Published 12:48 IST, July 8th 2020
Pooja Bhatt slams 'nepotism card' with banner's ventures, cites Kangana Ranaut's 'launch'
Pooja Bhatt slammed the 'nepotism card' by highlighting her family banner's ventures. The actor cited Kangana Ranaut's example, as she too was launched by them.
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While Alia Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt have maintained silence on the nepotism debate in the wake of Sushant Singh Rajput’ death, Pooja Bhatt and Soni Razdan have been taking on their detractions. After some strong responses by the latter duo, Pooja once against issued a fiery response on the ‘raging debate.’ The actor-director highlighted how their banner had launched newcomers galore, being mocked for doing so, and giving Kangana Ranaut, who is at the centre of the nepotism debate, a chance in Gangster.
Pooja took to Twitter and termed nepotism as a ‘hot topic’ that people are ‘raging about.’ Introducing herself as someone who hailed from a ‘family’ that ‘launched more new talent-actors, musicians & technicians than the entire film industry combined’, she wrote that she could ‘only laugh’ at the debate.
The Zakhm star asserted, ‘Facts don’t find takers. Fiction does.’
She added that the Bhatts used to work with newcomers so much that they ‘were accused of having something against established actors’ and the family was ‘made to feel inferior’ for ‘not chasing stars.’ Pooja claimed the same people were now ‘playing the nepotism card’ and urged the trolls to ‘Google & tweet’ before criticising them.
Kangana is often credited for making ‘nepotism’ a household name with her jibe at Karan Johar on a chat show. Pooja called the actor a ‘great talent’ and emphasised that as a reason Vishesh Films launched her in Gangster. The Jism 2 director clarified that director Anurag Basu spotted Kangana, but highlighted the role of the banner in backing Basu’s vision and investing in the film. Calling it ‘no small feat’, she wished Kangana the best in all her endeavours.
With their film Sadak 2 gearing up for release, Pooja highlighted how they had given musician Suniljeet a chance. She shared that he came to the office with ‘no prior appointment’ but had ‘a dream, a harmonium & a brilliant song called ‘Ishq Kamaal’. Pooja said Mahesh Bhatt loved the song upon the first hearing and it was ‘absorbed into the film.’
Here are the tweets
Have been asked to comment on the hot topic Nepotism that people are raging about. As someone who hails from a ‘family’ that has launched more new talent-actors,musicians & technicians,than the entire film industry combined I can only laugh.Facts don’t find takers. Fiction does.
— Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) July 8, 2020
There was a time when the Bhatt’s were accused of having something against established actors & made to feel inferior for only working with/launching newcomers & not chasing stars. And now the same people play the nepotism card? Google & tweet guys & won’t even say think & speak.
— Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) July 8, 2020
As for Kangana Ranaut-She is a great talent,if not she wouldn’t have been launched by Vishesh films in “Gangster”.Yes Anurag Basu discovered her,but Vishesh Films backed his vision & invested in the film. No small feat. Here’s wishing her the very best in all her endeavours.
— Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) July 8, 2020
Even #Sadak2 gives birth to a brand new talent in the form of @Suniljeet72 A music teacher from Chandigarh who came to our office with no prior appointment,a dream,a harmonium & a brilliant song called ‘Ishq Kamaal’ that was absorbed into the film on first hearing by my father.
— Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) July 8, 2020
Pooja had earlier taken a dig at ‘idle outsiders’ amid the nepotism debate. She had written that she was ‘bemused’ by their ‘authority’ and their ‘sheer obsession’ on their ‘conspiracy theories.’ She also shared a pic in a bathtub to state that she had been in ‘hot water’ since the ‘90s and was unfazed by criticisim.
You’re tired. I am bemused. Not only by their authority but also by their sheer obsession.
— Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) June 25, 2020
Alia Bhatt and Soni Razdan, like numerous other star kids who have been receiving abuse online, have turned their comments on Instagram. The latter had also hit out at the trolls, calling it a conspiracy and that it was ‘sponsored hate’ arising out of jealousy.
12:48 IST, July 8th 2020