‘Bigg Boss OTT 3’ fame Naezy reveals he was arrested, spent a year in prison: 'It spoiled my life'

Naezy Pic/Instagram

Rapper and hip-hop musician Naezy, whose real name is Naved Shaikh, revealed on the reality show ‘Bigg Boss OTT 3' that he was arrested under false allegations and spent a year in prison during the filming of ‘Gully Boy', the film which was inspired by his life.

Naezy shared, "There was a movie being made about me and I was going to be very powerful. That is when I disappeared from the scene. No posts on Instagram, and no releases on YouTube. Everyone wondered where I was. The film (Gully Boy) had just begun filming at that time. I was imprisoned because some people in the system got jealous and they wanted to bother me and wanted something from me."

He added, "I was arrested with many false allegations. I was in prison for a year and no one knew. My parents also had no idea. Different rumors were floating, and when I returned, people got very emotional. I was broken. It spoiled my life and I could never reach the peak I was on. They wanted something from me and I didn't give in. They are still after me for it. When I decided to continue, my family was against me, there were many obstacles. I am still fighting and trying to get my position back."

Directed by Zoya Akhtar, 'Gully Boy' is inspired by the lives of Indian street rappers Divine and Naezy and follows the story of a young aspiring rapper from the slums of Mumbai who rises to fame in the hip-hop scene. The main character, Murad, played by Ranveer Singh, faces challenges and struggles as he tries to break free from his socio-economic constraints and pursue his passion for music. Alia Bhatt plays the role of Safeena, Murad's girlfriend, and the film also features Siddhant Chaturvedi as MC Sher, a supportive mentor and friend. The film received widespread acclaim for its authentic portrayal of the hip-hop culture in India and the compelling performances of the cast.

Speaking about the impact of ‘Gully Boy' on his life, he earlier shared, "I became famous through the film. Though my debut song was a hit, this film got me recognition amongst mainstream audiences."

He reveals the reason why the film did not do good for him. "However, the film did worse to me than good. Despite the makers clarifying that it is a work of fiction, a large section of the viewers continued to think of it as my story. People started seeing me in a negative light, comparing my journey to the character of the film," said Naezy.

(With inputs from IANS)