Has the nepotism debate taken a turn for the worse?

So it's almost like the discourse surrounding Bollywood is entirely different pre-Kjo/Kangana's nepotism episode....Certainly the nepotism debate has merit and it's important to call nepotism out when it privileges people who don't deserve opportunities but has the discussion surrounding it gone too far? Bashing kids of stars brutally and ruthlessly just cause they are "star kids", hating on talented star kids regardless of whether they have potential or are talented (making most unliked by default unless they have a really effective PR), favouring outsiders just because they are outsiders...forgetting to acknowledge that a lot of the "outsiders" that actually make it big are either in a clandestine fashion related to Bollywood film circles or are high-profile and privileged in another sense which got them to the big boys table in the first case... I'm curious about what y'all think...

Hippo appreciates your effort to have a proper discussion here on forum.

Film industry is not admission to medical college where you will see hundreds of chashmishs lining up to see the admission list. This is about glamour, look, connections and people who have family in Bollywood have an advantage and be it. They have more chance of grooming, developing a personality. Even below average lookers are presented in a better manner. And in the end they fail also. Even from connections, 80% fail

So we should stop injecting whining and crying and self pity in every issue and let some things remain as it is. Talented people are finding their way in like Nawaz, Irfan and Manoj vajpaayee. Enough.

And I dont like whining ... I am all fine with star kids and nepotism

Originally posted by: Dr.Hippopotamus

Hippo appreciates your effort to have a proper discussion here on forum.

Film industry is not admission to medical college where you will see hundreds of chashmishs lining up to see the admission list. This is about glamour, look, connections and people who have family in Bollywood have an advantage and be it. They have more chance of grooming, developing a personality. Even below average lookers are presented in a better manner. And in the end they fail also. Even from connections, 80% fail

So we should stop injecting whining and crying and self pity in every issue and let some things remain as it is. Talented people are finding their way in like Nawaz, Irfan and Manoj vajpaayee. Enough.

And I dont like whining ... I am all fine with star kids and nepotism

Well yeah...I would agree...and although certainly the nepotism topic is important but if someone has the potential or is genuinely talented/charming, we shouldn't dismiss them or actively and exclusively be critical towards them JUST because they have a family connection.

I don't mind nepotism. Some of the finest actors are star kids. But it becomes annoying when all you see is star kids being launched. In the past, we had star kids and outsiders existing together such as Kareena and PC. But now all you see is star kids being launched. That's what is annoying.

But I personally feel it is unfair to bash star kids without first looking at their talent.

I can list a bunch of non star kids who get so many chances after giving flops. I can list non star kids who actually have starred in more films than insiders. I can list a bunch of facts. But people gonna whine 🤣

why should insiders get unfair advantage

Alia gets bigger roles and much more importance than she deserves. The same goes for Ananya and most other starkids

Originally posted by: priya185

why should insiders get unfair advantage

Alia gets bigger roles and much more importance than she deserves. The same goes for Ananya and most other starkids

Okay so here's where I think we must look at things in a bit more of a nuanced case by case fashion. A lot ahead.

Alia's story is not that of every so-called insider. Shraddha is also a star kid, so is Parineeti but they never got the same kind of opportunities from Kjo. Does she have an unfair advantage because Kjo plays favorites, definitely! Is she talented though? Yeah. Does that justify Karan's bias towards her...Nope. Is the will of people to see her and Kjo fail fair or excessive. Debatable...but do we all call out Kjo's bias - yeah.

Some other star kids do get opportunities non-insiders wouldn't get and I say non-insiders because privilege is much more complex than its made out to be. Being affluent and well-connected is a privilege just like being the child of a yesteryear actor. Looks are often an area people talk about e.g. Suhana not being deserving of a debut because she doesn't have the looks. Would I agree that she doesn't...yeah but do I find it odd that no one says the same things about say...Bhumi. Yeah. what about Mouni? Isn't she getting crazy opportunities because of connections, is she deserving?

Coming to Ananya...and Tara. Tara actually met Karan Johar while she was in college (don't think that is a particularly common occurrence for most), went to his office, sang for him and then Kjo said he would wait till she finished college, and after that she auditioned and got the film. Currently she has 2 films coming up - Marjawaan and RX100...films she started filming for even before the release of SOTY 2. Is that fair? I don't think so but everyone's tight-lipped about that I guess. On top of that, social media was already rooting for her from the get go just cause she is an "outsider" and dismissing, trolling, or outright abusing Ananya even before promotions began. I actually remember clearly that originally when pictures would come out of her people would say she's the most beautiful star kid, natural, promising, etc. but when she debuted all of a sudden things changed. Throughout the promotions, I never got a hint of her getting more importance or her role being promoted more as such but people continued to insist that she's the devil incarnate lol. The trailer came out and she got some positive attention and now all the reviewers are raving about her...while trashing the rest of the film. Still, I'm sure negativity is gonna persist regarding her just because she is a star kid and people (in social media particularly) find it fashionable to bash every nepo kid that comes up...

So yeah that's a lot lol but I thought it'd get it out.

No, it has NOT.

The debate hasn't gone far enough. But sure, go on defending the insiders: as if they hadn't got enough unfair advantage.

Kalank and SOTY 2,ruined the good run BW was having this year with crap films.

The debate will continue.