Sushant Singh Rajput: A name that we’ve been seeing all over the news from the last 2 days. Before that, he was that charming actor who’s always kept our hopes high, with his acting skills and the wisdom he possessed. He’s left a huge hole in the film industry, which can not be filled by anyone else. Unlike the other artists we have today, he was also an intellect. A closer look at his personal & professional life will give you a glimpse of it.
After the sad demise of Sushanth, social media is now flooded with the hatred towards the Bollywood industry, for its Nepotism. Hashtags like #JusticeForSushantSinghRajput, #karanjohargang, #KaranJoharIsBULLY are doing its way around Twitter. For the way, these directors and producers brought up star kids without any talent or skills. The way it has always portrayed a rich lifestyle, which is far from reality for a common man.
But, is that the reality? Are they to be blamed? Or is it us?
I have never been a fan of the Bollywood industry and the type of movies they’ve produced. Coming from a state(Kerala), which holds the famous Malayalam industry & the evergreen movies they’ve released and keep releasing, I could never accept the way Bollywood industry came up with movies. Right from the way they portrayed life, to the casting, it’s never been the product of a creative mind. Rather, it has, again and again, proved that a movie is a monetary product.
Nepotism
Bollywood, from the last couple of years, has mostly been about star kids. If you’re a son or daughter of an actor, director, producer or a singer, you already have a seat reserved. It’s never mattered whether you are a good actor or not. They are showered with awards, praised in the award ceremonies, and have got a couple of channels behind them for coverage, always.
Look at how Alia Bhat, Ananya Pandey, Tiger Shroff, Sonam Kapoor, and the rest were brought in to the industry with movies like Student of The Year, Baaghi, etc.
At the same time, a person who doesn't have an industry background, even if he/she is an excellent artist, struggles walking into Bollywood and to keep their head straight. They’re constantly bullied, just like an 8th standard kid is. Shushant was nothing but a victim of this act.
Racism
The reason I mentioned the Malayalam industry is that they’ve been taking some major turns from the last couple of years in the way movies are made, how the storyline progress & the way they portray life within the movies.
They've broken the stigma about the way characters, for that matter, even actors appeared in front of the screen. Movies like Kummattipadam, Kumbalangi Nights are pure examples of this. An actor or actress is not fair anymore, they’re not stylish anymore, and that’s exactly how it is supposed to be.
However, Bollywood has always been about Glamour & Money, they’ve never given importance to reality. They’ve never been able to touch our hearts, and the ones who did that were never provided with enough support.
People like Karan Johar, SLB, Mahesh Bhatt, they’ve abused movies & talented actors by never giving them a life they deserved.
When the entire world is moving against racism, Bollywood has only been able to promote it. There’s never been equality.
A film is not the product of an actor or director. It’s always a creative product by everyone who’s worked behind the curtain. Right from the scriptwriter to post-production. But, Bollywood is an industry that has never been able to appreciate any of these efforts. The only names we hear are of the actors or the director. To clarify that, try remembering the cinematographer of the last Bollywood movie you watched. None of those faces have ever been made public, or none of them were brought into any of the promos.
After all these years of such abuses, why is it still trending?
There is only one reason, and the reason is us, the public!
We live in an era, where every famous person has a fan club, a huge mad fan base, who’s always ready to do anything for the people they follow. Regardless of the quality of the movie, people rush into theatres and watch their movies. Every time an actor is criticized for their actions, be it personal or professional, the fan base always comes for the rescue and keep the fame going. People are so much interested in these actors' life than they’re actually interested in other things. People wait outside gyms and malls, just for a ‘hi’.
If Bollywood or any other industry has grown to this level, where the quality is not a concern anymore, the only reason I see is the public & their blind support. And the only person who can change that is You.
The focus should be shifted to quality movies. Follow those who’re doing well. And when they fail to do that, make them realize that they do not have a place in the industry.
Every penny you spend on movie tickets or OTT platforms goes to the director, actor, and producer. And every Like or Share you give them impacts directly on their confidence in coming up with similar products. So, be aware of that when you’re watching a movie. You are the only person who can change the industry. When the directors and producers realize that there is no life for star kids movies & glowing movies if it’s not good, the industry will be forced to shift from its unwritten rules.
Next time when you blame Karan Johar for directing star kids movies, remember, you’re the ONLY reason he’s doing it. And you’re the ONLY person who can change that. Let us not wait for another Shushant to give up their amazing carrier ahead.