Archana Puran Singh reignites the Nepotism debate; reveals Bollywood favours actors from film backgrounds

The nepotism debate in Bollywood continues to simmer, with Archana Puran Singh reigniting the conversation on her YouTube channel during a chat with Ajay Devgn. As a mother to aspiring actors Aaryamann and Ayushmaan, Archana's perspective adds fuel to the ongoing discussion. Meanwhile, Ajay's nephew Aaman Devgan has recently debuted in the film industry, and Raveena Tandon's daughter Rasha Thadani is also making her mark, keeping the nepotism conversation relevant.

Archana Puran Singh shared her take on nepotism, arguing that star kids bring a certain "sense of professional ethics" to the table, essentially defending the practice and highlighting the work ethic of those born into the industry. She said, “One of the reasons people in the film industry prefer to work with actors from film families is because when your parents are already part of the industry, they instil a sense of professional ethics in you from the beginning.”

Ajay Devgn agreed with Archana, saying that star kids learn from their environment and surroundings. Having grown up in a film family himself, with his father being an action director, Ajay supported the idea that industry background can shape one's skills.

“You get to learn a lot from growing up in that environment. But sometimes, people come in, and I’m not generalising, as there are many sensible outsiders. However, some don’t understand the difference between wanting to be an actor and wanting to be a star. You can’t become a star on Day One. You have to first learn how to act. That’s where some confusion begins. People outside the industry often think this business operates in a certain way, but it’s not like that. In the end, it all comes down to your hard work,” he said.

The discussion around nepotism comes at a time when several star kids are making their Bollywood debuts. Recently, Junaid Khan, Ibrahim Ali Khan, and Khushi Kapoor have stepped into the industry. Ahaan Panday, nephew of Chunky Panday and cousin of Ananya Panday, also debuted with Saiyaara, which is gaining massive success. With his parents having industry connections, Ahaan's entry has added to the ongoing debate about nepotism in Bollywood.