‘Film industry was always considered a bad world but it’s not’
Actor Bhagyashree wasn’t even planning to enter films when she was offered Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), but she became an overnight sensation. And now, as we are deep into discussions about the alleged rampant practices of nepotism, groupism and favouritism in Bollywood, we ask her whether it is indeed the ‘big family’ it’s said to be.
“I have never had any ugly experiences. There probably have been some where I might have been a little disillusioned and hoped something would work out, which didn’t. But I look at them as learning experiences,” says the 51year-old actor, whose son, Abhimanyu Dassani made his acting debut with Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota in 2018.
In the current situation, the Hindi film industry is being seen by many in quite a negative light, with its reputation as a proper workplace at stake. Does Bhagyashree feel the same, having seen it inside out? “Jab hum filmon mein aa rahe the, tab bhi tha ‘films are a very bad world, no one from a good family would be allowed to go into films’. This notion was there even 30 years ago. Over a period of time, things have changed. You look at it as any other workplace,” reasons the actor.
She adds that anything related to Bollywood comes under spotlight only because “everyone is associated with the industry visually, or through social media”. “Having said that, again, it’s come through real people. We are talking only about Sushant (Singh Rajput)’s untimely demise, but we have been talking about mental issues, suicide or murder cases, which happen everywhere — it’s just the frustration of people. Like I said, being happy with your journey in life is what matters, while also taking care of people around us,” says the actor.
Emphasising on the industry not being “a bad place at all”, she says, “The industry just makes it possible for things to come to light very easily. As people in the rest of India like to emulate you, it gives you a sense of how we should conduct ourselves in public.”