Nepotism is described as the immoral use of power and influence to obtain good work or a good job for family members. Nepotism exists in every industry but it has become a topic of debate in Bollywood.
Bollywood has grown a lot over a few decades and the craze for movies and actors has also reached a different level. But at the same time, nepotism has shown people that the glamorous and rich life of actors has a negative side as well.
As first preferences are given to favorites and relatives, actors with amazing talent but no connections in Bollywood are sidelined and if he/she tries to raise their voice they are either suppressed or have to deal with bullying and negative comments.
Mindset Behind Nepotism
If an actor has pure talent then he/she can reach the top even without nepotism and we have many actors like Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Akshay Kumar, etc. who had no connections in Bollywood but have managed to prove their talent. Even if an actor is able to get their first movie through nepotism, being successful and getting movie offers one after the other might be difficult if he/she is not a good actor.
Nepotism is defended by star kids almost every time they are interviewed and people who are against it support the negative side of it. Actors who are struggling often stand against nepotism as they feel it is unfair that star kids get a plethora of opportunities with the same or even less talent and skills while outsiders have to accept movies they are not interested in or are paid less for.
Renowned actors and their kids have made a cluster and an outsider often finds it difficult to become a part of it. There have been cases where actors have spoken about how they felt left out even after so many years of working in the film industry.
Karan Johar is often called the ‘flag-bearer of nepotism’ and ‘king of nepotism’ by actors like Kangana Ranaut as he often launches star kids in movies he produces and there are rumors that he often speaks ill about and doesn’t give chance to outsiders. This has resulted in a decrease in his online followers and has also affected those actors who are considered as products of nepotism.
Here are 5 celebrity kids who accept the privilege of nepotism.
Why does Nepotism Exist in Bollywood?
Naturally, every actor would want his/her child to succeed in life and will try to help them in any way possible. Not only Bollywood, but every industry has nepotism and even you would not like it if your own child is struggling when you can help them with your connections.
People often see nepotism in a bad and negative way but it is a natural instinct only till it is practiced with certain limits. Giving your own child special access to opportunities is acceptable but taking away the opportunities of actors who are deserving and talented just because they are outsiders is absolutely wrong.
The existence of nepotism has given us amazing actors like Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, etc. who have shown us their astounding acting skills and have captured the hearts of millions. They might be products of nepotism but at the end of the day, their talent cannot be questioned just because they are star kids.
Here is the opinion of Bollywood celebrities on nepotism.
The Bottom Line
Nepotism will exist in Bollywood as it is a natural behavior but if it is used wrongly against others it is definitely a matter of concern and raising a voice against it on social media sites like Twitter is the right thing to do.
No matter how we think about nepotism, positively or negatively, many struggling outsiders are highly affected by it and have to try their best and wait in line for hours to get an audition for a film or meet a famous director/producer which is not the same case for star kids.
It is time we learn what's right and what's wrong and spread awareness about it. Believing false rumors and making judgments on it isn’t an intellectual move. We should form our own opinion on things and act accordingly.
Here is how cinema affects our hearts and minds.
Written By - Aarushi Jain
Edited By - Khaled
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