This actress from the 90s was rumoured to be gangster Dawood Ibrahim's girlfriend. A film producer was allegedly shot dead after he refused to cast her.
In his heyday, gangster Dawood Ibrahim was one of the most notorious and powerful men in Mumbai. In the 90s, his influence exterted to all aspects of the city. As the seat of the Hindi film industry, Mumbai also housed Bollywood and all its stars. The glamour and money of Bollywood drew Dawood too. The don was reported to have invested in films, made friends with stars, and even dated a few starlets, all of whom vehemently denied it. But among Dawood’s rumoured Bollywood girlfriends, one stands out – the heroine who was accused of espionage and because of whom, a man was allegedly gunned down by Dawood’s men.
Dawood’s girlfriend who was launched by Dev Anand
Anita Ayoob was a Pakistani actress and pageant winner who came to India in the late-80s. In 1993, she was launched by Dev Anand in Pyaar Ka Tarana, her first feature film. She had worked in a number of TV shows in Pakistan before this and had made a name for herself. Anita again appeared in a Dev Anand film – Gangster – in 1994. By now, reports of her proximity to Dawood Ibrahim had started doing the rounds. It was being reported that Anita was dating Dawood, who had already fled India following the Bombay Blasts and was living in Dubai.
The film producer who was allegedly murdered for refusing to cast Anita
Anita denied reports of her dating Dawood several times in the mid-90s. However, in 1995, an incident took place that shook Bollywood and convinced many that Anita and Dawood did indeed have a connection. Film producer Javed Siddique was murdered in Mumbai by gangsters from Dawood’s gang. Reports claimed that Siddique had recently refused to cast Anita in one of his upcoming films and that is why the don decided to ‘teach him a lesson’. While this was never verified, the news strengthened people’s belief about Anita’s rumoured affair with Dawood. A Pakistan-based magazine Fashion Central wrote in the 90s that many in the industry thought Ayoob was a Pakistani spy and hence she was ostracized. The actress returned to Pakistan soon after.
What Anita Ayoob does now
In the late 1990s, Anita married an Indian businessman named Saumil Patel and moved to New York. They had a son named Shazer. However, the couple separated a few years later. Ayoob later married Pakistani businessman Subak Majeed. She reportedly still lives overseas, away from both India and Pakistan.
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 "Anita Ayoob was rumoured to be dating Dawood Ibrahim")
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