Bollywood, there is a diff between nepotism and access. - Page 24

Originally posted by: fantasyshowfan

Agree with you on this.

Vicky's success is definitely more hard earned than other nepo kids - he had to prove himself in smaller movies / side roles in bigger movies to reach his current stardom.

But then the same case can be made by comparing a kid of a big superstar like Shahrukh / Aamir (or the owner of big production house like Yashraj) vs that of a comparatively smaller star / smaller director. The latter would have to work that much harder to land a role. And these kids would be much better off compared to kids of people working on technical side (like action director, choreographer, cameraman). It's a gradient. And if you compare that privilege/ access to an absolute outsider, I think the difference is still stark. If I have to group stars, I would also club Vicky with Ranbir and not Karthik Aaryan while acknowledging that he had to work hard.

There is a scale even among nepo stars. Shakti Kapoor's daughter wouldn't have the same privilege as Rishi Kapoor's son.

However, nepotism is still where you give a job to your relative or friend. What Vicky had was access. Oh, yeah, Karthik would've had it infinitely harder, but Ranbir would've had it infinitely easier.

Clubbing Vicky with the likes of Ranbir, Alia, Sonam, Jahnavi, Arjun, is highly unethical. Not from us, random audience. But from Anupama Chopra, an industry insider and supposed journalist.

Originally posted by: HearMeRoar

supposed journalist.

IMHO - Access and nepotism are two sides of the same coin, and you cannot separate the two.

Nepotism gets you access. The source of your nepotism determines the level of access, hype, and frequency of opportunities.

Sham Kaushal may not be as well-known as Jhanvi, Sara, or Ananya's parent(s). But the fact remains that Vicky and Sunny wouldn't get their opportunities without Sham's work in the industry. Getting opportunities because of their father is the very definition of nepotism. Ajay Devgan too, broke in due to the industry on the back of Veeru Devgan.

It is nepotism even when a custodian gets their child a job as a custodian. You don't have to be rich, famous, or elite to benefit from nepotism.

And if we are all really honest, nepotism doesn't really bother us. We don't care if the child of a custodian becomes a custodian. We don't care if the children of lesser-known names in the movies get to become actors. We are completely fine when nepotism benefits those in the lower end of the totem pole.

We are bothered only when the rich, famous, or elite benefit from nepotism. We are only bothered when the upper end of the totem pole climbs higher or limits access.

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

IMHO - Access and nepotism are two sides of the same coin, and you cannot separate the two.

Nepotism gets you access. The source of your nepotism determines the level of access, hype, and frequency of opportunities.

Sham Kaushal may not be as well-known as Jhanvi, Sara, or Ananya's parent(s). But the fact remains that Vicky and Sunny wouldn't get their opportunities without Sham's work in the industry. Getting opportunities because of their father is the very definition of nepotism. Ajay Devgan too, broke in due to the industry on the back of Veeru Devgan.

It is nepotism even when a custodian gets their child a job as a custodian. You don't have to be rich, famous, or elite to benefit from nepotism.

And if we are all really honest, nepotism doesn't really bother us. We don't care if the child of a custodian becomes a custodian. We don't care if the children of lesser-known names in the movies get to become actors. We are completely fine when nepotism benefits those in the lower end of the totem pole.

We are bothered only when the rich, famous, or elite benefit from nepotism. We are only bothered when the upper end of the totem pole climbs higher or limits access.

I would have to disagree. Nepotism is when you get a job because you're someone's friend or family. Getting you into an audition is access. It helps certainly. But it is not nepotism. I highly doubt anyone gave Vicky a role because he was Sham Kaushal's son.

I think nepotism and access can be differentiated, but ultimately they lead to the same result. People who have connections have a leg up over those who don’t, specially in an industry where there are no other regulated means of measuring fit and success, it increases barriers to entry of talented people.

My two cents: I don’t think nepotism or access in movies means inherently the person receiving it is undeserving. In my mind, many of these kids know the art form, the business and the unsaid politics/rules from day 1 by just being around their parents, and they see more aspects of filmmaking which does give them a leg up from a rank newbie who may need coaching on the simplest thing like facing the light to standing infront of the camera.So, then the nepo kid by virtue of their knowledge of many aspects of film making is more beneficial to the film maker.

The problem is many of the kids take the chances for granted, and don’t evolve or grow.

In the case of Vicky, there is no doubt he has struggled, but he had the means to attend acting schools, then network, work with cool people which comes from access. Another person who had access but worked his butt off - Shahid.

Originally posted by: TakingAStand2

I think nepotism and access can be differentiated, but ultimately they lead to the same result. People who have connections have a leg up over those who don’t, specially in an industry where there are no other regulated means of measuring fit and success, it increases barriers to entry of talented people.

My two cents: I don’t think nepotism or access in movies means inherently the person receiving it is undeserving. In my mind, many of these kids know the art form, the business and the unsaid politics/rules from day 1 by just being around their parents, and they see more aspects of filmmaking which does give them a leg up from a rank newbie who may need coaching on the simplest thing like facing the light to standing infront of the camera.So, then the nepo kid by virtue of their knowledge of many aspects of film making is more beneficial to the film maker.

The problem is many of the kids take the chances for granted, and don’t evolve or grow.

In the case of Vicky, there is no doubt he has struggled, but he had the means to attend acting schools, then network, work with cool people which comes from access. Another person who had access but worked his butt off - Shahid.

I said this a few dozen times already. I don't have a problem with nepo either. Problem is these Anupama types are simply refusing to acknowledge the privilege which comes with nepotism and use someone who actually didn't have that privilege as smokescreen.

Ajay is a nepokid. He got a break in BW due to his father. Atleast do some research before coming up with such takes.

Originally posted by: JackSparrowcraz

Ajay is a nepokid. He got a break in BW due to his father. Atleast do some research before coming up with such takes.

Maybe read before you comment? Access. He had access. His daddy didn't give him the job. He didn't get a job because someone badly wanted to be Veeru Devgan's good books.

That was the whole point of the thread.

And maybe not be unethical enough to conflate some stunt director's kid knowing who to approach with the Kapoors and Bachchans who have films handed to them for simply existing.

33 pages!? For Vicky!?!? Lord save us.

Originally posted by: JackSparrowcraz

Ajay is a nepokid. He got a break in BW due to his father. Atleast do some research before coming up with such takes.

Veeru was the action director for Phool Aur. But one other thing I found when I was going thru the 2023 IMDB consensus 😆 was that Ajays cousin Anil Devgn was an assistant on this film.
Make of that what you will