R Balki on nepotism: “Find me a better actor than Alia or Ranbir”

Filmmaker R Balki has waded into the nepotism debate in Bollywood that has taken a turn after the demise of Sushant Singh Rajput.

The 56-year-old, who is known for his strong opinions spoke firstly about how nepotism exists in industries outside Bollywood. He was cited in Hindustan Times saying, “It’s undeniable that this happens everywhere. Think about the Mahindras, Ambanis, Bajajs… Their father passed on the businesses to them. Does anyone say ‘No I don’t think Mukesh Ambani shouldn’t run this business, someone else should?’ In every strata of the society, it happens, even a driver or a vegetable seller passes on businesses to their children. So, it’s a foolish argument. Remember we live in a free society.”

He added, “The question is do they (star kids) have an unfair or bigger advantage? Yes, there are pros and cons. But I’d ask one simple question: Find me a better actor than Alia (Bhatt) or Ranbir (Kapoor), and we’ll argue. It’s unfair on these few people who’re probably some of the finest actors.”

Further stating, “Understand that audiences don’t like actors without talent. Sometimes, they also want to see star kids on screen. That’s only the first chance that you get, and then one needs to survive on their own. I agree it’s far more difficult for an outsider to make an entry in films, but talent gets the opportunity.”

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