I feel you can’t blame actors or star kids for nepotism: Anushka Sharma

By Vandana Srivastawa

on October 04, 2018

Despite not being a star kid and having zero links with Bollywood, Anushka Sharma has still managed to carve a niche for herself in the film industry. Today, ten years after her debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Anushka feels a lot of “contentment and gratitude” for her success. The actress who is basking in the accolades coming her way for her film Sui Dhaaga-Made in India spoke about the nepotism debate that is prevalent in Bollywood and said that the matter has been talked about way too much unnecessarily.

Anushka who is a rank outsider has said little or nothing regarding the nepotism debate. Her name usually crops up along with Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Rajkummar Rao and the likes for being a successful actor even though she does not have a godfather as such in the industry. Now, the actress told a leading daily, “I’m definitely taking a break from this question because I think this has been debated way too much. I think if there were more important debates around what actually happens in this country, then maybe we could have (become) much better, but that’s not happening. Everybody is debating nepotism. I have nothing else to add to it.”

Her latest film was with Varun Dhawan, a noted star-kid who had a dream debut with Karan Johar’s Student of the Year and has featured prominently in his father’s and brother’s films as well. Anushka said taking the side of star kids, “When I’m working with a star kid or non-star kid, I’m not thinking that the other person is working any less. Also, I feel you can’t blame actors for (nepotism). You can, maybe, blame the people who are responsible for nepotism, but you can’t blame actors or star kids for it. At the end of the day, all that people want is the acknowledgment that yes, there’s a sense (that nepotism exists), but I think beyond that it’s just a useless conversation.”

However, she further said, “There are always pros and cons in everything and every situation you are in. Yes, there’s a lot of hype around star kids, while we, coming from the outside, are the underdogs. We don’t have, I’d say, that much pressure to perform well. Yes, the opportunities might be more for them, but at the same time, there are pros and cons to everyone’s lives.”