Bollywood Nepotism Debate: Heeramandi, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali | – Times of India

Nepotism in Bollywood has long been a topic of heated debate. The industry, known for its dynasties and influential families, has often faced backlash for perpetuating inequality and limiting opportunities for outsiders. While some argue that nepotism is a natural consequence of family lineage, others condemn it as unjust and detrimental to meritocracy. The issue gained significant attention following controversies involving star kids and their privileged access to opportunities.
A blast from the past
Back in 2017, when Kangana Ranaut graced the couch of Koffee with Karan, she had addressed the subject of preferential treatment and tagged Karan as the flag-bearer of nepotism.The seeming reference being that the filmmaker usually launched only star kids. Years later, Karan Johar expressed that he has ‘grown to accept’ the trolling and that “Nepotism made me a jaani dushman”.
Sharing his thoughts on the subject, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt says, “The word nepotism was coined as a tool to bring the mighty Bollywood industry to its knees. And of course, there are innumerable hungry, shame-hungry, adulation-seeking young people. India is a young country, they’re all there. So, this kind of labeling appeals to them.”
Bollywood’s most recent tryst with nepotism
Heeramandi arrived on OTT this month, bringing along its opulent sets, archaic vibe, a fervour of patriotism, poignant literature and a hornet’s nest of nepotism which was waiting to be stirred! Sharmin Seghal, who essayed one of the central characters was critiqued for lack of expressions and trolled for the sole reason that she was the director’s niece. She had literally the whole of Heeramandi (read: cast) rallying in defense… but the damage was done and the audience had figured SLB’s nepotistic move!
Did you know nepotism features in Heeramandi’s Shahi Mahal too?
Interestingly, the crux of Heeramandi also toed the line of nepotism… with Manisha Koirala aka Mallika Jaan being eager for her own daughter, Alamzeb, to inherit the status of the Huzur (chief courtesan) of Shahi Mahal. But beyond the screens, this debate has made trolls question a maverick filmmaker like Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s vision and shred down a performance, bit by bit. Looks like SLB may not have planned this free ride for his series, but nothing escapes the audiences.

Is it right to question the vision of a seasoned filmmaker?
Not just Sharmin, but even Sanjay Leela Bhansali is being questioned for his judgment of casting his niece, who happens to be an actor, in Heeramandi. While appreciating that the power to make or break a star lies with the audience, Mahesh Bhatt quips that a filmmaker should not be shamed! “Filmmakers may give an opportunity to those from their own fraternity or bloodline. Yes, access is success and the debate will go on till the cows come home. But according to me, a person who really has star material will somehow pave his way to the top, the industry is full of glorious accounts of people who came from no backgrounds with no godfathers. So to reduce this debate into absolute yes or no is childish. When you isolate an incident like this and go deep down to tear apart a filmmaker of repute who has a glorious track record of getting the best out of the actors, then you do a lot of harm by brushing everybody in one stroke,” says Bhatt, whose daughter Alia faced a lot of backlash after she was launched by Karan Johar.
Nepo babies take it all!
As much as the industry may try to deny the existence of nepotism, the outsiders, who have faced the brunt, will never shy away from revealing the truth. Kriti Sanon, who won a national award for her performance, had once revealed how she fell prey to the favoritism in Bollywood as she was replaced by a star kid in a project. While Rajkummar Rao also faced a similar predicament when he was replaced due to nepotism. “I was supposed to do a film, but then suddenly I was not in that film overnight. Somebody who is known and happened to be a star kid got that part. I my mind I think it was not fair. Just because you can control things, you know people, you can make some calls, it is being unfair,” the actor shared in a recent conversation.
In a contrasting view, filmmaker Aditya Chopra addressed the subject during a docu-series and made an example out of his own brother Uday Chopra’s unsuccessful career. “One of the things that people tend to ignore, is that every person who comes from a privileged background–everyone is not successful. I can articulate it without mentioning other people. I can just articulate it mentioning my own family. My brother is an actor, and he’s not a very successful actor. Here is the son of one of the biggest filmmakers. He’s the brother of a very big filmmaker. Imagine a company like YRF who has launched so many newcomers, we could not make him a star. Why could we not do it for our own? The bottom line is, only an audience will decide ‘I like this person, I want to see this person’. No one else,” Aditya had shared.
Is a red carpet rolled out to cast star kids?
Zoya Akhtar roped in the most prominent and influential star kids for her movie ‘The Archies’, but it didn’t land as expected. The star parents were gung-ho about the debut and the industry was raving, but decoding why the movie failed to woo the audience is a story for another day. However, bringing together such a precious ensemble is a task in itself. We asked Vicky Sidana, the man behind the cast of films like ‘Baby’ and ‘Bodyguard’, if star kids are given a priority by filmmakers? He opines, “There is no pressure or preferential treatment as such, because everyone gives auditions. Big stars have the money but they always call if their kid can audition for a particular project.” Audition or not, star kids are already riding on the coattails of their famous families, as soon as they decide to embark into films. “That’s true, when a star kid is cast, the curiosity for the project automatically increases. It does make a difference because everyone wants to know how Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter will work or how Sunny Deol’s son looks onscreen,” adds Vicky.
Marketing made easy, career made difficult!
Pointing out one of the biggest advantages of casting a star kid, Vicky quips, “It becomes easy for marketing when you cast a star kid because there is no denying that their name adds value to the project.”
Giving an insight about the metrics, trade analyst Komal Nahta adds, “The tag makes things easy. The marketing budget, which is costly these days, doesn’t depend on the star it is showcasing. In fact, the producers benefit since the project is spoken about a lot because of the star kid, plus the publicity happens on a lesser budget. But finally, if a film doesn’t work, it is not because of its star, but because of its own merit. Because the person buying the ticket is looking for entertainment.”

The industry rallies for talent
Throughout the ongoing nepotism debate, the industry has vigorously defended itself, highlighting instances of star kids who have received no familial support. However, the internet remains unmoved by this argument. Nepotism might offer someone an initial opportunity, but beyond that, it is either a crippled career or a blockbuster life. Supporting the thought, Bhatt says, “There are all kinds of people in the film industry who go out of their way to look for new people, right? And I’ve done that all my life. I’ve gone out of my way to cast people from diverse backgrounds. I personally feel that the discussion needs to be going on because the proximity of a star child will give him several advantages.”
“Look at Salman Khan. He was not cast by Salim Khan at any stage. Salman Khan never got work because Salim Saab lobbied for him. Salman created his own way. So, the answer is, should they do it or not? Why not, is my answer,” questions the filmmaker. Hoping for the trial to conclude, Mahesh Bhatt asserts, “I think the debate has served its purpose, now it’s a rubbed coin.”