Suniel Shetty asks UP CM Yogi Adityanath to help end ‘boycott Bollywood’ trend: ‘You can't call the industry rotten’

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met several actors from Bollywood on Thursday as part of the state’s initiative to give more sops for shooting there. On the occasion, Suniel Shetty, one of the actors present, spoke to the CM, urging him to help put an end to the ‘boycott Bollywood’ movement. The actor expressed his anguish at the stigma around the film industry these days.

Suniel was joined by actors like Jackie Shroff and playback singer Kailash Kher in the meeting that took place in Mumbai. Yogi Adityanath had met actor Akshay Kumar a day prior to that. As per reports, the discussions in the meeting included the future of the upcoming Film City in the state.

As per an Indian Express report, at the meeting, Suniel Shetty addressed CM Yogi Adityanath and said, “The hashtag that’s going on, boycott Bollywood, yeh ruk bhi sakta hai aapke kehne se (it can stop if you say). It is important to spread the word that we are doing good work. One rotten apple is everywhere, but just because of that you can’t call the whole industry rotten. Today people think that Bollywood is not a good place, but we have made such good films here. I was a part of one such film too, when I did Border. I have been a part of many good films. We have to come together and work towards how we can get rid of the Boycott Bollywood hashtag. We have to figure how we can stop this trend.”

The actor also spoke about how there is a stigma around Bollywood and urged the UP CM to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about it. “Today, if I am Suniel Shetty, it is because of UP and the fans from there. If you take the lead, this can definitely happen. It is of great importance that this stigma that is on us is gone. It is a very strong emotion for me. Dukh hota hai bolne me ke humaare pe yeh stigma hai (it pains me to tell that there is this stigma on us) because 99% of us are not like that. Hum din bhar drugs nahi lete, hum galat kaam nahi karte (We don’t do drugs whole day, we don’t do wrong work). Hum achhe kaam se jude hai (We are associated with good work). Bharat ko agar bahar ke desho se kisi ne joda hai toh woh hai humaara music (Bollywood music has connected India with the world), and our stories. So, Yogi ji if you take the lead and talk to our beloved Prime Minister about it, it will make a huge difference,” he added.

The ‘boycott Bollywood’ trend gained prominence on Twitter last year, when several films like Laal Singh Chaddha, Brahmastra, Shamshera, etc faced boycott calls. Currently, Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film Pathaan is facing similar calls for boycott as well as protests.