Shekhar Suman is one of the few Bollywood celebrities who has led the crusade in seeking justice for Sushant Singh Rajput. Pinkvilla got in touch with the actor to have a chat on the current status of Sushant Singh Rajput's case, his thoughts on son Adhyayan Suman's name being dragged and surrounding controversies that have emerged since the demise of Sushant. Read excerpts from the interview below:
You said people divide the film industry and have fun at its cost?
Even if there is a division, it is perfectly democratic. There is always a 'for' and 'against' as long as it is healthy and within the realm of decency. Even in parliament, when ruling and opposition parties slug it out with differing opinions, let the public decide who is right and who is wrong. Unfortunately, we have crossed that line. I was just talking to someone and said it is our right to oppose and it is also fundamentally right to even keep shut. I think you should weigh your words carefully and paraphrase it in a way that it should not be offensive.
Are you talking about Jaya Bachchan or Kangana Ranaut?
I am talking about anyone who is debating on television - be it politicians or actors. Using unparliamentary language is not acceptable and needs to be condemned. The episode has diverted from the real issue of Sushant Singh Rajput's death, hasn't it?
That is the most unfortunate thing. We set out to seek justice for Sushant and it's become a secondary issue. People are saying all kinds of things and have moved on to drug cartel, which is fine. The drug is a byproduct of what we set out to do. We should stay focused on just one thing till it is resolved.
But you can't paint the whole industry with one brush?
That's true. How can you say that 99 percent of the film industry are drug addicts? There is a drug menace in the film industry and it is apparent, but that could be one per cent, just the other way round of what has been said. Only one or two per cent may be doing it, the rest are working hard to make a living. Where do they have the time? When you say the industry, it includes all the technicians because actors are lesser compared to them. These technicians and workers are not drug addicts. They are working hard to make ends meet, where do they have time to buy drugs? They don't have enough to even buy drugs, forget about becoming drug addicts.
It has also become so political now that they have dragged your son (Adhyayan) in it.
When politics enters into anything, everything gets divided. There are people who allow themselves to get used and there are people who are getting used unknowingly. There is a lot of mess. Eventually, politics is like a game of chess where pawns are moved to save the king and queen. Politics is a dirty game and it is not everyone's cup of tea.
Adhyayan said on a channel that the government is going to send him summons. Are you going to resist that?
His contention is that when I spoke about it in 2016, nobody listened to me. Everybody called him a frustrated and out-of-work actor who needs publicity then. Aise publicity se kya kaam milta hain? All he needed was an emotional closure. Each time Kangana's thing was brought up, his name was dragged in as her ex-boyfriend. He says to hell with it -- two people met, had differences and drifted apart. There are billions of couples who go separate ways, so what's the big deal? All he is saying is that I have my own life now, don't drag me into it.
Both were kids. Adhyayan was too young to realise what was happening. He brought it to a halt in 2016 by giving this interview. He saw the light at the end of the tunnel after 12 years of darkness, uncertain future and a sort of depression. His work in Aashram has been appreciated. He is getting a lot of work and has just dedicated a song to Sushant. And also said that he is happy that even though Kangana and he are not together, they are fighting for justice for Sushant. I think it is such a beautiful thing to say. He also said to not pit one against the other and that he has moved on.
So, what happens to Sushant Singh Rajput's case now?
It is all over the place and going nowhere. It is like a woman saying, I am all dressed up, but have nowhere to go. It started on a good note when the CBI took over, but they are also stuck as it was given to them after 60 days. They are groping in the dark and their only hope is the viscera of Sushant, which is unfortunately moving around, from here to there again..
What makes you feel Sushant's death is a case of murder?
I feel it is a murder because he had no reason to commit suicide. Forget everything else - his personality was such that if he had committed suicide, he would've definitely written a note. For everything he had a white board, he also penned down everything in a diary. If that boy had decided to end his life, he would've seen to it that people around him did not get into trouble. With an absence of a note and the presence of ligature marks, I am 200 per cent sure he was killed. Even the CCTV footage hints towards it. I could be wrong, but there are millions who feel the same. I am not alone to feel that.
