The masala routine of a song-dance-fight in Bollywood movies has added another masala ingredient in the name of ‘nepotism’ that refuses to die even when Bollywood surges ahead with a new outlook that welcomes the so-called “outside talent” to the Hindi film industry more than ever before. At a time when a large section of Hindi moviegoers was made to worship just about any Starkid who was launched big time into the big bad world of Bollywood movies where outsiders were just ‘nobody’ in front of these star-kids, nepotism as an issue never seemed to really surface as a huge debate. The privileged access and star status enjoyed had been an instant ticket to have their “own” camps by the nepotic clan that has been perceived as despotic by people who were outside the industry waiting for their “Big” Bollywood chance.
However, with changing times even in the never-changing formulaic driven industry of Bollywood movies, came along the need and drive to escape into a different world of movie-making that not only encourages fresh concepts and innovative ideas but also verily promising talent even if it means taking that huge risk of making nobody into somebody whom everyone accepts. It is exactly around this time, new starlets like Kangana Ranaut have entered the industry and struggled to make their mark not only in terms of acting but more so in fighting nepotism that overbore even when new talent began to take the industry by storm.
( Kangana speaks her mind out on nepotism in the ‘Koffee with Karan’ chat show – source: Indiatimes.com )
Kangana’s take on nepotism & why?
It was very much evident how the famous Karan Johar’s chat show “Koffee with Karan” showcased Kangana Ranaut’s remarks on nepotism and even her digs on star-kids which went viral in a matter of few days. This sharp yet witty Kangana’s reply on nepotism which included the chat show host Karan himself has created such a stir not only in the entire Bollywood but also made its ripples felt across all sectors in the country.
People everywhere were amused at this bold revelation that had even bifurcated the Bollywood brigade into two gangs, one that supported Kangana for her nepotism remark and the other who was up against her for playing the victim card of nepotism. Kangana gave it to Johar directly on the chat show for worshipping the nepotic clan of star kids and writing off all the newbies who are without ‘filmy’ connections unabashedly to which the latter retorted later that Kangana can pack her bags and leave the industry any time as she was not forced into acting in the industry against her will.
Even though actors who struggled similarly like her in their heydays came out in full support of her remarks, there are certain others who chose to keep mum on the issue as they feel the “experiences” are to each his own. The other side of the coin to this much-debated issue is when certain best-written articles have not come down too jarringly on Bollywood’s feudalistic nature. They’ve felt the need to give some “due respect” to the Starkids even where none was due as perhaps the very definition of nepotism is lost on star kids.
( Images of the Gen-Y star kids who turned as Bollywood heroes and heroines – source: Quora.com )
