Saif Ali Khan stars alongside Sushant Singh Rajput in the late actor’s last movie, Dil Bechara. Sushant’s death has caused a ruckus in B-Town on the apparent favouritism and nepotistic behaviour of big production houses.
Talking in a recent webinar organised by the New Indian Express, Saif Ali Khan shares his experience of being dragged into the nepotism world.
He says, “Nepotism in its purest form is something that even I have been a victim of. But nobody’s interested in that. Businesses work like that. I am not going to take names but somebody’s dad has rung up and said don’t take him, take him in the movie. All that happens and it has happened to me.”
Saif Ali Khan is born to legendary parents Sharmila Tagore and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, both remarkable figures in their fields of acting and cricket respectively. Saif also talks about how he is happy that actors without an industry background have become household names.
“More than ever I am really happy to see so many kids from institutes coming to the foreground. People like Nawazuddin and Pankaj Tripathi, I have seen them become household names.”
Saif also shared with us his conversation with Sushant on nepotism, “He should probably not be dragged into this but I’ve heard Sushant say that yes, nepotism exists and there are a lot of people who have made it through their own. And I think that it is a struggle that’ll be ongoing but as long as people continue to get a fair chance, that seems to be the way of the world.”
“But I really think it’s not okay to give chances to people from certain background over people who have more talent. The ugliest thing in nepotism is when somebody who is talented and has ability is replaced (due to nepotism) by somebody who isn’t as talented. I have no explanation for that. I am sure that has happened sometimes. And I am pretty sure it will happen less and less.”