Vidhu Vinod Chopra drove me close to suicide: Chetan Bhagat in tweet to Anupama Chopra
New Delhi/IBNS: Amid the ongoing war of words in the Bollywood film industry triggered by the suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput, writer Chetan Bhagat joined the fray when he dropped a bomb by alleging that producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra "publicly bullied" and "drove him close to suicide."
In a tweet directed at Anupama Chopra, who is the wife of Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Bhagat wrote: "Ma'am, when your husband publicly bullied me, shamelessly collected all the best story awards, tried denying me credit for my story and drove me close to suicide, and you just watched, where was your discourse?" He made the remark after a tweet by Chopra on the discourse on the ongoing Bollywood issues getting lower.
Ma'am, when your husband publicly bullied me, shamelessly collected all the best story awards, tried denying me credit for my story and drove me close to suicide, and you just watched, where was your discourse? https://t.co/CeVDT2oq47
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) July 21, 2020
Bhagat's book Five Point Someone was loosely adapted for 2009 blockbuster '3 Idiots', starring actors Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi.
According to the popular writer, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra denied him writing credits from the film.
On Tuesday, he once again brought to fore his grievance in reply to Anupama Chopra's tweet where she commented on a post by Bhagat asking film critics not to "write rubbish" about actor Sushant Singh Rajput's last film.
Sushant's last film releases this week. I want to tell the snob and elitist critics right now, write sensibly. Don't act oversmart. Don't write rubbish. Be fair and sensible. Don't try your dirty tricks. You have ruined enough lives. Now stop. We'll be watching.
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) July 21, 2020
To the media organizations who hire these snob critics - it's an awful business strategy to hire elitists who don't understand India and think they are better than Indians. These brown outside - white inside people will ensure your organization goes bankrupt. Many have already.
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) July 21, 2020
There is one critic who tried to destroy my career and spew venom on everything I'm associated with. He also tried his best to sink Sushant. His main hates a)self made people b) less anglicized more desi people and c)confident small town Indians. I beg stars not to patronize him.
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) July 21, 2020
Chetan Bhagat's one of the tweets read: "Snob elitist ecosystem critics have whatsapp groups. They mutually decide to trash a movie or actor before the trial. Nobody wants to mess with them as they will collectively trash you. So people keep quiet. Many producers and directors in Bollywood will confirm this."
Snob elitist ecosystem critics have whatsapp groups. They mutually decide to trash a movie or actor before the trial. Nobody wants to mess with them as they will collectively trash you. So people keep quiet. Many producers and directors in Bollywood will confirm this.
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) July 21, 2020
Responding to this tweet, film critic Anupama Chopra wrote: "Each time you think the discourse can’t get lower, it does!"
Bhagat's tweet was in sync with some social media users who have called out at film critics Rajeev Masand and Anupama Chopra for being unfair to late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's films.
Rajeev has been criticised for his "blind articles" which allegedly targeted Sushant.
In one of the articles, Rajeev had indirectly called Sushant a "skirt chaser", an "overpriced outsider".
The 34-year old actor, who was undergoing depression, had committed suicide at his flat in Mumbai's Bandra on Jun 14.
The PRs of Sushant have said the actor used to get depressed over negative articles on him.
His suicide has created a storm in the tinseltown with several actors including Kangana Ranaut calling out Bollywood biggies for encouraging nepotism leading Sushant to take the extreme step.
(Image: Chetan Bhagat Facebook Page)
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