The whole outsider/insider debate and my opinion on it

I saw some posts which pitted outsiders against insiders, and here's my take on it. The privilege which comes with being an insider is undeniable and cannot be wished away. Bollywood is not a level playing field in any respect.

Nepotism exists, and it's killing the business. Outsiders either have to be insanely well-connected or at the top of their game to succeed.

Look at Sanya Malhotra. She has the acting chops. But her visibility is less, because she is not getting the plum projects which say, a Jhanvi Kapoor is getting. This, despite a huge hit in Badhai Ho, she really didn't land any lucrative offers. Gunjan Saxena falling in Jhanvi's lap--- what has she done to deserve such a project? Only Dhadak, where she was atrocious? Yet it's her last name which is getting her the exposure, and a well-curated career.

There are many more examples like this. The elitism that is rampant in Bollywood among the star kids is because of the sheer spread of nepotism. It has seeped its way down to the very roots, and has been extremely problematic for rising talent.

On the flip side, I do believe ultimately the audience is king and the inept will get eliminated if audience doesn't develop a liking for them.

It can take three or thirteen movies, but they will have to vacate the playfield without leaving any mark on the audience or the craft. The user decides the fate of entertainers, and nobody wants to pay for shitty performances religiously.

Social media has worsened the situation, IMO. These star kids due to social media build an audience for themselves even before the release of their movies. Not everyone is using their critical faculties when liking or subscribing to a popular name on social media. It's herd mentality.

Ultimately, talent should be the make-or-break factor and nothing else.

Thoughts??

World is not fair and people don't get what they deserve.. Until and unlesss people within the industry change nothing will change. In fact nepotism is getting worse with every generation.. Outsiders will definitely get opportunities but they will never get the kind of hype and attention nepo kids get and jo dikhega wo bikega.. Look at the new girls Sara, Ananya and Jhanvi see how many brand endorsements they have even though they barely have any blockbuster to their credit.. Soon you will see Shanaya join the party and then maybe Suhana.. At the same time can you name even one outsider you remember seeing endorsing any brand recently? Even likes of Kriti and Anushka don't have that many endorsements now forget about when they were as new in industry as these three.

Also while people will not appreciate bad performance but they will eventually settle for the mediocre ones because the bar is that low .

The debate around nepotism will keep rising but never reach any conclusion. Maybe one day an outsider can crack through and be on top but that doesn't mean nepotism is defeated.

Originally posted by: ninny

World is not fair and people don't get what they deserve.. Until and unlesss people within the industry change nothing will change. In fact nepotism is getting worse with every generation.. Outsiders will definitely get opportunities but they will never get the kind of hype and attention nepo kids get and jo dikhega wo bikega.. Look at the new girls Sara, Ananya and Jhanvi see how many brand endorsements they have even though they barely have any blockbuster to their credit.. Soon you will see Shanaya join the party and then maybe Suhana.. At the same time can you name even one outsider you remember seeing endorsing any brand recently? Even likes of Kriti and Anushka don't have that many endorsements now forget about when they were as new in industry as these three.

The debate around nepotism will keep rising but never reach any conclusion. Maybe one day an outsider can crack through and be on top but that doesn't mean nepotism is defeated.

True.

SRK, Akshay, Madhuri and Deepika were/are on top but the system does not get defeated with individual efforts. There has to be systemic changes and a deep-rooted movement which weeds out the collusion of media houses, big brands, and top production houses which are enablers of this toxicity. I'm glad this discussion is going on because it has a lot of merit but somehow the social media mob has taken it in a different direction altogether and diluted the context. SSR Warriors, for example, have done more damage than good.

We need sane voices against nepotism, not the usual crackpot Kangana, but someone who has the vision, the articulation, the sensitivity and the clout to voice out what is problematic about the system. I wish Taapsee/Anushka/Deepika/Vidya speak out against the system and how hard it is to be an outsider. All 4 are successful (to varying degrees) and have the necessary resources to speak up. People will actually listen to them more than that toxic Kangana,

Nepotism is giving an actor/actress hundreds of chances despite flopping spectacularly.

Look at AB Jr, do you think he would have gotten hundreds of chances despite delivering flop after flop if he were an outsider?

I don't think audience really has much of a choice. IDK what this will lead to, ultimately.

Originally posted by: Fallen-Embers

Nepotism is giving an actor/actress hundreds of chances despite flopping spectacularly.

Look at AB Jr, do you think he would have gotten hundreds of chances despite delivering flop after flop if he were an outsider?

I don't think audience really has much of a choice. IDK what this will lead to, ultimately.

Not just Abhishek, but Arjun Kapoor also. Abhishek is still decent at acting, but Arjun Kapoor is bad at everything he does. Audience has rejected him time and again, but he continues to get movies.

I completely agree, but audience also has the power to reject the films starring these privileged starkids. Examples?

Tushar Kapoor, Uday Chopra, Fardeen Khan, Esha Deol were all rejected and are jobless today.

Originally posted by: mintyblue

Not just Abhishek, but Arjun Kapoor also. Abhishek is still decent at acting, but Arjun Kapoor is bad at everything he does. Audience has rejected him time and again, but he continues to get movies.

I completely agree, but audience also has the power to reject the films starring these privileged starkids. Examples?

Tushar Kapoor, Uday Chopra, Fardeen Khan, Esha Deol were all rejected and are jobless today.

Of course, AB Jr. is only one of the examples.

Audience has the power to reject, agreed. But if there is nothing else, what can they reject? There are few outsiders, if any. N I'm not going to go and watch the Kartik Aryan movie for a million dollars, if it was released in the theatres.😆

Originally posted by: Fallen-Embers

Of course, AB Jr. is only one of the examples.

Audience has the power to reject, agreed. But if there is nothing else, what can they reject? There are few outsiders, if any. N I'm not going to go and watch the Kartik Aryan movie for a million dollars, if it was released in the theatres.😆

Very good point. Outsiders are much less in number, and have to prove themselves more.

Originally posted by: mintyblue

True.

SRK, Akshay, Madhuri and Deepika were/are on top but the system does not get defeated with individual efforts. There has to be systemic changes and a deep-rooted movement which weeds out the collusion of media houses, big brands, and top production houses which are enablers of this toxicity. I'm glad this discussion is going on because it has a lot of merit but somehow the social media mob has taken it in a different direction altogether and diluted the context. SSR Warriors, for example, have done more damage than good.

Well warriors or bots whatever you call them definitely have made it into joke and I don't like how instead of system individuals were attacked but still somewhere Bollywood walas needed that reality check.. I don't think Sushant was victim of nepotism or was depressed because of his career.. He was pretty much a league behind Varun and could have caught up had he stayed but what the dirty politics and groupism and PR did to his image within industry ( anyone who has worked with him have loved him but even likes of Manoj,Sara and other co actors have confessed how their perception of him changed after they met him because they haven't heard good things abt him) bothered him and yes people behind that at least should be held responsible.

However like I said I don't think things will change.. Bollywood is not mafia wood like what Kangu and Right wing dimwits are trying to portray but it's like a high school with bunch of rich elite students who look down upon anyone below their status and even their own school and want to be at some ivy League clg ( Hollywood lol).

Originally posted by: mintyblue

Very good point. Outsiders are much less in number, and have to prove themselves more.

N then there is the power of publicity and PR. Nepo kids movies get endless promotions, naturally curiosity builds up. They're also generally the big banner movies as well. Sometimes, people go to watch a movie only because it is a YRF or a SLB movie.

Also, there is the power of suggestion. One of my friends thinks that Ranbir and Alia are Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor reincarnated due to all the "great actors" rants. 😆