The debate around nepotism in Bollywood shows no signs of dying down. Every now and then, a celebrity adds their voice to the conversation that’s been going on for years. Archana Puran Singh recently started the discussion again on her YouTube channel during a conversation with actor Ajay Devgn. Archana’s sons, Aaryamann and Ayushmaan, are aspiring actors, and Ajay’s nephew Aaman Devgan recently made his debut in his home production Azaad, with Raveena Tandon’s daughter Rasha Thadani.
Archana, sharing her perspective, defended the practice of nepotism and said that star kids have a “sense of professional ethics.” She said, “One of the reasons people in the film industry prefer to work with actors from film families is because when your parents are already part of the industry, they instil a sense of professional ethics in you from the beginning.”
Ajay Devgn, whose late father Veeru Devgan was an action director, agreed and said that star kids learn from their environment. “You get to learn a lot from growing up in that environment. But sometimes, people come in, and I’m not generalising, as there are many sensible outsiders. However, some don’t understand the difference between wanting to be an actor and wanting to be a star. You can’t become a star on Day One. You have to first learn how to act. That’s where some confusion begins. People outside the industry often think this business operates in a certain way, but it’s not like that. In the end, it all comes down to your hard work,” he said.
The actor’s comments come amid a wave of star kids making their Bollywood debuts. This year, many star kids, including Junaid Khan, Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor, made their theatrical debuts. Ahaan Panday also made his theatrical debut with Saiyaara, which is on its way to becoming the biggest hit of the year. His uncle Chunky Panday was a popular actor in the 1980s, and his cousin Ananya is one of the most popular actors in Bollywood currently. His parents – Chikki and Deanne Panday – have considerable connections in the Hindi film industry.
