The Harshad Mehta Story “SCAM 1992” is still making waves on television screens even after 28 years of the scandal. Hansal Mehta, who directed the 10 episode web series of Harshad Mehta’s biography, has created a lots of fame. The acting of each character is tremendous. Today we will learn about the reel vs real character, their current status and learning from this web series called “SCAM 1992“.
Harshad Mehta: –
Actor Pratik Gandhi played the role of Harshad Mehta in the web series. Harshad Mehta, the big bull of the stock market, was born on July 29, 1954 in Rajkot’s Moti Paneli. His father Shantilal Mehta had a small textile business. But Harshad’s childhood was spent in Kandivali after shifting to Mumbai.He passed B.Com in the year 1976 and after that he take his first job in New India Insurance. It was the same company from which he got the interest in the stock market. Then he started a company called Grow More Research and Asset Management and has been a member of the Bombay Stock Exchange ever since. Gradually, Harshad Mehta took the stock market to new heights. In 1992, he cheated with the Bombay Stock Exchange. Suchita Dalal, a journalist with the Times of India, broke the Harshad Mehta scandal. Harshad Mehta, who allegedly embezzled Rs 500 crore from Stokes, was charged with 72 offenses. The Mumbai High Court and the Supreme Court had convicted Harshad Mehta. He died of a heart attack at the age of 47. He was on trial until his death in 2001 which is featured in this web series.
Ashwin Mehta: –
The role of Ashwin Mehta is played by an actor named Hemant Kher. He is the younger brother of Harshad Mehta. Today Ashwin Mehta is a professional lawyer and works in the Supreme Court. According to media reports, Ashwin Mehta has a net worth of about Rs 30 crore. He alone handled many of his brother’s cases. Ashwin Mehta became a staunch lawyer while fighting the case. He is now around 65 years old. Following the death of Harshad Mehta, the family, including Ashwin Mehta and Jyoti Mehta, were acquitted by a Mumbai court in a 1992 scam probe. Ashwin Mehta has paid Rs 1,700 crore to banks without any assistance. According to a report, He lives with his family in Madhulika apartment in Worli.
Shantilal Mehta: –
The role of Shantilal Mehta in the web series is played by Ramakant Daya
Shantilal Mehta was the father of Harshad Mehta. Shantilal had a small textile business.
Rasilaben Mehta: –
Kumkum Das has played the role of Harshad Mehta’s mother Rasilaben Mehta.
Jyoti Mehta: –
In the web series, Jyoti Mehta’s character is played by Anjali Mehta. Jyoti Mehta is the wife of Harshad Mehta. She is now 62 years old. She has a son named Atur Mehta. She finally got access to Harshad Mehta’s assets list in 2016. According to current reports Jyoti Mehta lives in the US with her son.
Sucheta Dalal: –
Shreya Dhanwantari has played the role of Suchita Dalal in the web series. She was born in Mumbai in 1962. She is the one, who broke the scandal of Harshad Mehta while working as a journalist in the Times of India. After Harshad Mehta’s scam in 1992, She wrote a book on Harshad Mehta called “The Scam, The: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away” with her Husband. She currently lives with her husband Debashish. In 2006, she received the Padma Shri award for journalism from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Sucheta Dalal is currently working as the Managing Editor of Moneylife magazine, which is about investment and financial advice to people.
Debashish Basu:-
The role of Debashish Basu is played by an actor named Faisal Rashid. Debashish Basu was born on August 1, 1960. As a 35 years old journalist, he has written in many famous publications like Times of India, Business Today, Business World and Financial Express. He is currently the editor of Moneylife magazine.
Bhushan Bhatt: –
A character named Bhushan Bhatt, shown in a web series is a fictional character based on Ketan Parekh. Ketan Parekh was a special friend of Harshad Mehta. Stock market is as his family business. He was also known to be the left hand of Harshad. But he betrayed him by selling Harshad Mehta’s stock. Ketan Parekh committed a scam of Rs 5-6 crore in 1997.
