The death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput at only 34 has sent shockwaves across the Indian entertainment industry.
As many fans grapple with seeing a star they admired die at such a young age, serious conversations about both mental health and nepotism have begun across the country.
The latter has meant hashtags such as #JusticeForSushantSinghRajput, #BoycottNepotism, #BoycottKhans and most recently #SupportSelfMadeSRK are trending.
“Support self-made SRK” refers to Shah Rukh Khan, one of the few Khans of Bollywood who doesn’t come from a famous family. His father was a modestly successful businessman and his mother a social worker.
Sushant Singh Rajput also made his own way in the film industry. He was born in Patna, Bihar, and his parents had no Bollywood connections. There was no uncle or mother or brother to help him get a leg up in the industry, and the conversation about nepotism started almost immediately after the actor’s death on Sunday, June 14.
Fans have called out the hypocrisy of A-list actors such as Alia Bhatt and Karan Johar who publicly dismissed the actor in his lifetime but made posts expressing shock at his death.
Bhatt’s tweet read: “I’m in a deep state of shock. No matter how much I think about it, I don’t have the words. I’m totally devastated. You’ve left us too soon. You will be missed by each and every one of us. My deepest condolences to Sushant’s family, loved ones, and his fans.”
Karan Johar tweeted: “This is heartbreaking … I have such strong memories of the times we have shared … I can’t believe this … Rest in peace my friend … when the shock subsides only the best memories will remain.”
But fans of the actor were quick to point out that in a previous episode of Johar's television show Koffee with Karan, Bhatt had been asked to rate three male celebrities, including Rajput, with her reply being "Sushant Singh Rajput, who?"
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, on Twitter, suggested that Rajput’s mental health had been seriously harmed by “professional rivalry”.
This is why social media posts such as #JusticeforSushantSinghRajput, #BoycottKaranJohar and #BoycottNepotism started to appear, as fans of the actor blamed Bollywood’s nepotism culture for Rajput’s state of mind.
I’m in a deep state of shock.
— Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) June 14, 2020
No matter how much I think about it, I don’t have the words.
I’m totally devastated.
You've left us too soon.
You will be missed by each and every one of us.
My deepest condolences to Sushant's family, loved ones, and his fans. 🙏
Many believed that because Rajput hailed from a middle-class Indian family, and made it in the industry without connections, he was shunned by Bollywood’s A-list stars, considered an outsider, and did not grant him access to as many big projects.
The incident has since sparked a fierce debate, with some people arguing for the boycott of the films of Bollywood A-listers from famous families, specifically Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja. To counter, fans of Shah Rukh Khan started tweeting under the hashtag #SupportSelfMadeSRK to support the actor, whose star is considered to have risen with no helping hand.
‘They will drop you and mock you’
Big-ticket Bollywood stars including Ranvir Shorey, Taapsee Pannu, Kangana Ranaut and Raveena Tandon weighed in on the debate, as did directors Shekhar Kapur and Hansal Mehta.
They indicated they believed that nepotism in the industry, and the culture it creates, was to blame for some of Rajput’s distress.
I knew the pain you were going through. I knew the story of the people that let you down so bad that you would weep on my shoulder. I wish Iwas around the last 6 months. I wish you had reached out to me. What happened to you was their Karma. Not yours. #SushantSinghRajput
— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) June 15, 2020
There are many young 'outsiders' in this industry. Remember this - there is an establishment that will make you feel like the next big thing until they need you. They will drop you and mock you as soon as you falter. Do not fall for the trap. The ones that celebrate you...
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) June 15, 2020
“mean girl”gang of the industry.Camps do exist.Made fun of,bn removed from films by Heroes,their girlfriends,Journo chamchas&their career destroying fake media stories.Sometimes careers are destroyed.U struggle to keep afloat.fight backSome survive Some Dont.#oldwoundsrevisited
— Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) June 15, 2020
Meanwhile, many A-listers who have family connections in the industry have stood their ground, arguing that Rajput’s death cannot be blamed on nepotism alone, and calling on social media for more positivity and understanding.
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, whose father is the Indian actor Anil Kapoor, shared some of the vitriol she had received online.
This is some of comments coming my way. All the media and all the people who’ve encouraged this sort of behaviour and instigated it. This is on you. People talking about how one should have been kind to someone are doing worse to others. pic.twitter.com/6rH4LSBOxp
— Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) June 21, 2020
I encourage you guys to see my comment section. And I’m sure you don’t hope that the same comes your way. I hope your parents don’t have to see this sort of this stuff. pic.twitter.com/dmvI3xOKVd
— Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) June 21, 2020
She also put up a post for Father’s Day, acknowledging her privilege, while saying Kapoor worked hard and she was proud to be his daughter.
Today on Father’s Day id like to say one more thing, yes I’m my fathers daughter and yes I am here because of him and yes I’m privileged. That’s not an insult, my father has worked very hard to give me all of this. And it is my karma where I’m born and to whom I’m born. I’m proud
— Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamakapoor) June 21, 2020