Raju Shrivastava On Bharati Singh’s Drug Scandal : “Lalli Ho Gayi Talli”

After stand-up  comic Bharati Singh and her husband  were arrested for  drugs possession, one of India’s oldest and most respected stand-up artistes Raju Shrivastava condemned the culture of substance abuse.

“I am shocked at the  way artistes  today cross the laxman rekha. You can’t cross the  line  of decency. Of course I’m aware  times  have changed. Nonetheless stand-comedians  should not forget where they come from. We are Indians, so please don’t imitate  American stand-up comedians.”

Raju finds it  hard to believe that Bharati  has  confessed to consuming  banned  substance.  “She is  such  a simple  sweet  goodhearted  girl, so focused on her work, why does she need  drugs to be effective? As  a stand-up comedian for  40 years  I have never touched any drugs or  alcohol. Addiction to these can destroy  the  best of careers. Look at Rajesh Khanna  , the biggest superstar ever. His career was destroyed in  7-8 years  because of alcohol. Then look at the next superstar Amitabh Bachchan, still going great  guns at  78. He doesn’t touch  a drop of  alcohol. The great comic  actor Keshto Mukherjee played  a drunkard in  all his films. He never touched  alcohol.”

Raju Shrivastava  feels  an entertainer needs no stimulant to perform and  entertain. “Rafi Saab, Lataji ….did they ever touch  any kind of stimulant to reach the summits that they did?  We  all need to learn from  these greats. Bharati should know young girls look up to  her as a role-model. What kind of an example  as she setting by  admitting that she smokes ganja? Let’s  hope her career doesn’t go  up in smoke. Yeh toh wahi baat ho gayi…Lalli go gayi talli.”