There is no nepotism in Bollywood: Anshai Lal

Anshai Lal (right),who made his directorial debut with Phillauri (2017), has joined the nepotism debate. Since Karan Johar and Kangana Ranaut locked horns over the latter’s comment that Johar is the “flagbearer of nepotism in the film industry”, many in Bollywood have taken sides. Lal believes that there is nothing like nepotism in Bollywood.

“Industry is accepting. I don’t feel nepotism is prevalent. A film takes a lot of money and no one would like to spend it just to do a favour to someone,” he says adding, “Bollywood mein bhi utni hi mehnat karni padti hai jitni ek MBA ko karni padti hai. Agar itna aasan hota to saare star kids, aaj super stars hote (just like any other field, you have to work hard here. If star kids had an upper hand, then all of them would have been super stars). People have misconceptions that the industry doesn’t accept new people.”

Lal, who has worked as an assistant director in films, such as, Dostana (2008) and Housefull (2010) shares that making a film involves risk factors. “You know how much you are going to earn in a job. But, in Bollywood, there is no fixed structure and this uncertainty scares people.” In Phillauri, Lal worked with actor Anushka Sharma, who was also the producer of the film. About Anushka, he says, “She is awesome. Her brother (Karnesh) and I are really good friends and I know her informally too. She is really focused about her work as an actor and that really helped us.”