No profession is 100% fair, says Shefali
Debates about nepotism, favouritism and fairness in showbiz continue to rage ever since actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely death. Ask actor Shefali Shah for her take on all this, and she says, “Honestly, I don’t want to comment on it, because it becomes such a circus, and it’s so sad because there was a loss of life...” However, she does add on nepotism, “If my father-in-law had a book store, or my husband had a business, it would’ve been expected that his son would go into it. I don’t see the problem. Doctor’s children can become doctors. I don’t see it as unfair for people to get a chance.”
The actor, who has taken the unconventional route when it comes to roles, isn’t bothered with the rat race or groupism in the industry either. “It’s a director’s prerogative. You could be the most fantastic actor, but if they want something else, it is their right to choose. And their reasons are none of my business,” quips Shah, 48.
Then what does she make of the saying ‘Bollywood is like a big family’, which industry people keep saying time and again. Is it a fair place for everyone? “Things are fair and unfair, whichever profession you take. There can’t be a 100% rate of fairness. I don’t know why we just talk about [this industry]... People have this sense of entitlement towards actors’ and filmmakers’ lives. It’s like we don’t have any privacy... It’s so easy for one to comment on something, but they don’t know because they are still an outsider,” explains Shah, who had started out as an actor without any connections herself. She reasons that this could be happening in the medical profession, too. “I am not saying it’s completely fair; There’s never complete black or white... But to say yeh industry aisi hai, I find it a little inappropriate. Yeh toh har jagah hota hai,” she adds.
To say yeh industry (showbiz) aisi hai, I find it inappropriate. Yeh toh har jagah hota hai. SHEFALI SHAH ACTOR