Bollywood has been at the receiving end of criticism for favouring insiders with solid industry connections. Those critical of Bollywood have facts to support their contention. While there is no doubt that countless outsiders have been immensely successful, too, it is true that youngsters with contacts get their initial opportunities easily compared to others.
Even though ‘Bollykids’, or youngsters from Bollywood families, might get their first few assignments because of ‘nepotism’, they face an instant challenge after their debut. Their work gets analysed in detail and not just by professional reviewers. If the masses dislike their debut, they get more flak compared to outsiders in a similar situation. Crucially, the insider and the outsider need to confront the same challenge in the long run. The masses must accept them. Those who fail to earn acceptance, in other words, fall off the map.
Recent times have seen new headlines revolving around ‘Bollykids’, who are taking their initial steps as professionals in the industry. Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan has chosen to work behind the camera. Khan Jr. has directed and also penned the script of Stardom, reportedly a six-episode web series whose plot revolves around the film industry. Mona Singh will appear in an important role in the series, which will also have cameos by Bollywood stars. Considering it is a Khan Jr. directorial, the cameos are hardly surprising.
Meanwhile, Aamir Khan’s son Junaid is all set to debut in front of the camera in Siddharth P. Malhotra’s Maharaj, an upcoming direct-to-digital release on Netflix. The film also features Sharvari Wagh, Jaideep Ahlawat and Shalini Pandey. “A powerful man with secrets to hide. A journalist’s fight to uncover the truth,” Netflix’s official Instagram page has whipped up enough curiosity with this note accompanying the poster. It will be interesting to see how Malhotra has treated a subject that sounds dramatic for sure. And, of course, everyone will be watching Mr Perfectionist’s son’s acting on the small screen with their eyes wide open.
‘Bollykids’ like Sara Ali Khan (Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan’s daughter), Jahnvi Kapoor (Boney Kapoor and the late Sridevi’s daughter) and Ananya Panday (Chunky Panday’s daughter) have already taken their first few steps. Their upcoming films in the next few years will be crucial, and they must be acutely aware that their work is under observation — both within and outside the industry.
A recent direct-to-digital film that made many headlines was Zoya Akhtar’s teen musical comedy The Archies on Netflix. The film marked the acting debut of three ‘Bollykids’: Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda, Boney Kapoor and the late Sridevi’s daughter and Jahnvi Kapoor’s younger sister Khushi Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan. Instead of analysing The Archies for what it was, many faceless social media users ripped it apart because of Nanda, Kapoor and Khan’s industry connections.
The three youngsters will now appear in tougher tests of their lives. Nanda’s next film is Sriram Raghavan’s Ekkis, which is said to be the biopic of the war hero Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, a posthumous recipient of the Param Vir Chakra who was killed in the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Raghavan’s recent directorial Merry Christmas was a box-office disaster, but nobody doubts his brilliance. If the director is anywhere near his best and Nanda delivers the goods, the film will be particularly significant for the latter.
Khushi Kapoor is working on Naadaniyan, a romantic comedy helmed by debutant Shauna Gautam, in which her co-star is Ibrahim Ali Khan, the son of Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan and younger brother of Sara Ali Khan. Kapoor has also signed on the dotted line for the Hindi remake of the Tamil romantic comedy Love Today in which she is appearing opposite Junaid Khan. It will be directed by Advait Chandan, whose previous film Laal Singh Chaddha was a commercial failure. Ibrahim Ali Khan, on the other hand, is reportedly debuting with Sarzameen, an ambitious film in which his co-stars are Kajol and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is doing what nobody else is. He is sharing screen space with his daughter Suhana for Sujoy Ghosh’s ambitious actioner The King. Gossip mills are working overtime to weave yarns about the film’s plot, SRK’s role, and much more. What is true? What is not? The fact is, we will not have the answers before the film’s release.
The next couple of years will be interesting for Bollywood. Several newcomers with family connections will try to make an impact with their work. Not everyone will be impressive, and not everyone will disappoint either. Let us see what happens as the industry gets ready to write a new chapter.
The writer, a journalist for three decades, writes on literature and pop culture. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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