The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has also claimed responsibility for the attack on Tiger Shroff through a social media post that went viral.
19 October, 2026, 12:00 pm
Last modified: 19 October, 2026, 12:11 pm
The firing at Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff's car in Mumbai yesterday (18 October) has revived memories of a long history of gun attacks and threats targeting Bollywood personalities, particularly during the 1990s and early 2000s, when organised crime groups sought to influence film financing, casting decisions and distribution rights.
The relationship between Mumbai's underworld and Bollywood dates back to the 1960s, when gangsters such as Haji Mastan reportedly socialised with film personalities and served as alternative financiers.
The relationship between illicit money and the Hindi film industry became more coercive by the late 1980s and 1990s, with underworld groups allegedly financing film productions, demanding overseas distribution rights and attempting to dictate casting decisions.
On 14 April 2024, gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire outside superstar Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartments residence in Mumbai's Bandra area. Investigators alleged that the attack was ordered by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his brother Anmol Bishnoi over grievances linked to the 1998 blackbuck poaching case in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has also claimed responsibility for the attack on Tiger Shroff, the 36-year-old son of veteran Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff, through a social media post that went viral.
Mumbai police said they were verifying the authenticity of the post, which was attributed to Bishnoi aide Anil Pandit and named Pandit and Harman Sandhu as those claiming responsibility for the attack.
The post claimed Shroff had ignored warnings not to work with Salman Khan and threatened others in the film industry who continued to work with him.
Baba Siddique, father of Mumbai politician Zeeshan Siddique, was shot dead in October 2024, allegedly at the behest of Anmol Bishnoi, a relative of Lawrence Bishnoi.
Baba Siddique was reportedly close to several prominent Bollywood actors, including Salman Khan, and was known for hosting lavish parties attended by film personalities.
His son Zeeshan had previously raised concerns about threats to his own security.
Tiger Shroff, born Jai Hemant Shroff on 2 March 1990, is one of Bollywood's leading action stars and martial artists and holds a fifth-degree black belt in Taekwondo.
He made his big-screen debut with Heropanti in 2014 and later established himself as an action star with films including Baaghi, Baaghi 2 and War.
Outside mainstream cinema, Shroff is also involved in combat sports. He co-founded Matrix Fight Night (MFN) in 2019, which has grown into one of India's leading mixed martial arts promotion platforms.