Is It Fair to Blame Only Bollywood for Nepotism in India?
By:- Subrat Ku. Pattanayak
Is Bollywood solely responsible for nepotism, or does favoritism exist across other fields too?
What is the meaning of Nepotism?
"Nepotism" refers to familial favoritism, or the practice of giving undue advantages to one's own relatives or close ones. When someone uses their power, position, money, or authority to provide jobs, benefits, or opportunities to their family members or close acquaintances, it is called nepotism.
A Changing Perspective
However, in recent times, there has been some variation in how nepotism is perceived. For example, if a father or mother, using their power or influence, helps their child or relative in a rightful and deserving manner, even that is sometimes labeled as nepotism. Opinions vary on this topic. Among all fields, Bollywood has perhaps received the most criticism for nepotism. Although nepotism was always discussed to some extent, it became a central issue in June 2020, during the COVID era, when Bollywood Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death occurred. Since he was part of Bollywood, the film industry was labeled as a hub of nepotism, and many blamed the prevailing nepotism in Bollywood for his untimely death.
While nepotism may or may not have been a factor in that tragedy, it's also true that mainstream media and social media platforms fueled public sentiment during that period. This led to an exaggerated portrayal of Bollywood as the sole culprit, making it seem like nepotism only exists there.
Is Nepotism Only in Bollywood?
The answer is No. Nepotism exists everywhere in every field and every sector. But as humans, we often criticize only those who don't serve our interests. If we observe the South Indian film industry, nepotism is very much present there too. The same goes for Hollywood. In cricket or other sports, we can also see examples of nepotism sometimes to a large extent. If we look at politics, nepotism is deeply rooted. We often don't question whether the person receiving opportunities through nepotism is truly capable or not which is a different subject altogether. But we must ask: are we raising our voices only when it suits us, or only against soft targets while ignoring the bigger picture?
A Personal Perspective on Nepotism
If I had power or influence, I too would want my family or loved ones to benefit but in a rightful manner. Not just me, but most people would wish the same. As parents, at the very least, we all want our children's future to be secure. At some point in life, we all have benefited from nepotism, maybe in subtle ways and perhaps we did so in a justified manner. So when we point fingers at others, do we truly have full knowledge or evidence to say someone is benefiting wrongly? Or are we just accepting what social media or news channels present and reacting accordingly? Sometimes, innocent people are unfairly blamed or trolled, which can seriously affect their mental well-being and we must not overlook that.
Is Nepotism Always Wrong?
If someone uses nepotism to deny others their rightful place and only serve their selfish interests, then yes, that person or institution is definitely at fault and should be held accountable. But targeting just one sector or a few individuals repeatedly while ignoring others is not fair either. Are we really doing justice to those who are true victims of nepotism in other sectors by staying silent there?
Conclusion
It is not our intention to glorify or defend Bollywood. But simply blaming Bollywood over and over while ignoring the deeper, widespread problem of nepotism is also wrong. Let us reflect and ask ourselves:
Are we being fair?
Are we focusing on the real problem, or just venting our frustration at easy targets?
Can we truly fight nepotism without bias?
Thank you.
Tags:
Bollywood & Nepotism
