Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely and shocking demise has started a raging war on social media about the treatment of outsiders in the Hindi film industry. With the insider vs outsider debate being at the peak, many films starring actors or actresses from film families are being boycotted by people on social media. The first time this happened was when Alia Bhatt released the poster of Sadak 2 and the internet was trending with hashtags like #BoycottSadak2. Unfortunately, the same is happening now that the trailer of Janhvi Kapoor‘s Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is out. Janhvi and producer Karan Johar have been at the receiving end of severe online hate.
Now, Angad Bedi who plays Gunjan’s brother in the film has spoken up in defense of the film saying it’s his film too. While talking to Mid-Day, he said that while everyone has a right to their opinion the flak that the film is receiving is unfair.
He said:
It’s my film, too. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but people are spitting fire against one another. The flak is unfair. Every industry is competitive. I have auditioned for over 300 movies, and every rejection has been a learning experience. My role in Soorma led me to this film. I had gone to meet Shashank Khaitan, who, in turn, made me meet Sharan Sharma. After I tested for the role, Sharan told Karan Johar he wanted me for the part. There are lakhs of people in the industry, so it’s only fair that we all get a chance. Actors are like any other professional who work for a pay cheque.
In an earlier interview with Hindustan Times, Angad Bedi questioned as to why insider actors also shouldn’t get opportunities and how he sees them as healthy competition.
Here’s what he said:
Alia, Varun, Ranbir are all good actors. Why shouldn’t they get opportunities? Rather than pointing fingers at their lineage, I see this as a healthy competition. I’ve faced rejections, too. There have been times when filmmakers didn’t want to see my face and thinking I’m not up to the mark, gave the chance to someone else.
While Gunjan Saxena’s trailer has received a lot of views and likes on YouTube it has received a huge of number of dislikes as well.