Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, sons of screenwriter Salim Khan, recently opened up about nepotism, stressing that crediting an actor’s success to their family in Bollywood is unfair.
Arbaaz said, “Kuch darwaze zarur khulte hain agar aapke father kisi profession mein hain, as is the case in any field (Certainly doors will open for you if your father belongs to a certain field).”
During an interview on Timeout With Ankit, Sohail and Arbaaz Khan, the younger brothers of superstar Salman Khan, who haven’t enjoyed as much success as their older brother, revealed that those coming from families with Bollywood connections have their share of struggles. “If your father is a doctor or a lawyer, you will have access to others in those professions. Similarly, as actors, if we wanted to meet someone from the industry, it was possible for us because our father was a film scriptwriter and part of Bollywood. Kisi se mila aasan ho jata hai par uski wajah se kaam nahin mila (Meeting someone becomes easier if your father is part of the industry, but that doesn’t guarantee work),” added Arbaaz.
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He stressed that no Bollywood connection can guarantee success for a career spanning 25 years. “It may give you a break but won’t build your career,” he lamented, adding, “Sohail and I may not be as successful as other superstars or our brother Salman Khan, for that matter, but we are still here. We are working and are busy doing other things. Koi kisi ke upar favour nahin karta (No one does favours for anyone).”
Explaining the dynamics in Bollywood, which largely works on the commercial success of films, Arbaaz Khan says that no matter who you are or what relationship you share with a Bollywood biggie, nobody is going to give work if the audience doesn’t want to see an actor. “It would be unfair to say that if an actor is successful, it is because of their connections or nepotism. Even a superstar goes through a phase where 10 of their films flop and they don’t know what to do. How can they then favour or help another celeb’s kin?” said the actor-producer.
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Arbaaz went on to talk about celebrities who didn’t attain success or stardom despite their parents being stars in the film industry. “If a handful of actors made it big as someone’s son or brother, there are hundreds of sons and brothers who didn’t succeed in the industry. There are many examples,” he added.
When asked about what the next generation in the Khan family — Arhaan and Nirvaan Khan — should do with their careers and if they will follow their fathers and uncle’s footsteps, Arbaaz said, “They are both grooming themselves right now.” Arhaan is Arbaaz and ex-wife Malaika Arora’s son, while Nirvaan is the son of Sohail and his estranged wife Seema Sajdeh.
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On the discussion of his son and nephew, Sohail chimed in, “Nirvaan recently completed his studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In the next two to three years, he will assist a director of his choice in Mumbai. After getting trained for a year or so, he will start working. Fortunately, with the platform that we have and the family that we come from, I hope he gets a job. Having said that, I feel he should be able to find a job on his own.”
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