
'The investigation has been heading in the wrong direction ever since the FIR was registered. The current investigation is merely superficial, and the main accused are being shielded,' Sapkal alleged. He stressed that Purnekar had reportedly expressed fears for his life before the murder, yet the investigation was not pursuing that angle. The Purnekar family has reportedly provided evidence and named suspects, but Sapkal alleged that efforts are being made to protect those individuals. He assured the family of the Congress party's continued support.
What Comes Next
The Congress's allegations are likely to intensify pressure on the MahaYuti government ahead of any state-level political reckoning. Industry bodies and film fraternity associations have yet to formally respond to the claims of a possible relocation. All eyes are now on whether the state government will offer a substantive counter or whether the security situation in Maharashtra will continue to dominate political discourse.
Point of View
Or whether this remains political rhetoric framed around real but episodic incidents. The Yogi Adityanath angle is the sharpest edge here: if a rival state government is actively courting Bollywood while Mumbai's security deteriorates, Maharashtra faces not just a law-and-order crisis but a long-term economic and cultural one. The Purnekar murder demand for a High Court-supervised SIT signals that Congress is building a connected narrative — gangster impunity, political protection, institutional failure — that could define its opposition posture in the state for months ahead.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Bollywood reportedly considering leaving Mumbai?
Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal has claimed that threats from organised crime networks have created a climate of fear across the film industry, prompting serious discussions about relocating to other states or abroad. He cited reported attacks and threats against actors including Tiger Shroff, Salman Khan, and Rohit Shetty as evidence of the deteriorating security environment.
Who is Harshwardhan Sapkal and what did he allege?
Harshwardhan Sapkal is the chief of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. He alleged on 24 October that the BJP-led MahaYuti government and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have failed to maintain law and order, allowing gangsters — allegedly operating from inside Gujarat's Sabarmati jail — to directly threaten the Bollywood industry with political impunity.
What is the AICWA and why did it approach the Union Home Minister?
The All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) is a body representing workers in the Indian film industry. According to Sapkal, AICWA was compelled to directly petition the Union Home Minister for security, which he described as a 'shameful' indicator of how badly Maharashtra's state-level law enforcement has failed the film fraternity.
What is the Pradeep Purnekar murder case and what is Congress demanding?
Pradeep Purnekar was a Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary who was recently killed in Thane. Sapkal alleged that the existing SIT investigating the murder consists of local police and lacks credibility, demanding it be replaced by an SIT led by an IPS officer from outside Thane and placed under High Court supervision.
Has the UP government expressed interest in relocating Bollywood?
Sapkal noted that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had publicly spoken about moving the film industry to UP. Sapkal questioned whether the rising threats against Bollywood in Mumbai were in any way connected to these overtures, though he stopped short of making a direct causal claim.
