Being an A-lister in Bollywood can't get one past religious profiling and discrimination in Mumbai's Beverly Hills. On-screen serial kisser Emraan Hashmi has just learned this. Out to buy an apartment in an area close to where his parents live, the actor was politely told by Pali Hill's Nibbana Cooperative Society to go and look elsewhere. The actor believes the housing society is discriminating against him because he is a Muslim. He has filed a complaint with the State Minorities' Commission, demanding action against society members.
Commission vice-chairman Abraham Mathai told TOI that Hashmi had filed a complaint, saying the society had refused to give him a no-objection certificate even after he had paid the token amount of Rs 1 lakh. "We are sending summons to the society, asking for an explanation," Mathai said.
"My parents went to meet society members last week (for the NoC) along with the seller and the broker. Society members, however, told them they were busy and refused to meet them. I found it really offensive," said Hashmi.
"The seller, Suvarna, has now informed us that the society will not give us an NOC and it has blocked the sale. We have information that this has been done as they are discriminating against Muslims and will not allow any Muslim in the society." The society had mostly Hindus and a couple of Catholic families, Hashmi said.
Housing society secretary Chatri told TOI he had received a letter last week from the Hashmis but no decision was taken as the chairman of the committee was not present. "But there is no ban on Muslims; we know all Muslims are not terrorists. People from all over the country stay here — even I have come from a different part of the country — but one has to know who is coming in," he said.
Actor Anil Dhawan is another member of the society's managing committee. "I will be more than happy to have him as a neighbour. But I remember his family barging into our office when a society meeting was going on and so we refused to meet them. Being a celeb does not mean you get everything," he said.
This is not the first time Hashmi has faced such a problem. "I faced a similar situation in August 2007, when I was looking for a house in the same area; residents and brokers told me I would not be able to get a house because I was a Muslim. But I later managed to get one," he told TOI.
Hashmi's family has been living in Pali Hill for the last 50 years. "All the big names of Bollywood live in the area. Dilip Kumar, Nargis and Aamir Ali live here. So do the Dutts (Sanjay and his kin). But we still face such problems," he regretted.
Hashmi's uncle, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, said he was appalled that this was happening in an area like Pali Hill.
Jagjit Arora, who was trying to broker the deal for Hashmi, did try to convince the society. "Mr Suvarna was more than happy to do the deal but he told us we had to get an NOC from the society. It's sad that no amount of explanation about the family's antecedents could convince the society members. There are also certain societies in the area that do not give NOCs to non-Hindus," he lamented.
Vinod Bachchan, a broker from Juhu, said he knew of such instances in Juhu — where superstar Amitabh Bachchan has lived for decades — as well. "A big star living in Bandra wanted to buy a bungalow in Juhu but we found it difficult to get one for him as he was a Muslim," he said.
"There are societies who take an undertaking from non-vegetarians that they will not eat non-veg food," Bachchan (the property broker) added.
Commission vice-chairman Abraham Mathai told TOI that Hashmi had filed a complaint, saying the society had refused to give him a no-objection certificate even after he had paid the token amount of Rs 1 lakh. "We are sending summons to the society, asking for an explanation," Mathai said.
"My parents went to meet society members last week (for the NoC) along with the seller and the broker. Society members, however, told them they were busy and refused to meet them. I found it really offensive," said Hashmi.
"The seller, Suvarna, has now informed us that the society will not give us an NOC and it has blocked the sale. We have information that this has been done as they are discriminating against Muslims and will not allow any Muslim in the society." The society had mostly Hindus and a couple of Catholic families, Hashmi said.
Housing society secretary Chatri told TOI he had received a letter last week from the Hashmis but no decision was taken as the chairman of the committee was not present. "But there is no ban on Muslims; we know all Muslims are not terrorists. People from all over the country stay here — even I have come from a different part of the country — but one has to know who is coming in," he said.
Actor Anil Dhawan is another member of the society's managing committee. "I will be more than happy to have him as a neighbour. But I remember his family barging into our office when a society meeting was going on and so we refused to meet them. Being a celeb does not mean you get everything," he said.
This is not the first time Hashmi has faced such a problem. "I faced a similar situation in August 2007, when I was looking for a house in the same area; residents and brokers told me I would not be able to get a house because I was a Muslim. But I later managed to get one," he told TOI.
Hashmi's family has been living in Pali Hill for the last 50 years. "All the big names of Bollywood live in the area. Dilip Kumar, Nargis and Aamir Ali live here. So do the Dutts (Sanjay and his kin). But we still face such problems," he regretted.
Hashmi's uncle, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, said he was appalled that this was happening in an area like Pali Hill.
Jagjit Arora, who was trying to broker the deal for Hashmi, did try to convince the society. "Mr Suvarna was more than happy to do the deal but he told us we had to get an NOC from the society. It's sad that no amount of explanation about the family's antecedents could convince the society members. There are also certain societies in the area that do not give NOCs to non-Hindus," he lamented.
Vinod Bachchan, a broker from Juhu, said he knew of such instances in Juhu — where superstar Amitabh Bachchan has lived for decades — as well. "A big star living in Bandra wanted to buy a bungalow in Juhu but we found it difficult to get one for him as he was a Muslim," he said.
"There are societies who take an undertaking from non-vegetarians that they will not eat non-veg food," Bachchan (the property broker) added.
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