Redeeming The Notorious ‘Nepo Kids’ Label: Ahaan Panday To Shanaya Kapoor, New Faces of Bollywood
Outsider vs Nepotism: The debate of outsiders vs nepo kids and talent vs privilege has taken hold in the Hindu entertainment industry. The recent chart of flopping films and wasted opportunities has left the viewers enraged with the actors and directors alike, who, according to the audience, are favouring connections over hard work.
Amidst the clearly widening gap between privilege and performance, the audience is becoming more brutal with their criticism of the “unworthy,” and sometimes just the tag of nepotism leads to a preconceived notion of lacking talent.
The audience is going into the theaters with a set mindset- to get disappointed by other star kids. But now it seems like the narrative has begun to shift.
Saiyaara’s Box Office Success
Mohit Suri’s directorial Saiyaara marks the debut of Ahaan Panday, cousin of Ananya Panday, who faced harsh criticism for her “lack of acting talent” in her debut film Student of the Year 2. So naturally, people were reluctant to see any promise in Ahaan.
Joining him as the leading lady in the film is Aneet Padda, a new face that still has a filmography to support her onscreen talents.
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However, the release of Saiyaara on 18th July changed something for the audience. One can say it is the already lower expectations from the film world or the acting chops of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, but the audience is impressed.
Saiyaara is not just a hit; it's a historic debut with a massive Rs 83 crore opening weekend surpassing "Dhadak" and "SOTY" lifetime collections for debutantes.
Fresh Faces of Nepo Kids
Recently this year, several Bollywood releases introduced star kids into the industry. With Shanaya Kapoor in Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan, Rasha Thadani in ‘Azaad’, and Junaaid Khan in ‘Maharaj’ and ‘Loveyapa’, audiences have found merit in the acting chops of the newest products of nepotism.
Despite the poor box office performance of ‘Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan’, Shanaya Kapoor earned positive reviews for her individual performance. Early reviewers and critics see her as a promising talent.
Rash Thadani’s debut film ‘Azaad’ did not earn box office success, but her “expressive eyes” won her praises for her good presence on screen. She is also hailed as a good dancer for her performance in the ‘Uyi Amma’ song, which was a hit.
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Junaid Khan, on the other hand, debuted on OTT with Netflix’s Maharaj and surprised everyone with his talented debut. Many applauded him for his acting chops. But his theatrical debut, ‘Loveyapa’ alongside Khushi Kapoor, was a massive flop. Kapoor herself has been a target of the audience’s dislike for her ‘expressionless’ acting.
Yet, Panday, Thadani, Kha,n and Kapoor have managed to find a liking in the hearts of the audience, warming their coldness to “nepo kids”.
Redeeming the “Nepo Kids” Label
One can say Saiyaara is an odd one out and is still not an overwhelming performance, but it has thawed the ice the audience had for star kids. While the room for improvement is still there and the bar is still not above the sky, actors from Ahaan Panday to Shanaya Kapoor are proving to be meritorious, redeeming the “nepo kids” reputation.
