Flashy clothes, mind-blowing songs, and a world like a dream—Bollywood. For billions of people in India, it is not just entertainment; it is a stage of hopes and aspirations. Many come to this city of dreams to test their luck, with the dream of becoming a star. But behind this world of light lies a dark truth, which has been debated for a long time. That is nepotism versus talent.
On the one hand, some artists have reached the top from nothing but their own talent and hard work. Still, Bollywood makes many paths easy because their family members were already in the film industry. We call them ‘star kids.’ Nepotism is a system where family identity or familiarity is more important than merit.
As a result, is real talent being lost in the dark? In this article, we will highlight this eternal battle of Bollywood through some real examples and try to understand who ultimately wins this game—nepotism or talent?
Nepotism: Born With A Golden Spoon
The term ‘nepotism’ in Bollywood is not new. It has been around for decades. When the child of an established actor, director, or producer easily gets the first opportunity to act in films, then it is definitely nepotism.
From generation to generation: Bollywood’s Dynasty
If we delve into the history of Bollywood, we will see that the dynasty is an integral part of its culture. The most prominent example of this is the Kapoor family. Starting from Prithviraj Kapoor’s time, to Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, and then Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, to today’s Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, and Ranbir Kapoor, this family has ruled Bollywood for generations. Similarly, the Mukherjee family, the Akhtar family, or the Khan family also continues this trend. This dynasty creates an environment where we assume that the children of stars will also become stars.
A ‘Star Kid’ Gets Many Other Benefits That Are Like A Dream To An Outsider:
Easy launch: It is much easier to get a big banner like Karan Johar’s ‘Dharma Productions’ or Yash Raj Films, a famous director, and a big budget for their first film.
Strong network: From a young age, they grow up among the big stars, directors, and producers of the industry. This exposure helps them in every step of their career.
Media: The media throws the limelight on them from the very beginning, which is almost impossible for the commoner to get. Their personal life, fashion, and everything make headlines, which helps them increase their popularity.
Multiple opportunities: Even if their first film fails, they easily get a second, third, or fourth chance. Producers are willing to bet on them again and again. But for an outsider, the failure of their first film may mean the end of their career.
The Examples Are Endless
Director Mahesh Bhatt’s daughter Alia Bhatt made her Bollywood debut with Karan Johar’s ‘Student of the Year.’ Undoubtedly, Alia has proven herself to be a very talented actress today, but there is no denying that her beginning was much easier than that of others. Similarly, director David Dhawan’s son Varun Dhawan, late legendary actress Sridevi’s daughter Janhvi Boney Kapoor’s son Arjun Kapoor Kapoor, Chunky Pandey’s daughter Ananya Pandey, and Saif Ali Khan’s daughter Sara Ali Khan also entered Bollywood through big banners. There are many more examples, like producer or actor Suniel Shetty’s daughter Athiya Shetty.
Supporters’ Argument
Those who support nepotism say that it is natural for parents to help their children. A doctor’s son becomes a doctor, or a businessman’s son becomes a businessman, so what is the problem if an actor’s son becomes an actor? According to them, producers invest money in ‘star kids’ because they have a familiar face and the audience’s interest in them, which reduces the 04
business risk. It is the audience who decides who will become a star and who will disappear. If their performance is not good, the audience does not accept them.
Talent Struggle: A Path Full Of Thorns
On the other side of the nepotism coin, there are stories of talent’s lonely struggle. These stories are much more difficult, much more inspiring. For those who do not come from a filmy family, Mumbai is like an ocean to them, where they have to fight for survival constantly.
Mumbai Diary Of An Outsider
The journey of these ‘outsiders’ is arduous. They have to come to Mumbai with big dreams in their small pockets. Sometimes, 8-10 people have to live in a small room. They have to do many small jobs to earn a living and cover their food expenses. They spend their day traveling between studios, carrying a portfolio of films, and giving hundreds of auditions. Rejection becomes their daily companion. They are rejected even for trivial reasons like appearance, height, or accent. This struggle is not only economic but also mental.
From Zero To Peak
But those who have succeeded despite all these obstacles have done so because of their own talent. The most prominent example of this is Shah Rukh Khan. Born into a humble family in Delhi, Shah Rukh was relatively unknown in Bollywood. He came to Bollywood after working in serials like ‘Fauji’ and ‘Circus’ on television. He is the ‘Badshah of Bollywood’ today only through his acting ability, confidence, and hard work.
Another shining example is Akshay Kumar. Before coming to acting, he worked as a waiter in Bangkok and taught martial arts. He had no ‘godfather.’ Today, he is one of the most reliable and successful actors in the industry. Priyanka Chopra, who, despite being the daughter of a simple army family, has made her name not only in India but also around the world, is also a great example of talent.
Among the recent actors, artists like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkummar Rao, and Pankaj Tripathi have shown that if you can act well, you can earn the audience’s love. Nawazuddin once worked as a doorman, and today people wait to see him onscreen. All these examples prove that talent will be appreciated one day, but that path is challenging.
Sushant Singh Rajput: The Death That Shook The Industry
In this context, it is impossible to forget the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Coming from a small town in Bihar and making his way in Bollywood through television, Sushant’s untimely death (2020) took the nepotism debate to a new level. After his death, the #JusticeForSushant movement started on social media, and many people vented their anger against the politics within Bollywood and the influential groups. Many believe that he had to suffer a lot of mental stress due to the ‘insider’ vs. ‘outsider’ division of the industry. His death clearly shows how difficult it can be to survive in this world despite being talented.
Controversy And Changing Context
So, where is the real problem? Getting a chance, or surviving? Indeed, many star kids could not succeed in the industry even after getting their first chance. For example, Uday Chopra or Tusshar Kapoor could not make a place in the hearts of the audience despite being launched on a big banner. This proves that it is not possible to survive for a long time with family identity alone.
On the other hand, stars like Hrithik Roshan (son of director Rakesh Roshan) or Alia Bhatt have demonstrated their talent through their acting after securing a chance. So, the controversy is actually an unequal battle. A less talented person receives the same opportunities easily through nepotism, but a much more talented outsider has to struggle for years to get the same opportunities.
OTT Platforms: New Address For Talent
However, this picture has changed somewhat in recent years. The rise of OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ Hotstar has changed the rules of the game in Bollywood. The success of a film on OTT does not depend only on the first week’s box office collection. Here, a good story and strong acting have the final say. As a result, extraordinary actors like Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok), Prateek Gandhi (Scam 1992), and Manoj Bajpayee (The Family Man) have had the opportunity to develop their talent and become stars. OTT has opened the door for many artists who might not have been able to fit into the mold of the conventional Bollywood hero.
Conclusion
Ultimately, in this vast ocean called Bollywood, nepotism may be a big wave, but talent is the sail that eventually takes the artist to the shore. The opportunity provided by the family line can give an artist a good platform to start the race, but to finish the race, one needs strength, hard work, and the love of the audience.
Audiences are much more aware these days. With the help of social media and OTT platforms, they have now learned to appreciate good content and good acting. They are now giving more importance to the story than the stars. This shift has put pressure on the influential group in Bollywood to provide a chance for real talent instead of just the familiar faces.
The future of Bollywood needs to create a healthy and competitive environment, where new talent gets a chance easily and no worthy artist is lost due to nepotism. The fight is tough, but we can hope that in the future, talent will carry more weight than identity or title. Ultimately, it is the film’s quality and the artist’s excellent performance that linger in the audience’s mind, rather than the artist’s family identity.
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