It's Pointless How Audience Puts Star Kids on Pedestal and Then Abuses Them, Says Jaideep Ahlawat

Jaideep Ahlawat has pointed out the irony of how people are “abusing” actors from film families when they are the ones who put the star-kids on a pedestal by aggressively following them on social media.

Star children have been at the receiving end of a volley of criticism since Sushant Singh Rajput’s alleged death by suicide in June. The actor’s death caused nationwide outrage, with his fans accusing Bollywood insiders of sidelining “the talented outsider” and not giving him his due recognition in the film industry.

At a virtual panel discussion at the India Film Project, Jaideep said, “When they (star children) join Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media, they get millions of followers overnight. Isn’t the audience giving them that? So why are they (people) abusing? You give them that pedestal and then also abuse them. Where’s the point in this?”

The talks revolving around nepotism and favouritism have been rising over the last couple of months with many artistes opening up about the discrimination they have faced in Bollywood for not having a famous surname. However, Ahlawat, who received much appreciation and love for his recent onscreen outing as a washed-out cop in Pataal Lok, feels that the film industry is being singled out.

“Doesn’t it happen in politics, corporate, our own homes? I call it favouritism, which you can’t get rid of in society,” the actor said. “You’ll find it everywhere. Either you get bogged down by it and sit at home, thinking that star children are getting work in Mumbai, so when we will get a chance or work so hard that it stops bothering. I can change my outlook.”

Further talking about the constant vilification of the film industry on social media in the wake of alleged Bollywood-drug nexus investigation, Ahlawat said, “There’s no logic in what they (social media users) say. News channels tell them ‘this is nepotism, they are druggies’ and they just follow. More than half of them are fake. You can’t fight them. You should rather do your work and concentrate on that.”

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