In Bollywood it is all about access, says Arjan Bajwa

As the insider versus outsider debate rages on in Bollywood following actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, actor Arjan Bajwa — an outsider himself — feels at the end of the day, it’s all about access, which star kids have and others don’t.

“If you’re not from the film industry, how would you know people? How will they know who you are? For somebody like me, who doesn’t come from a film family, access happens when you show your talent repeatedly. For an outsider, who is no one’s son or daughter or nephew or niece, the only way to gain access is to show your work, your merit, that’s when people notice you,” the actor, 40, says.

In his case also, Bajwa admits having worked extra hard to get his foot in the door and prove himself by doing advertisements and music videos, before getting into films. “People are talking about how it’s all about talent, whether insider or outsider, and that even the star kids have to prove their mettle. But for your talent to come on screen, you need access. If you’re an outsider, without that access, what’s your talent going to do sitting at home. Talent comes later, it’s all about access in Bollywood,” asserts the actor.

Bajwa, who has starred in films such as Guru (2007), Fashion (2008), Rustom (2016) and Kabir Singh (2019), says it’s indeed very “difficult” for people with a non-film background to make a place in Bollywood.

“I didn’t have any godfather, I was not given an easy platform. Whatever I did was on merit. I’d consider myself fortunate that I got to be a part of big films,” he signs off.

Arjan Bajwa