Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, never one to shy away from provocation, has landed in the middle of a storm yet again. On September 5, as the country marked Teachers’ Day, the director took to social media to pay tribute to the people who influenced his creative journey. His list began with stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan, Steven Spielberg, Ayn Rand, Bruce Lee, and Sridevi. But what sparked outrage was the addition of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim among the names.
RGV’s note on Teachers’ Day
Posting on Twitter, Varma wrote, “Here’s a BIG SALUTE to all the GREATS who inspired me to become whatever I became and to make whatever films I made, starting from AMITABH BACHCHAN, STEVEN SPIELBERG, AYN RAND, BRUCE LEE, SRIDEVI and DAWOOD IBRAHIM. HAPPY TEACHERS DAY.” The inclusion of Dawood, India’s most wanted gangster and a key figure in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, immediately drew flak from users who accused the director of glorifying a criminal on a day meant to celebrate real gurus.
Social media backlash
The post quickly spiralled into a social media flashpoint. One user wrote, “Teachers’ Day is meant to honour true gurus who shaped lives with knowledge and values, not glorify a terrorist. Mixing Dawood Ibrahim’s name with legends is an insult to every real teacher. Disgraceful.” Another sarcastically remarked, “Dawood Ibrahim!? Salute to you Sir. We’re grateful you’re in India and not in Karachi.” A third comment read, “Calling a terrorist who killed innocent Mumbaikars your guru. Really shameless man you are.”
Not RGV’s first reference to Dawood
Varma’s fascination with the Mumbai underworld has long been reflected in his work. Back in 2021, he directed D Company, a film tracing Dawood Ibrahim’s rise. In an interview with Rediff, he openly admitted, “I owe my living to Dawood Ibrahim. I built my career on gangster films because I have always been fascinated by the darker side of human nature.”He also revealed that his acclaimed 2002 film Company was inspired by the fallout between Dawood and his former aide Chhota Rajan, noting that many of his story details came from “straight insiders” in the underworld. Go to Source
