Chahak Mittal analyses why actor Kangana Ranaut’s complaints against nepotism in Bollywood do not lead to a healthy, productive debate that it demands
An incident occurs. It grabs attention. It becomes a mystery. Soon, due to its severity and intensity, it becomes the talk of the town. It attracts debates on social media and makes room for a number of interpretations and conspiracy theories about it. However, the conversations around it only find space for a few days. It gradually loses traction. And just silently gets listed in history. Bollywood conversations, too, have been more or less the same.
However, if we talk about actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s sudden demise, it has now been more than a month that it continues to be in the news and perhaps has stoked the strongest debate yet on the need to rid the industry of nepotism. Actor Kangana Ranaut is making sure that this time the dialogue doesn’t die without being properly addressed. Her recent allegations against many actors and the so-called “mafia” or “nepotism gangs” of the industry have been revealing about the dirty underbelly of an unsaid class-consciousness in Bollywood. So far, so good. But now she is seizing every opportunity to emerge activist. Apart from calling out producer-director Karan Johar and actor Alia Bhatt, she has also this time targetted two other female actors (who are outsiders) by calling them chaaplus (sycophant) and B-grade actresses and their existence as a “proof of nepotism” — Taapsee Pannu and Swara Bhasker. She has also called out actor Ranveer Singh (outsider) by saying that it’s only due to his chamchagiri or flattery towards directors and producers like Aditya Chopra and Sanjay Leela Bhansali that he gets roles.
Such accusations, firstly, raise an all-important question — if outsiders themselves won’t challenge the existing nepotism in the industry as a united force and turn against each other instead of calling out this system, how are things ever going to change for good? Second, even though Kangana’s debate is justified over an issue that needs attention, being an artiste, is her use of words like chaaplus, chamcha, chillar, bakwaas for other artistes and some critically-acclaimed actors a dignified way of calling out injustice? Third, even though she is an outsider, how can she assume that all outsiders have had a raw deal and that not even an iota of merit has been allowed into Bollywood? Even though Sushant’s death did expose the vile and choking depths of nepotism but to expect every outsider to launch a campaign of her/his own does not mean s/he has not been affected by it or knew him or is not against the system.
Well, Taapsee, who has been vocal about nepotism in the past, but in a verbally decent way, had a reply to this as well. She told a national daily that she has never done a film which is produced by any of the gangs that Kangana has named or “keeps targetting.” She added that she has never said that she likes Karan Johar or anyone that she alleges but at the same time, she has never said that she hates them either. She later questioned, “So the fact that you don’t hate someone she hates is equivalent to you like that person? I don’t even know him beyond formal. So how is this even logical? Then how is my existence because of nepotism? Or undermining someone’s genuine achievements by crediting wrong sources and then mocking it is how you prove that you are a true, successful outsider?”
The Badla actor also said in an interview that Kangana should rather watch films of outsiders than abusing celebrities on social media. Replying to Kangana’s “Why don’t they get work?”, Taapsee said that she has been releasing four films per year for the last three years and now, already has five films announced. “I decided to keep my career graph slow and steady and that’s exactly how it’s been going,” she added.
Taapsee refused to be “bitter” and “take advantage of someone’s death for personal vendetta or make a mockery of the industry that gave me bread and identity. She has the right to have an opinion and so do I but just because my opinion doesn’t match hers doesn’t make me inferior.”
After Taapsee’s response, netizens have been hailing her for her “dignified” reaction towards the row. Actor Sonakshi Sinha also took to her social media and posted, “Proud of you Taapsee! The dignity, maturity and integrity with which you have responded has my respect and I am sure of most others too. More power to you.”
On the other hand, Swara’s response to Kangana’s remark, “These needy outsiders, B-grade actresses look better than Alia Bhatt and Ananya Pandey but they too exist due to nepotism,” was a sarcastic comment. She posted on her Twitter, “Net net I think this was a compliment. Thanks Kangana! I think you are gorgeous, generous and a great actor. Shine on!”
Taapsee has revealed in the past how she has lost roles for not being “so-and-so’s daughter.” However, her and Swara’s voice against nepotism was never aimed at demeaning anyone personally. They have stood up against hate without being hateful. She tweeted, “Yes, there are differences between people born with pedigree and the ‘outsiders’ but we aren’t battling each other, we are battling for a better system to co-exist, but not by mud-slinging or name calling!”
As per Kangana’s words, Karan Johar is the flagbearer of nepotism in Bollywood. She first mentioned about it on his show, Koffee With Karan, and ever since, she has left no stone unturned in taking this up. Which leads us to one last question — Shouldn’t the nepotism debate include all such directors, actors and producers rather than just one person being named incessantly? Is taking names of a few biggies and blaming them for years of nepotism in the industry the way out? Why a selective outrage? Is this ever-important contest really headed the right way? Perhaps, this is the reason why the wrongs of nepotism could never be properly addressed!
