COI Special Report: Swades movie’s actress files case against Reliance Industries

By R.K. Laxman July 31, 2009

Mumbai: Towards the end of Bollywood movie Swades, when Shahrukh Khan uses hydro power to light up the village he was in, an old actress looks at her lighted bulb and says “Bi-j-li” (power). That old woman has now filed a case against Reliance Industries. She claims that after Shahrukh went away, Reliance were supposed to provide her with gas powered electricity but it has still not happened due to their internal issues.

The Ambani brothers are caught in a row over years old gas contract which has already been inspected and interrupted by a cabinet group, the High Court and Petroleum Ministry. The brothers fell apart after their father’s death and split the company two ways. Currently, Mukesh owns RIL and Anil owns RNRL. The two are not fond of each other these days.

Anil then went to press with the revelation that government is working with RIL and being unfair to him. A lot has been written in the media about the issue since then, most of it confusing. COI hereby tries to make sense of it for its readers. Here is the step by step account of what has happened:

Our research indicates that there are conflicting views on this matter. One email we received says “This is not really a case of a good guy against bad guys. They are all corporate goons. It is funny they go back on their word and call their company Reliance!”

Another reader suggests “However the companies operate, let us not forget the great number of jobs that they have created, the economic value passed on to generations, the schools and colleges they have opened and not to mention the new businesses that they continue to invest in. Plus, there is an inspirational value to the Ambani saga. Should we really be so angry with them? After all, is it their fault that the government functions in a particular way? Are we still living in a license raj? We should all give credit and respect where it is due!”

When we asked Swades Director and Bollywood’s MNS, Ashutosh Gowarikar about the case his film’s actress has filed, he shouted saying “ YOU CANNOT MAKE FUN OF A BUSINESSMAN ON THIS PODIUM!!”

COI replied by creating this: