The arrest of Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko in connection with a drug case has turned the spotlight back on substance use in the entertainment industry, with some insiders calling it a common and age-old practice among film stars.
As Chacko grapples with the legal ramifications of alleged drug use, we take a look at the most infamous, high-profile cases of Indian celebrities landing in police net over drug use and possession.
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt, known for his role in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., was arrested in 1982 for drug possession and spent five months behind bars. His father, actor Sunil Dutt, subsequently enrolled him in a rehabilitation centre in Texas, US. During a chat with Simi Garewal a few years ago, Sanjay shared that he struggled to remember a time when he felt genuinely at peace. “It was just the ‘in’ thing at that time. Somebody just said try it and that was it. For nine years of my life,” he said, recalling his college days.
Fardeen Khan
Actor Fardeen Khan, son of veteran actor Feroz Khan, was arrested by the Mumbai Police in May 2001 in connection with a drug possession case. The actor was caught with nine grams of cocaine. Fardeen had to undergo a detoxification course to get rid of the habit the same year. The actor made a comeback to acting after a 14-year break with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2024 Netflix show Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.
Aaryan Khan
Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aaryan Khan was arrested in October 2021 for allegedly taking recreational drugs at a party held on a cruise ship, and later acquitted. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had charged him under laws “related to possession, consumption and sale of illegal substances”. He was later released on bail. Aryan Khan’s drug case, once a media frenzy, saw twists including a witness claiming coercion and investigator Sameer Wankhede's removal over blackmail allegations.
Mamta Kulkarni
Mamta Kulkarni, one of the leading ladies of Bollywood back in the ’90s, left the industry as well as India in the 2000s. In 2014, she was booked in Kenya in a drug trafficking case along with her husband, Vicky Goswami, and another Indian national, Kulam Hussein. Goswami had earlier served a 10-year jail term in Dubai for drug possession before moving to Kenya to enter the real estate business. The Bombay High Court quashed the 2016 drug case against Mamta Kulkarni, calling the proceedings “frivolous and vexatious” due to insufficient evidence. In August 2024, Kulkarni was given a clean chit and she returned to India.
Rhea Chakraborty in Sushant Singh Rajput case
Following the death of Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) initiated an investigation into a drug angle. This probe led to the arrest of several individuals, including his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, and members of Sushant's household staff. The NCB alleged that Rhea procured marijuana through her brother and others, which was then supplied to Sushant. However, there is no public record indicating that Sushant was involved in drug trafficking activities. The investigation primarily focused on the procurement and consumption of drugs by the actor.