The origin of the word, nepotism, is from Italian, nepotismo. It refers to the practice of Roman popes appointing their “nephews” (or usually, illegitimate sons), positions of power and privilege in the Roman Catholic church.
Don’t worry, this practice was abolished.
With the untimely death of SSR, the big N has reared its ugly face with the dogged determination of Rudy Guliani. Kangana Ranaut (KR) is on the warpath and let’s be honest, she is alone.
Many Indians view Nepotism as nothing more than a cost of doing business. It’s a crushingly high cost if you are a lawyer or businessman. But in the Bollywood film industry, it is an almost insurmountable barrier to entry and the de facto mode of operation. Nothing ever changes in Bollywood: even death and taxes are not as certain as the Kapoor dynasty inflicting on the world, another generation of mediocre actors.
My effort in today’s blog is this: give you food for thought and change your perspective, because we frequently dismiss what is at stake.
It is never right when an an elitist minority choose to dominate the landscape that has been created by the majority (that is, you and I). We are the ones buying tickets and products promoted by Bollywood.
When we decide to do something, as a collective, then we are capable of formidable things.
The end of Apartheid, the introduction of Article 15 and recently BlackLivesMatter are the best examples of us telling the most powerful that we have had enough.
The correct comparison?
A much-favoured defence of Bollywood style Nepotism, is that yes, it exists in our industry, but so it does in every other walk of Indian life. Its the Indian way of doing things.
This is a terrible defence. Its like saying that a golden delicious apple grown in South Africa is just the same as an iphone, made in a factory in China. There is minimal commonality.
Bollywood is globally the only industry that rewards its actors with unlimited fame, fortune and adulation. We extend the same courtesy to their offspring, in fact generations of their offspring. Do we miss royalty so much in India?
Let me illustrate my point. No-one prays when Warren Buffet (the richest man on this planet) or Ambani (richest man in Asia) are admitted to hospital.
But these are the scenes outside the hospital when Amitabh Bachan left hospital, following his abdominal injury in the film Coolie
SourceNew York city has to put up blockades and divert traffic when the big B visits the big apple. He is no Obama or the Pope or (e.g.) a man whose research has saved millions of lives, a doctor or a businessman.
He is just a person who is paid to “act” in Bollywood films.
That’s it.
For this opportunity and privilege, Bollywood actors and their families are given unparalleled opportunities and routes to more money, fame and brand building. How many of you know and like Amitabh’s grand-children? Why? What is their value-add to anyone’s life?
There are also intangible benefits for women (e.g.) a school-educated woman born in Bollywood can have her pick of industrialist Indians to marry.
Such a person, completely escapes the trauma of finding a suitable match that other Indian women are inflicted on. (Watch a Suitable Girl).
No “fair-skinned, slim, well-educated, homely, respects elders, can cook” criteria for such women.
Escaping patriarchy and feminism ingrained in Indian culture, to become or marry whoever you are is the real privilege Sonam Kapoor. Its just sad that you don’t get it.
Bollywood’s nepotism club
Like the Italian pope’s of old, Bollywood is an elitist club that holds monopoly over important assets: access to opportunity. It decides who gets in and who stays. As Kangana Ranaut is finding out, Bollywood decides how much money and fame you are due and whether you will be around in 5 years.
Bollywood also decide the narrative of what we see on the silverscreen: people have such tough lives and so they come to the cinema to escape. We, Bollywood give them that escape.
Really?
All the bona fide ticketholders from the villages of UP and Bihar to the South Bombay aunties line PVR cinemas, want to see the great acting talent of “poo” in KKKG?
Is that the best line of defence?
Our realities
Bollywood’s codswallop sickens me. Our realities are not only made of poverty – but they are made of other beautiful things, such as courage, bravery, dedication, honesty.
Why are not more Bollywood films made that show these things? Do we as Indians lack such stories?
Or simply humour.
The film “Welcome” cannot be the last Hindi film that I find funny. Where have all the funny, clever scripted films gone?
Netflix and Amazon’s investment prove beyond doubt that there is appetite for non-maintstream Bollywood narratives.
We have a talented pool of writers, actors, directors and look no further than Family Man, Sacred Games and even, Four Shots More as well as Pataal Lok.
However, most of these will never see the inside of a Bollywood filmset.
Can anything change?
Yes. There is a reason why Dabaang appeals to UP and Biharis and its that we, the mass audience, hold the pursestrings.
We decide who goes up and who comes down.
Boycotting can work and breakdown the barriers that nepotism has built. Boycotting actors at the box office will shatter their glass palaces beyond recognition. Also, an approach that appears to work in the West is boycotting products. Don’t support black lives matter? Don’t worry, we’ll vote with our money and boycott your products and services.
The untimely end to Kangana Ranaut’s career
I started this piece by writing a quite eloquent defence of KR, but quickly realized how meaningless this was. Allow me to explain.
KR is without doubt hardworking, talented and committed to her art. She is one of those rare actors that views acting as her calling.
I don’t know if KR intended to actually stand-up against nepotism and/or just be polarizing and controversial as a benefit for her brand.
It doesn’t matter. She is not a prodigal son or daughter of Bollywood and she’ll never be as successful or as rich as she could have been if she towed the party line.
In life standing up for a principle – whether you benefit or not – is one of the hardest things that any person can do. I write from experience, in that it is the most thankless task, your smooth sailing road becomes covered with molten lava and thorns and it is only conviction in your own truth that keeps you going.
KR is about to find herself on this lonely road to nowhere.
I, for one will support boycotting dynastic Bollywood films. A spillover effect will be KR and I can live with that. I would rather be on her on side then future generation of privileged, elitist Bollywood sprogs.