31 October,2025 06:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ruchita Jadhav
A Marathi film actor said on Thursday that she narrowly escaped a meeting with Rohit Arya - the man who held 19 people hostage inside a Powai acting studio, including 17 children and a senior citizen - after learning he had invited her weeks earlier for a "film project on hostage situations."
Ruchita Jadhav, an actor known for her appearances in Marathi films and TV serials, stated in an emotional Instagram post that Arya contacted her on October 4 to introduce himself as a filmmaker and offer her a role in a film about a hostage scenario.
She stated that Arya continued to message her for several weeks. On October 23, he requested that she see him in a studio on October 27, 28, or 29. Jadhav agreed to meet on October 28, and Arya later texted her the location, RA Studio in Powai, where the hostage crisis later occurred.
However, Jadhav cancelled the meeting for personal reasons. When she watched the news about the hostage situation on October 31 and recognised Arya's name, she stated she was "shaken."
"I still can't believe it. I had been in touch with this man, who ended up holding children hostage. I thank God and my family for stopping me from going that day," she wrote.
In her Instagram story, Ruchita Jadhav urged other actors and professionals to be alert while choosing new projects. "This incident reminded me how important it is to stay cautious, inform family or friends about meetings, and verify details before trusting anyone," she said.
Arya, 38, was shot after a 35-minute police operation on Thursday afternoon after opening fire on policemen while negotiating. He later died in a hospital. All of the captives were rescued safely. According to police, Arya armed himself with an airgun, chemicals, and a lighter, and had placed motion sensors and CCTV cameras to prevent entrance.
According to earlier government records, Arya's company, Apsara Media Entertainment Network, previously collaborated with the Maharashtra education department on a cleanliness awareness campaign called Swachhta Monitor as part of the Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala (My School, Beautiful School) initiative.
The project was later cancelled after investigators determined that his expenditure statements were "vague and exaggerated." Arya then accused the government of duplicating his film concept Let's Change without credit or payment, prompting protests and a hunger strike in 2023.
