When Samantha Ruth Prabhu opened up about nepotism in Tollywood
Mumbai, July 10
Rewinding the clock, let us look back at the time Southern beauty Samantha Ruth Prabhu shared her views about nepotism in Tollywood.
She said that it does not matter whether one is from a film family or from outside; they all have their own challenges to overcome.
As Samantha made her debut appearance on 'Koffee With Karan,' she was asked by host and filmmaker Karan Johar, "In the Telugu film industry, somebody's son always becomes a lead actor, somebody's nephew is always propped up by the family. They don't think it's a big deal at all because that's the order of the way. There were few actors, may be a Vijay Deverakonda that came from the outside and broke through. What do you have to say about that circumstance?"
Reacting to this, the 'Kushi' actress had said, "Nepo kids, non-nepo kids, everyone comes with their own demons, and they have their own demons to face."
When KJo asked Samantha, "What about first-move advantage?" she pointed out that star kids are under immense pressure as their every move is observed by the industry and viewers; however, being an outsider takes away some of that pressure.
The 'Yashoda' actress went on to explain, "And for me, when I entered the industry, if I failed, just my mom, dad, and my brothers would have known that I failed. But when a star kid fails, the whole country knows."
Samantha concluded the conversation, saying that, in the end, it is all about being accepted by the audience.
"And the ball is always in the audience's court," she shared.
Samantha made her acting debut in 2010 with the Telugu romantic entertainer 'Ye Maaya Chesave'.
After that, she went on to become a part of movies such as 'Dookudu (2011)', 'Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (2012)', 'Attarintiki Daredi (2013)', 'Kaththi (2014)', 'Theri (2016)', '24 (2016)', 'Mersal (2017)', and Rangasthalam (2018).
Samantha's last movie was 'Maa Inti Bangaaram'.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I appreciate Samantha's honesty but let's not pretend. Star kids get multiple opportunities even after flops. Outsiders like Vijay Deverakonda or Allu Arjun's cousin? Come on, they have connections too. The playing field is never level in Tollywood.
Beautiful perspective! "Everyone has their own demons" - so true. Samantha herself came from outside and made it big. Her journey from 'Ye Maaya Chesave' to pan-India star is inspiring. The audience is indeed the final judge. ❤️
Karan Johar asking about nepotism while being the king of nepotism in Bollywood is peak irony! 😂 But Samantha handled it gracefully. She didn't play victim or defend anyone. Just stated facts. Classy answer from a classy lady.
While I respect Samantha's view, I think she's being too diplomatic. Star kids have it easier in terms of connections and resources. But she's right about one thing - the audience's acceptance is the ultimate test. Look at how audiences rejected many star kids recently.
Samantha's point about failure is underrated. When an outsider fails, only close family knows. When a star kid fails like that recent movie (you know which one), the whole nation talks about it for weeks. Both sides have their own struggles. Fair point.
L We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.