Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur) - Hindustan Times (Jaipur) - City
I don’t believe in paid publicity on social media, says Rahul Roy
Nepotism is present in every field, and sometimes, many of us, without realising what we are doing, also help in its growth, feels Vatsal Sheth. While it’s natural for parents to support their kids, the actor adds that people who don’t have godfathers in the industry shouldn’t get into the debate as that might affect their work. “Just as a politician’s kid joins politics, it happens in our industry, too. Most industry kids want to do this as they’ve grown up watching their parents and lived that life,” reasons Sheth, who is also an outsider.
More than anything, he adds, it’s also the audience who wants to see star kids turn actors. “See how people go crazy around Taimur (Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan’s son). If you’re so keen on seeing Taimur right now, obviously you want to see him on big screen, too. Then if he becomes an actor, you can’t cry nepotism,” Sheth says.
The Malang actor also points out that nepotism cannot make anyone a big star and everyone needs to work hard. “Look at Kartik Aaryan, Ayushmann Khurrana — they aren’t from the industry, they worked very hard. Varun Dhawan is a great actor... so you can’t ignore that and just talk about him being a director’s son,” he maintains.
Sheth, however, doesn’t deny that if one hails from a film family, they have easier access over outsiders. Ask the acto — who is quite close to Ajay Devgn, his Taarzan: The Wonder Car (2004) co-star — about the support he receives from the senior actor, and he adds, “He has been there to guide me. No nepotism here...”
Rahul Roy became an overnight sensation with his debut film, Aashiqui (1990). As someone who had no godfather, connections or knowledge about the business, Roy admits that things wouldn’t have been the same if Aashiqui was a flop. “I don’t know... maybe there would’ve been fewer films. Had they not worked over a period of time, I’d have gone back and worked with my father in Delhi,” he says.
Emphasising that you shouldn’t let failures get to you mentally, Roy, 52, suggests, “All stars, who’re superstars today and are of my age, haven’t they faced failures? What’s important is for you to have the mental capacity to be able to differentiate criticism that’s irrelevant and [comes from] people who’re frustrated with their own lives and venting it out on you.”
Things have changed quite a bit with time, especially with the advent of social media. Roy, for one, doesn’t believe that the fan following on social media, which runs into millions, is real. “I don’t believe in paid publicity on social media, as I became a star when there were no Instagram followers… half the people who got millions, if they stand on their seats, nobody even recognises them,” retorts the actor, who feels true recognition is when you’re recognised on the streets.
“Even if my project is sh*t, [people] will say it and snap back. I’m talking about actual aficionados, not the trolls. Unko toh main ginti mein bhi nahi leta hoon,” concludes Roy.
It’s no secret that the colours around us have an impact on us. Even researches have shown that colours affect our mood and behaviour. So if the monsoon is making you gloomy, surround yourself with vibrant hues and drive away the blues! “In spite of the lockdown having been lifted, our mental psyche is still in a box,” says Dr Anju
Sharma, a Delhi-based psychiatrist, adding that colours can enhance certain qualities in our personality. “For instance, a dash of orange can make you cheerful. Yellow helps calm one down when overwhelmed with anger,” she says. Even the sight of flowers makes most of us happy. “Most houses that look welcoming have flowers or greenery around them,” says Dr Shallu
Gupta, a colour therapist, adding, “Hang flower pots for a positive vibe, preferably with pink flowers. If real flowers are too much of an effort, use artificial ones. It’s the colour that matters.”
Acharya Dr Vinod Kumar, a Delhi-based vastu expert, adds, “Having white around will relax your mind and pull you out of a negative headspace.”
Interior designer Somya Agarwal also emphasises on the importance of art and natural light in living spaces. She says, “If you stay in a dingy, dark space, it’s bound to affect your mood. Allow natural light in through windows, for a few hours every day. Include art in your homes to bring vibrancy to any mute space.”
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