The Free Press Journal reported that despite rising security concerns, Bollywood continues to host Diwali parties in Juhu, with additional police and private security deployed around star residences following the arrest of an IT engineer accused of threatening actors. Security presence has increased after a shooting in
Bollywood’s Diwali season is back — but the glitter feels heavier this year. The lights are still on at Ektaa Kapoor’s Juhu bungalow, the gates remain black and gold, and the paparazzi are waiting. But something’s off. The usual fanfare has been replaced by a quiet tension: security guards in safari suits, police booths outside bungalows, and a silence that isn’t just about the holiday.
It’s about fear. And it’s not just for show. Last week, Mumbai Crime Branch arrested Vaibhav Mishra, a Bengaluru IT engineer, for allegedly threatening Ayushmann Khurrana and Tusshar Kapoor. He claimed to be from the Bishnoi gang, a lie, as it turns out, but the damage was done.
The threat was real enough to prompt police protection for both actors. That’s when the mood shifted. Not all parties were cancelled. Far from it.
A star still attended Ramesh Taurani’s bash. Another made it to Manish Malhotra’s. And yes, Ektaa Kapoor’s party is still happening. But now, the guest list is tighter. The cameras are fewer.
The crowds? Dispersed. No more standing on sidewalks hoping to catch a glimpse of Kriti Sanon or Shraddha Kapoor stepping out of their cars. Now, the cops are there to keep people away, not to manage traffic, but to stop someone from slipping through.
Even Jeetendra’s Krishna bungalow, usually a fortress of old-world charm, now has an army of men in grey suits sitting on plastic chairs. One guard even stopped a reporter mid-stroll: “Why are you staring so hard? Kya hai idhar?” The answer wasn’t important. The question was.
Because in Juhu, where stars live like a cluster town, the line between celebration and caution has blurred. The shooting on October 18, Tiger Shroff playing football, his driver hit, a bystander wounded, didn’t just shake the city. It shook the rhythm of the season. Before, police cars parked outside Bachchan and Kapoor homes to handle the crush.
Now they’re there to prevent it. And yet, the stars keep showing up. One superstar said plainly: ‘You cannot allow fear to dictate our movements.’ But the truth is, it already has. The red carpet is still rolled out.
Just not for everyone. The next move? Nobody knows. But the gatekeepers are watching.
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