The debate around nepotism is an ongoing one. It was also among the many hashtags that trended online when the official poster and teaser for ‘The Archies’ featuring Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Agastya Nanda, Mihir Ahuja, Dot, Yuvraj Menda, and Vedang Raina was released.
If you come to think of it, it’s not just the Hindi film industry where nepotism exists. ‘Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota’ actor Gulshan Devaiah thinks that all the preaching about this happens only for Bollywood.
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Observing this bias, he took to Twitter and penned that people, in huge numbers, visit movie halls to watch films by star kids in the South and not utter a word about nepotism.
Observation: Hindi film audiences will happily watch dubbed films of a second/third/fourth generation star kid & not have any nepotism ki khujli (at least on social media)
— Gulshan Devaiah (@gulshandevaiah) May 14, 2022
For instance, Dulquer Salmaan who predominantly works in Malayalam language films is the second child of actor Mammootty. One of the highest-paid actors in India, Ram Charan Teja was born to Telugu film actor Chiranjeevi. ‘Pushpa’ star Allu Arjun was born to film producer Allu Aravind. Another popular actor in the South Indian industry, Akkineni Naga Chaitanya is the son of ace actor Akkineni Nagarjuna.
These are a handful of examples. However, when Devaiah pointed out the obvious, people took to the comments section to opine for or against his statement.
Some supported his observation.
Tamil/Telugu/mallu Bhar Bhar ke Nepo idhar Nepo udhar. Kuch fark nahi padta hai. Sara gyaan only for bolly
— somen mishra (@somenmishra0) May 14, 2022
South Film Industry is Nepotist. Bollywood is Atleast a Level Playing Field. Films like Janhit Mein Jaari Bhool Bhoolaiyaan 2 and Dhakkad are releasing which consist of Outsiders. The Audience has the Power to make them or Break Them.
— Sekhar (@TwITLiKeAKinG) May 14, 2022
Yash(Naveen Gowda) and Rajnikanth(Shivaji Gaekwad) are second/third/fourth generation star kids? I thought the former was a son of bus driver and latter was a bus conductor before becoming an actor.
— CN (@chemc1990) May 14, 2022
Kinda agree https://t.co/zCpFwxWtXk
— Jimu Chatterjee (@sheemaantoonly) May 16, 2022
Fact Wali Observation hogayi Ye Toh… https://t.co/sZAOLJUv6A
— Mr A = Fan of SRK (@SRKs_Superstar) May 16, 2022
So glad a highly talented actor who's made it without any so-called "nepotism" has pointed this out
As always you rock @gulshandevaiah
Going to give you an extra-special hug for this statement next time we meet
This anti-Bollywood, anti-nepotism nonsense is reaching toxic levels https://t.co/xDKW6x36B9— Russel Olaf D'Silva (@Russel_Olaf) May 16, 2022
To the anti nepotism brigade who is angry over this tweet of him… Gulshan bhai ki hi movie dekh liya karo if you want some change.. give him the deserved acclaim. Fab fab actor. Also, outsider. https://t.co/cdk59hV1IX
— . (@CoffeexCigars) May 15, 2022
Can't agree more…..if instead of Star kids an outsider wud have been part of Zoya akhter movie Archie…….poster wud have got 10 RT's and 5 people will be talking abt it. https://t.co/lHG5AqQwLm
— ANKUR (@ankur_16n) May 15, 2022
However, others said that, unlike Bollywood, the star kids down South are extremely talented and come up with quality content.
You have a point. But at the same time, unlike Bollywood the “nepo kids” down South (assuming that’s what you are talking about) are extremely talented in either performance or entertainment.
— Dsj (@de_extremist) May 14, 2022
It’s more about content gulshan and everyone including you in Bollywood also knows the truth that good stories have completely dried up. Ab tum gehrayian bana ke socho ki log dekhenge to hum chutiye nahi hain bhai. Netflix type content banega to Netflix jaisi hi halat hogi.
— Anand Choubey (@WatchOut_Anand) May 14, 2022
If you see all the latest hits from south, actors like
Ram charan
Jr NTR
Allu Arjun
Vijay thalapathy
all of them nepo kids in some sense!!— Rahul (@Containment_Zon) May 14, 2022
But bollywood nepotism kids doesn’t know the A of acting. That’s the difference .
— gentlevishwa (@gentlevishwa) May 14, 2022
Twood families are pretty confusing. Every1 is related to some1 and it’s difficult to keep up.Also they don’t make it a huge deal about a star kid launch like they do in bwood. So most of the audience doesn’t even know that a particular actor is a starkid. Hope that makes sense.
— That Brown Girl. (@desi_madonna) May 14, 2022
I believe kal singh Chadha ,brahmastra ,Pathan ,tiger 3 ,circus will bring back audiences.Still competition is tough for Bollywood because of South and Hollywood biggies.Audience doesn’t see the background of the star before watching his movies,content is the only pulling force.
— cricket and movie updates . 3.2.1 (@priest021565) May 14, 2022
Problem is below par movies. Nobody talks about nepotism when it comes to Ranbir Kapoor. Only those who can’t bring up nepotism debates. Hope now you get it Mr Hunter.
— Fibonacci (@riteshz1) May 15, 2022
Because audience wants some entertainment as well , if it comes with a good act fine if not then it has to be a good story or visual , either way entert. is what audience craves for , Hindi cinema has started working like a factory entirely effortless hence the situation is bad.
— Manoj Mahajan (@manojmahajan45) May 14, 2022
It’s not about nepo stars doing movies. People love Ranbir, Hritik because they proved at acting. Not the same case with the current generation of nepos.
— Shashank Bhat (@Shashan30500610) May 15, 2022
Most dubbed films star kids know the language they are going to be making movies in pretty well.
Sara Ali Khan actually received a lot of love initially from the audience because she did not seem as detached from the rest of as the other starkids.
Nepotism isn’t the issue.
— Aastha Agrawal (@Notthechannel) May 15, 2022
The only difference is that their star kids have taken regional cinema to a global level and your Hindi starkids can't get their heads out of their Instagram 🤧 https://t.co/X05IfZ1d43
— 𝓥. (@Tiger4rlife) May 15, 2022
Aren’t we done with the nepotism debate yet? What do you think?