Aftab Shivdasani On Nepotism Debates: It Shouldn’t Happen Under The Garb Of Personal Vendetta

Social media has been buzzing with debates on nepotism and treatment of insiders and outsider in the Hindi film industry, ever since Sushant Singh Rajput's death. Many feel that these discussions have taken a turn for the worse and are now being done out of personal vendetta.

Aftab Shivdasani shares this opinion. While he feels that there is a need for debates, they shouldn't happen out of the garb of personal vendetta. As an optimist, he prefers to see the positive side of the industry, although he too has faced the brunt of its shortcomings.

Talking about how he views the industry, Aftab told Hindustan Times, "I tried staying at the edges, meaning I never got into a rut. Such biases exist everywhere. Because Bollywood is the glamour industry it's just becomes the talking point. I've faced many things but chose not to talk about it because I never focused on negatives."

He continued, "Staying at the periphery doesn't mean you're out and reverse psychology, staying inside doesn't mean you'll get all the work. Being best friends with the biggest producers also doesn't mean I'll get cast in all the films... By periphery I meant I stayed away from politicising every issue, controversial situations, and worked with those who preferred working with peaceful people."

Stating that he is against 'agenda-driven' discussions, Aftab said, "I'm an optimist and would like to see the glass half full. This industry has given us a lot and has much more to offer. At the same time, such talks would definitely lead to a better work atmosphere. We can debate on certain things but that shouldn't happen under the garb of personal vendetta. Don't forget this industry has entertained you for decades, suddenly you can't write it off."