Now that the debate around nepotism is once again at the forefront of the entertainment industry, Abhay Deol, who has never been shy of voicing his opinions, talked about the need of the hour.
In an Instagram post, he acknowledged his privilege and talked about how his family helped land him his first film. But, conscious of his position, he continued to chart his own path and back new producers and directors.
He also added that nepotism is prevalent across industries, but in India, because of its casteist and patriarchal society, nepotism ‘takes on another dimension’.
I suspect caste plays a major role in it being more pronounced here (in India) than in other parts of the world. After all, it is “jati” that dictates that a son carry on the work of his father, while the daughter is expected to marry and be a housewife. If we are serious about making changes for the better, then focusing on only one aspect, one industry, while ignoring the many others, will be incomplete and possibly counter productive.
According to Abhay, the need of the hour is not just to call out nepotism, but to spearhead a ‘cultural evolution’, because filmmakers also belong to the same society that still believes in the regressive ideals.
We need a cultural evolution. After all, where do our filmmakers, politicians and businessmen come from? They are people just like everyone. They grow up within the same system as everybody else. They are a reflection of their culture. Talent everywhere deserves a chance to shine in his or her medium.
Many people commented on the post and thanked Abhay for talking about the matter in such clear, precise terms:
You can read the complete post here:
For the longest time, Abhay Deol was one of the lone voices, calling out the flaws of the industry. And it’s great that finally, more voices are joining his cause.