Ganesan’s new film The Fireflies: Drugs, Debauchery And Dil will portray the dark truths in Bollywood, drawing parallels to recent incidents of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and Rhea Chakraborty’s arrest.
The irony of looking inward is often not lost on filmmakers since they bear the burden of exposing the industry’s introspection to the public on behalf of the industry. Hollywood film producer, actor, and entrepreneur Tel K Ganesan prepares his next film, The Fireflies: Drugs, Debauchery And Dil, which promises to explore the dark truths of the Mumbai film industry, or Bollywood, which belongs to a country that produces, by far, the most number of films in the world every year.
Ganesan’s film sounds almost an obvious choice for audiences but a tough call to make for most filmmakers from within Bollywood. It will capture the industry’s worst kept secrets, from the casting couch to a culture of nepotism, and drugs. The flick, according to its maker, will be along the lines of the incidents that happened in 2020 including Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, Rhea Chakraborty’s arrest, and various stars who were demonized in the media for alleged drug connections. Chakraborty was released last month after three months in jail. The investigating body did not find evidence to hold her because there is a presumption that Rajput committed suicide. Notwithstanding the release, some sections of the electronic news media in India have refused to give up their campaign.
The film revolves around an acting aspirant caught in the web of fame, money, nepotism, drugs, and debauchery, and draws parallels from Bollywood’s past. Ganesan said: “The film is narrated through a Bollywood aspirant who leaves home and hearth in Detroit to come back and gets wrapped amidst a scandal. Following her is a young cop from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) investigating the case.”
“The same industry that gave hits like Udta Punjab, Go Goa Gone, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Jaanbaaz, Shaitaan, Charas, Dev.D, Life In A Metro, and of course, Fashion, has admitted to addiction and rehabilitations over decades. Now, things get murkier with the NCB raids discovering newer users. Actors not involved in the case get dragged into it. Will this be the end or the beginning of an end is what The Fireflies: Drugs, Debauchery And Dil is all about.”
Ganesan said that the research and scripting requirements for the movie are currently underway.
Ganesan is known for producing Devil’s Night: Dawn of the Nain Rouge (2020) and Celebrity Crush (2019).
