Nepotism: An Exploration of the Cliques and the Politics of Access in the Hindi Film Industry

Abstract

Actor Ananya Panday appeared a few years ago at the newcomers' roundtable hosted by film critic Rajeev Masand. The daughter of actor Chunky Panday, who made her silver screen debut with Student of the Year 2, shared her take on her personal struggle, and said, “Mine has been a lot of personal experience, I have seen my dad go through so many things that I don’t take anything too seriously. So it’s not as easy as people say. Everyone has their own journey and their own struggle.”
Seeming to reflect the ‘extra pressure’ that the so-called star-kids claim to face, Ananya said, “I overcompensate sometimes. I am so scared that people may say that ‘oh you are taking things too lightly’ so I will come extra early to places. I am so happy that I have this chance.”
Her Gehraiyaan co-actor Siddhant Chaturvedi, an actor with no family links in the film industry appearing at the same roundtable agreed that everyone has their own struggle. He further added, “The difference is, their struggle begins (at the point) where our dreams are fulfilled.”
This us-versus-them exchange is symbolic of the uneasy peace that upcoming actors without family connections forge with descendants of lineage in the film industry, to work together on projects. Accusations of nepotism have been bitter and personal; talentless family scions continue to bag one leading role after another despite their films failing while charismatic actors with no connection struggle through auditions for walk-on parts, waiting for years for a breakthrough role.