Bollywood is like a joint family, kids fight and then patch up: Rajniesh
Rajniesh Duggall started his career with the 2008 horror film, 1920 — something that is quite unconventional for a newcomer. Having spent 12 years in an industry in which he had no prior connections, the actor got to learn a lot. And one of them is that camps and lobbying are a reality.
“Obviously, one can’t deny that. Once you get into them or sign some films with them, automatically, a lot of things are taken care of. Otherwise, khud haath pair maarne padte hain,” he shares.
Duggall reveals that since he signed his first movie with filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, he became a part of the latter’s camp, and there came a point when people mistook that he won’t do films other than thriller or horror. “People thought ‘yeh toh Bhatt camp ka hai, ye nahi karega’, but it took me four-five years to get out of that…,” he tells us.
So, how advantageous/ disadvantageous is it to be part of a camp? Duggall, 40, says though camps help, it gives rise to a lot of misconceptions. “A lot of people say, ‘We don’t know if he will do our film or not’, even though I feel I am decent, modest and don’t have any attitude or ego issues. But people outside think ‘he will have that, let’s not call him’. I think it also teaches you a lot, it taught me to open up. My thought process was not that broad, initially,” he admits.
The existence of such camps and whether it is a disadvantage for those outside of it is a debate that gathered steam after actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely death. Ask Duggall what he feels about all this and he says, “I think it’s a very sensitive, real-life topic. I didn’t know
Sushant really well, but was fond of his work. As a person, he was humble, from what I could get to know after meeting him two-three times. I feel there should be justice for him. But on the other side, I feel Bollywood is like a joint family. There are fights, love also. Some kids fight among each other, and then they patch up, too. Some are put on a bigger podium, some are not. But even in that, if you outshine tomorrow, you will automatically come up.”
Once you get into them (camps) or sign some films with them, automatically, a lot of things are taken care of. Otherwise, khud haath pair maarne padte hain. RAJNIESH DUGGALL ACTOR