Famous last names

Didn't take a film for Sara Ali Khan to announce her arrival to Bollywood. Daughter of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, the 22-year-old's appearance at stepmom Kareena Kapoor Khan's birthday bash in a crop top, showing off her toned midriff, was declaration enough. Sara, who may or may not make her debut opposite Hrithik Roshan in a Karan Johar produced film or Zoya Akhtar-directed Gully Boy, isn't the only one whose celebrity ranking is determined by her appearance or where she hangs out.

Janhvi, Daughter of Boney Kapoor and Sridevi

A graduate of Columbia University with experience in theatre in US, Sara doesn't have an Instagram account like Boney Kapoor and Sridevi's elder daughter, the 19-year-old Janhvi Kapoor, with thousands of followers. Instead she is following her dad's advice and staying off social media: "Everybody talks here, but silence is very interesting in Bollyood." But like Janhvi, she has a legion of admirers who share her pictures-whether pouting with friends or mirror selfies-constantly on social media. Through these fan accounts, many now know about the amorous adventures of these young ladies.

They are just two of the new faces that Bollywood will welcome into its fold soon. They all have one thing in common: they are born with the Bollywood gene, which gets them an all-access pass to one of the biggest entertainment industries.

SRK's son Aryan

Aadar jain, Grandson of Raj Kapoor

They are not alone. Suniel Shetty's son Ahan makes his debut in a Sajid Nadiadwala production; Raj Kapoor's grandson Aadar Jain has a film with the Yash Raj banner; Shahid Kapoor's younger brother Ishaan Khattar is expected to get his big break opposite Janhvi in a Dharma production, and Sunny Deol's son Karan will have the family banner unveil him to the world. An estimated Rs 350 crore will be invested to present the next generation, says an industry insider. This new batch of star children will have some of the biggest banners launching them and talent agencies managing them. "The children are itching to find their own space in the universe," says Prabhat Choudhary of Spice, one of the leading public relations agencies. "They have seen and experienced fame thanks to their parents. So aspiring for all that is but natural." Thanks to their family's prestige or in some cases their sibling's power ranking, these youngsters have already acquired fame without the lights, camera, action.

Courtesy: Instagram

Shanoo Sharma, casting director of Yash Raj Films (YRF), who auditioned Aadar, checks out social media to spot new faces, a definite change from the time she discovered Ranveer Singh, at a party hosted by filmmaker Shaad Ali. "I'm not a hypocrite," says Sharma. "I and my assistants do go online to seek talent. If someone likes my picture, I may see their profile and check if they are actors." Pictures online may act as the new portfolio, but there's always a caveat. Says Sharma, "Today's youngsters are intelligent, responsible and know what works and what doesn't. But I will definitely tell them that they shouldn't put something up that they would want to delete later. The less the person is seen, the more interesting he or she is for sure." Among the new crop of stars, Sharma cites Amitabh Bachchan's granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda and Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana as star children who stand out from the pack. "Navya is absolutely gorgeous, but I don't know if she wants to be in films," she says. "From what I've seen of Suhana on social media, she is very confident and unconventionally beautiful, which I find very attractive."

Navya, Suhana and Aryan, already internet sensations, are expected to carry on the family tradition. Even if Shweta Bachchan Nanda writes that her Kardashians-loving daughter "doesn't have any particular interest in acting", Navya's Instagram feed is enough for many to declare her as the next big thing. Navya and Aryan, both 19, first caught eyeballs for letting their hair down with batchmates of Sevenoaks High School in Kent, England.

Courtesy: Instagram

Courtesy: Instagram

Even as Navya continues to post pictures with family, and a few with her tongue out, Aryan-who demonstrated his athletic skills by doing a handstand on a hoverboard-recently deleted his Instagram account, bewildering many in the process. Was it because he wanted to focus on film studies at the University of South California? Or was it in response to his father's request for privacy for his kids when a picture of Suhana in a bikini was shared widely?

Courtesy: Instagram

At best, social media is a necessary evil, it keeps one in the news. But the image created and circulated is not of one's own making. "You have to be substantive, not in-your-face all the time," says Anirban Blah, founder and managing director of CAA Kwan, a leading talent management agency whose clientele includes newcomers Sara and Harshvardhan Kapoor. Blah also flags the danger of oversaturation with the use of social media. "If you want to be a celebrity like Kim Kardashian, then it is fine," he says. "But if you want to be a star like Scarlett Johansson or Anne Hathaway, then some element of mystery is needed."