NEPOTISM IN SPOTLIGHT AGAIN
Sushant Singh Rajput’s death invokes strong emotions. Debates abound on Bollywood nepotism versus outsiders
If you don’t watch it, they’d throw me out of Bollywood. I have no Godfather. I’ve made you (all) my Gods and fathers. Watch it if you want to see me survive in Bollywood”. These words of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput haunt as one scrolls through his comments on Instagram urging fans to watch his films.
After his death on Sunday, there has been a flurry of posts on social media blaming a section of Bollywood, with #nepotismkilledsushant trending on top. Once again putting spotlight on a topic that was brushed under the carpet until actor Kangana Ranaut called out filmmaker Karan Johar as the ‘flag-bearer of nepotism’.
Now, with Rajput gone, and it being alleged that he was suffering from depression, many claim he was made to feel an ‘outsider’ and was never welcomed by Bollywood.
Divided on the debate, many feel nepotism should end and genuine should come in, while some say it’s not got anything to do with the star-kid culture.
Actor Ranvir Shorey tweeted against the “selfappointed gatekeepers of Bollywood”. He tells us, “Opportunity needs to be made available on talent and merit, not networking and family connections. Reward talent based on performance, not pedigree. This need to have only pliable talent as stars stinks of fascism.”
Though actor Taapsee Pannu, who doesn’t come from any film family, agrees that nepotism exists, she asks what will be the deciding parameter while casting actors. “Who’s there to check if one is talented enough for a role and who’s taken on sheer contact basis? It’s more of a conscious call; people should prefer the right talent,” she says.
In the last two days, there have been many voices against this culture of sidelining not-sosuccessful actors.
Actors Kangana Ranaut and Sikandar Kher put up videos urging everyone “to stop talking behind people’s back”. Actor Vivek Oberoi penned a heartfelt message wishing “I could have shared my personal experience with Sushant and helped him ease his pain”. Amol Parashar in a twitter thread admitted “being shaken as a young actor” adding “in a profession as uncertain as this, you need sources of hope”. Raveena Tandon revealed the “mean girl gang” exists and that she was replaced in films.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta cautioned “outsiders” in a series of tweets and labelled Bollywood “an establishment that’ll make you feel like the next big thing until they need you. They’ll drop and mock you as soon as you falter”.
Actor Gulshan Devaiah called it a myth that “Bollywood is a family”. On nepotism, he says it should never come in way of one’s career. “Some will always have an advantage. There’s lot of favouritism, power struggle. People want validation and this exaggerated idea of importance gets blown out of proportion,” says Deviah.
In fact, Rajput himself had once said that “nepotism can coexist but if you deliberately don’t allow right talent to come up, then there’s a problem”.
Meanwhile, there are several hashtags such as #BoycottKaranJoharMovieG g #NepotismInBollywood #BollywoodBlockedSushant trending. While Johar hasn’t said anything yet, Sonam Kapoor tweeted, “Blaming a girlfriend, ex girlfriend, family, colleagues for someone’s death is ignorant and mean spirited.” Sonakshi Sinha’s Insta story read, “...Your spewing negativity, hate and toxicity is really not required right now.” Defending their fraternity, both faced flak for being a part of the nepotism gang.
Having said that, the big question is: Is it really right to blame the star-kid-brigade?
Trade analyst Komal Nahta calls it “stupid” to blame nepotism for someone’s death. “It’s only a handful of people who give a bad name to the film industry. Are Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra so big that the entire industry would listen to them? Why didn’t others cast Sushant? That’s because he was very selective about the films he signed. So, he was out of work by choice.”
Pannu adds, “Those commenting on Sushant’s demise should ask themselves what they can do to bring about a positive change.”
Though not blaming anyone for this tragedy until there is clear evidence, Shorey says, “I’ve seen enough to know the kind of games people play in this business”.