Conversations on nepotism in Bollywood have continued ever since Kangana Ranaut first brought up the subject during a chat show. It’s a conversation that continues because every actor has a different take on it.
Karan gives opportunities
Sonam Kapoor feels that Filmmaking is a business and in this business, if you don’t do well, you won’t get cast. She says, People have to make money at the end of the day. First of all, saying Karan Johar endorses nepotism is bull****! That’s a ridiculous comment and let’s just say that I am really entertained by Kangana Ranaut (laughs). I read every interview of hers. I don’t know anybody who speaks like that. And whatever... she has an opinion, dude! That’s her opinion and I may not agree with it, but I think Karan gives a lot of opportunities to a lot of people and to accuse him of that is unfair. But I believe nepotism does exist in the world in general.”
Why Alia?
She adds that a doctor’s child would become a doctor, etc. It’s a general progression, “Alia Bhatt is a very talented girl and you can’t take that away from her. She’s not getting work because of her father, but because she’s professional, comes on time and doesn’t traumatise her directors. Every director wants to work with her because she’s good. Karan Johar doesn’t owe Mahesh Bhatt anything. Filmmakers are not stupid to take you in their films if you are delivering flops.”
SLB didn’t know me!
Going into flashback mode she recalls, “Sanjay Leela Bhansali didn’t even know who I was when he cast me for Saawariya. I went to meet him, he thought I was pretty and I was cast because of the way I looked. He had no idea that I was Anil Kapoor’s daughter. When he did, he was like ‘Oh sh*t!’ For three months, he worked as an assistant director (1942 A Love Story) with my dad, who traumatised him and he was like ‘Anil is going to kill me!’ Salman didn’t want to work with me in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, because he thought ‘Main Anil Kapoor ki beti ke saath kaise romance karoonga? Yeh toh mera dost hai.’ It was the other way around with me (laughs). I was like, ‘Karan Johar endorses nepotism? Why hasn’t he worked with me after I Hate Luv Storys?’ I haven’t worked with him for seven years.”
It’s practicality
Speaking about herself, Sonam continues, ”I wouldn’t have existed for 10 years in the film industry on the merit of being Anil Kapoor’s daughter. I know my lines, I can deliver and cry on cue, etc. That’s why my directors want to work with me over and over again. It’s practicality and not because the maker used to love Anil Kapoor as a child and now he wants to cast his daughter, even though she’s a s*** actress. Also, none of the directors I have worked with have worked with my father. Rakeysh Mehra is working with my father now — after I have given him an in (laughs). Reverse nepotism! Now he knows my dad because of me (laughs). It’s not true about nepotism. I had auditioned for Delhi-6 and my films with Aditya Chopra. It doesn’t work that way.”
Dad’s advice
She mentions that she has some benefits. Like having her dad for advice and guidance, “My dad has 30 years of experience of working in the film industry, and I would be an idiot not to take his advice. For that, I am very grateful. That comes as an advantage. People know me more because I am Anil Kapoor’s daughter, but at the same time you are also compared more. There are two sides to everything. When you get accused of nepotism, all the hard work that you have put into this industry is taken away from you. It’s rubbish. Alia Bhatt is an investment and Karan Johar is investing more in his investment. When she makes money, he makes money. That is the bottom line.”
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 "Sonam Kapoor")
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