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Bollywood distributors plan
shutdown against Shah arrest

"All film distributors in Bombay will close offices on Friday. This is a unanimous decision," Nari Sippy, president of the Indian Motion Picture Distributors Association, told AFP.

Shah was arrested by the Bombay police on Monday and remanded to police custody till January 18 by a local court that deals with cases of organised crime.

Shah is a top film financier and distributor and also a top exporter of processed diamonds.

India's diamond trade -- the world's largest -- was shut down Wednesday to express support for Shah.

Sippy said the film industry was indebted to Shah. "He has done a lot for us in times of crises. He used to intercede on our behalf with the government. He is also one of the leading Indian film distributors."

Sippy said he found it hard to believe that Shah had underworld links. "He is a very wealthy man. It is still a mystery to me and to all of us how and why he had such connections, if any. It is finally for the courts to decide."

Sippy stressed that Friday's strike should not be seen as opposing the government's anti-mafia drive. "The nexus with the underworld is a very serious matter. We have such elements within us and we want the government to take very tough action so that we can do our work without fear."

Shah's arrest follows investigations into the financing of his newest blockbuster Hindi language film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke.

The police had last month arrested Nadeem Rizvi, the producer of the film for being a "front-man" for Karachi-based Bombay mafia personality Chhota Shakeel.

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