Nepotism has long been a topic of discussion and debate in Bollywood. In Bollywood, where success and stardom are highly coveted, the children of established actors, directors, producers, and other industry insiders are often given preference over outsiders who do not have any connections or familial ties in the industry. This practice of favoring star kids over talented outsiders has been criticized for being unfair and for limiting opportunities for aspiring actors who do not have any industry connections.
Even after the increasing debate on Nepotism, there are endless number of star kids, who will debut over next few years. From Suhana Khan to Khushi Kapoor to Agastya to Ibrahim to Shanaya to Ahaan Panday to Junaid Khan, there are many more star kids who will soon debut in Bollywood.
In midst of so many star kids about to debut, one may wonder what about the outsiders. Addressing the same issue, actress and model, Tina Desai wrote a hard-hitting post on the current condition in Bollywood. Famous for her roles in Sense8, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Mumbai Diaries, Tina Desai said in her post, “I wouldn’t want 2b a newcomer in the Indian film industry today. The star kids have the full might of their families behind them even b4 a release. How could anyone from outside the industry compete with that?! Can u think of any outsider who’s just entered the fray?”
I wouldn’t want 2b a newcomer in the Indian film industry today.
— Tina Desai (@tinadesai07) April 4, 2023
The star kids have the full might of their families behind them even b4 a release. How could anyone from outside the industry compete with that?!
Can u think of any outsider who’s just entered the fray?
Netizen shared her post on Reddit, that initiated a whole discussion on star kids vs. outsider.. This is what people had to say:
One user wrote, “They have less of a chance these days than ever before, there’s a huge influx of nepo kids that have come and are still coming. Recent Janhvi, Sara, Ananya, Alaya, Ishaan. And now Khushi, Suhana, Agastya, Ibrahim, Shanaya, Raveena daughter, Ahaan Panday, Aryan Khan, Junaid Khan, Pashmina Roshan, Alizeh Agnihotri, Palak Tiwari, Aryan Khan and probably Nysa. That’s next to impossible to get a big break with this hive that are coming out.”
Another user wrote, “It’s more than show business and that movie magic these days. It’s all about keeping and maintaining generational wealth within the big movie family names. There is no other reason why bad performants like Sara Ali Khan and Jhanvi keep getting bigger and bigger projects.”
Even If Star Kids’ Movies Flop, They Keep Getting New Offers: Netizens
Someone wrote, “Yes nepotism has always existed but before there was a good balance between outsiders and insiders. Now it’s entirely filled with iska beta uska baap! The entire brigade is behind them. From designers making them muse, magazines putting them on cover, paparazzi being called to snap outside parties, events, spending crores on PR even before launching, all of this makes it almost impossible for outsiders to break through. And the “audience ne dekhna hi nhi chahiye inn logo ko” funds doesn’t work. Even if their movies flop, they keep getting new offers, they keep making money, they dump their trash on ott and call it a success (no one can question that).”
While talking about a star kid – Janhvi Kapoor, one user mentioned, “Janhvi is shitting through most of her films. Saw her good luck jerry with a hope it might be good because acc to Anupama Chopra she was good in it. But much below average. Just getting your lips done doesn’t mean you can act now.” Other user mentioned, “She’s been super privileged to have gotten amazing scripts, but hasn’t done anything good with them. With the right person, Milli, Good Luck Jerry, Gunjan Saxena would have been great movies.”
Refering to another star kid – Arjun Kapoor, another person wrote, “The problem is Arjun Kapoor. Every single person in the audience knows he can’t act to save lives. But has it ended his career? No. He keeps getting movies that someone else could do justice. Same for jhanvi. The stories she gets, it could have launched some talented actresses to stardom. But her dad keeps giving her good stories on the platter, she massacres it and moves on to another. So it’s not about their movies flopping, it’s the undeserved space they occupy!! Not to forget the brand endorsements.”
Bollywood is going to turn into a nepo factory: Netizen
One netizen mentioned, “Bollywood is going to turn into a nepo factory 🏭 to fulfill all these starkids dreams… dekhte hai abhi kya hota hai…”
The debate on nepotism in Bollywood continues to rage on, with arguments and opinions on both sides of the spectrum. While some defend the practice, arguing that it is only natural for parents to want to pave the way for their children, others maintain that the industry should be a level playing field, and opportunities should be based solely on talent and hard work.
With an endless number of star kids set to debut in the industry in the coming years, it remains to be seen how the industry will evolve and whether there will be more opportunities for outsiders. However, the conversation around nepotism in Bollywood is unlikely to fade away anytime soon, and the demand for change and equal opportunities for all may continue to grow stronger.
What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.
