India is currently mourning the sudden demise of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput who committed suicide on 14th June in his apartment in Mumbai. There are some reports suggesting that the actor was unfairly treated by the film industry as an outsider, something which took a toll on his mental health. His death has left the entire film fraternity shaken.
His Sonchiriya (2019) co-star Ranvir Shorey is also in a state of shock. Slamming the deeply rooted nepotism culture in Bollywood, the actor shared a story from an awards show. “This actually unfolded on a popular Bollywood awards show. A star kid is co-hosting the show. They announce the next category - Best Actor. The nominees are played out, and the star kid is one of the nominees. Surprise-surprise! To present the award, the hosts invite two esteemed film personalities, who happen to be the star kid’s parents. What a sweet coincidence! The presenters open the envelope and announce the winner to be - drumroll please! - the star kid, of course! What a Kodak family moment! The star kid walks from the host’s dais to accept the award and makes a short thank you speech and heads back to hosting the rest of the show like business as usual. This is how mainstream Bollywood is a family. - The End -”
On June 15, Shorey had tweeted, “It would not be fair to blame someone for a step that he (Sushant Singh Rajput) took himself. He was playing a high-stakes game, where it is win or lose it all. But something has to be said about the self-appointed ‘gatekeepers of Bollywood’. Something has to be said about the games they play, and their two-facedness. Something has to be said about the power they wield with zero accountability. The power they derive from having inherited privilege in the business and the mainstream media sitting in their lap. The power to decide who will be a ‘star’ and who will be left out in the cold. But of course, the coterie that owns the only high stakes table in the casino will never be questioned, because everyone is too busy enjoying the game. Even if they know it is fixed.”
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