Sonakshi Sinha Weighs In On The Nepotism Debate With A Nasty Dig At Kangana Ranaut. Can We Put This Matter To Rest?

Like everyone my age, I have grown up on an unhealthy dose of Bollywood movies. From DDLJ to YJHD, streaming classic Bollywood movies is one of the only things that has gotten me through this lockdown. Which is why, when I read about how one person (hint: the face of the nepotism campaign) is creating such a drastic rift in the industry, it makes me very sad. 

Nepotism is a word that has become synonyms with our entertainment industry. What started out as a joke a few years ago has now evolved into one of the most vicious and recurring debates behind the curtains of Bollywood. The original aim of this debate was to get equal opportunities for people who weren’t born into privileged Bollywood families. Which is an honest problem. Although now, it feels like the focus has shifted and it has become just another neverending battle between the “insiders” and the “outsiders”. To a person who is not directly involved in this debate, it is starting to feel like the people who are, are stuck in a loop and this whole thing is not going anywhere. 

In the last month, a lot of actors who are considered products of nepotism have clapped back at the people sending them volumes of hate on social media. From Kareena Kapoor Khan to Janhvi Kapoor, they have said multiple things to try and defend their position as star kids, but there to no avail. People continue to rally behind Kangana Ranaut (the official flagbearer of this whole mess) and her extreme and absurd claims. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDrbS5ogcQ1/

Adding to the list of star kids who are lashing out against all the negativity and criticism is Sonakshi Sinha. She has been extremely quiet about the whole subject, up until now. After receiving tons of hate, trolling and abuses online, Sonakshi had deactivated her Twitter account. 

Now, in a recent interview with HT, she finally broke her silence and weighed in on the nepotism debate. 

Sonakshi said, “Nobody likes to hear abuses about themselves for what — for being actors? For being born to a particular set of parents? I’m sorry! Where’s the logic in that? It’s been blown so much out of proportion. Has anybody really counted — today there are more outsiders than so called insiders in the industry, who have made it very big and have lots of work, more than people who’re grown up in any film family. Why nobody raises that point? So, there’s a lot of misdirected anger about a lot of things, a herd mentality and people are being ‘bhadkaoed’. One person said something, and the whole world starts attacking star kids without putting any sense into it.” 

She further added, “Okay, fine, being related to a film family can help in that first meeting or that first audition or that first film. But, after that, what? This whole hullabaloo about, ‘Oh, somebody can make or break someone’, I’m sorry, nobody can make or break anyone except for the audience. We’re all here today because our audience has accepted us to some extent whether it’s an insider or an outsider. We respect that. If the audience doesn’t accept a person, his career won’t go anywhere. So, it’s sad to attack star kids… we work hard and put in as much hard work as anybody else.”  

She has a valid point and we have to respect that. But again, even though this nepotism thing has been blown completely out of proportion, the actual point is that star kids have a stepping stone into the industry served to them on a silver platter. But on the other hand, people who try to break into the industry have to struggle for many years before even landing a supporting role. So, the issue here is not working hard or how many outsiders are more successful but equal opportunities.  

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC5hKVVA18e/

Sonakshi didn’t end there. Pertaining to another question, she went on to take a dig at Kangana Ranaut, without whom, this nepotism battle would’ve died down years ago. 

Speaking about Kangana, she said, “I find it so amusing that this word nepotism has been introduced and sensationalized by a person whose sister is managing their work. And I don’t think I really want to give it that much more importance. Having said that, my father (Shatrughan Sinha) has never picked up the phone and called any producer to say, ‘Take my daughter in your film’.” 

Another very valid point. If Kangana is so against favouring family and friends when it comes to professional duties, why is her sister Rangoli managing her work? Why doesn’t she hire a manager who has climbed the ladder on their own merit? 

In this interview, Sonakshi also spoke about how her life has been much more peaceful after she deactivated her Twitter account and switched off her comments section on Instagram. According to her, her life has “changed for the better” ever since she got off the social media platform. 

Also Read: Amidst Nepotism Backlash Against ‘Gunjan Saxena’, Janhvi Kapoor Refuses To Be Apologetic About Her Work. She’s right.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBp5HA5AcpP/?utm_source=ig_embed

She said, “Twitter has become such a playing ground for negativity with people going on and on about anything and everything and in such a gutsy manner. It’s not something I’d want in my life, anyway. Also, we spend more time on the internet than in real, so I think they should really be cleaned up, and which is why I got off it. My life has changed for the better, it’s much cleaner, so I have no complaints.” 

We completely understand her decision to deactivate her account. Sometimes, to keep your mental sanity, you need to take a few steps back. Besides, it can’t be easy to open social media every day only to see your name trending and people hating on you and mocking you for no reason at all. There is a limit to everyone’s resilience.  

I think it’s time this nepotism debate dies down, it has been stretched out for too long. It’s nothing more than a vicious circle of blame and it’s leading nowhere. Kangana Ranaut needs to let it go so everyone, insiders and outsiders, can grow together.

https://thehauterfly.com/lifestyle/as-the-bhatt-clan-comes-under-the-nepotism-scanner-pooja-bhatt-argues-that-theyve-launched-more-outsiders-than-anyone-in-the-industry/