A.S Thyagarajan urf “Tyagu”: –
In the web series, Nikhil Dwivedi has played the role of Tyagi. Tyagi was the investment head of Citibank at that time. He was shifted to New York in 1992 after the scam highlighted. He also did a lot of scams same as Harshad Mehta during that time. The web series has seen his working with Ajay Kediya. “Tyagu” is currently the founder and managing director of the firm named “Aquarius”.
Aajay kayan: –
Ajay Kedia’s character in the web series is based on Ajay Kayan. The character of Ajay Kayan is played by Shadab Khan in the web series. He was a stock and money market broker. He dominated the stock market during the 1980s -90s. He had a good relationship with Citibank which was shown in the web series.
Pranav Seth: –
Jai Upadhyay who played Pranav Seth’s character, was also a former stock broker and part of Harshad Mehta’s company grow more. Although he was not convicted in the 1992 scam, he was banned from trading on the Indian Stock Exchange until 2017 after being involved in stock manipulation in 2001.
Manu Manek :-
Satish Kaushik had played the role of Manu Manek, who was considered the king of the stock market in the 1990s. Before Harshad Mehta, Manu Manek was called the Black Cobra of the stock market. Manu Manek had a lot of control over the BSE. He was the leader of the bear cartel. Traders also borrowed money from Manu Manek. The companies listed on the BSE had to seek Manu Manek’s permission if they wanted to make any changes, which is shown in the web series. His followers were a group of Rakesh Jhunjuwala, Radha Kishan Damani. In the time of Manu Manek, he never let the stock market go up.
Pherwani: –
Manohar J.pherwani was the head of UTI and later the chairman of NHB (National Housing Bank). He also had a big hand in the 1992 scam. He was devastated by the scandal and died. Many believe he committed suicide. The web series has shown that he died of suicide, but to this day it is a secret that how he died and what happened in real.
K. Madhavan: –
K.Madhavan was the Joint Director of CBI, He investigated big scams. This scam was his first financial scam investigation. But he dropped out in the meantime because he was unhappy with the investigation going on with the political influence.
N.Chandraswami (Swamiji): –
The character of Swami Ji is shown in the web series which is based on N.chamdraswami. Chandra Swami, was the emperor of Delhi at that time. Swamiji was an advisor to the great political leaders of that time including PM Narshimha Rao.
Ram Jethmalani: –
The character of Ram featured in the web series is based on Ram Jethmalani. Mithilesh Chaturvedi has played the role of Ram in the web series. Ram was a great lawyer of the time. He helped Harshad Mehta a lot. He was the Union Minister of Law, Minister of Justice and President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of India.
Maheshwari: –
The character of Maheshwari in the web series is played by an actor named Paresh Ganatra.
This character is based on businessman and investor Radhakishan Damani. He was a follower of Manu Manek. The same Radhakishan Damani is the founder of D-mart today. He left the stock market in the 2000s and today, He counted as one of the richest person in India.
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala: –
The character of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is played by an actor named Kavin Dave. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is currently considered the King of ‘Stockholm’. He was a follower of Manu Manek. It is believed that he controlled the decline in the stock market after the arrest of Harshad Mehta. Rakesh Junjunwala considered Radhakishan Damani as his mentor which is accurately portrayed in the web series.
R K Laxman :-
Everyone noticed the old man talking with Sucheta Dalal in SCAM, He is the famous cartoonist of India R K Laxman. R K Laxman joined The Times of India, Mumbai, beginning a career that spanned over fifty years. He is best known for his creation The Common Man and for his daily cartoon strip. He has been awarded with many awards during his life span which includes Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan also.
Conclusion and Learning
This web series is for everyone to see. In which one can learn a lot from Harshad Mehta’s hard work, Ashwin Mehta’s brotherhood or Suchita Dalal who is passionate behind her goal. From the life story of Harshad Mehta, it is clear that with hard work a man can come forward but, if this hard work is leading in the wrong direction then the downfall of a man is certain. The money of iniquity can never be digested by the man. The money of iniquity not only digs man’s today but, also the future, Also, it may destroy his whole family behind it. This is known from the biography of Harshad Mehta. That is why, a man should always follow the path of true policy. Because, The path of true policy may seem long and arduous, but, in the end it will be pleasant too!.
