Published 14:01 IST, June 24th 2020
Rahul Bhat fumes at Bollywood amid nepotism row, Onir recalls being replaced by filmmaker
Rahul Bhat fumed at Bollywood practices like paid news and media net amid the nepotism row. Onir recalled being replaced by a more 'established' filmmaker.
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The big names of the film industry are currently being called out for nepotism, favoritism and campism in the wake of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. Not just are the netizens fuming at the star kids, and trolling them, even the celebrities are opening up on the injustice meted out to them in the industry. Kangana Ranaut and some of the other stars have been sharing the times when they were ‘bullied’.
Rahul Bhat and Onir also voiced their views on Twitter. Rahul Bhat wrote that merely 'shouting' about nepotism was not enough. The Ugly film actor shared that a level playing field needed to be created, which was only possible by putting a cap on the costs for Print and Advertising of a film.
Here's the tweet
There should be a cap on the PNA spent on each film , sirf #Nepotism chillane se kuch nahi hoga . We have to start with the basics , make a level playing field first then let all compete #Bollywood
— Rahul Bhat (@RahulBhatActor) June 22, 2020
Onir agreed with Rahul's view and felt that was the only way that ‘indie’ films that cast 'outsiders' could get ‘visibility.’ The filmmaker also pointed out the functioning of the ‘media net’, in other words, how the banners use paid articles for publicity.
The I Am director also shared how the studios tie up with a set of banners and the filmmakers of smaller films have to tie up with ‘bigger players’, and earn ‘minuscule’ as they have to partner with brokers to sell their film. He also shared that since the saleable artists" were tied to the big banners, the entire chain led to ‘disempowering' of talent and continued nurturing of 'talent.'
Very important point.Unless there is a cap in PNA there is no way indie films which usually cast "outsiders" get visibility. Another aspect in "media net" which makes sure that the potential viewers r only bombarded by paid for articles of films and talent from bid production 1/1 https://t.co/hr25KollEf
— Onir (@IamOnir) June 22, 2020
houses. paid media has made sure that there is minimal visibility for indie's . Media needs to reevaluate its obsession with chasing star kids from the cradle... Wish entertainment journalism would speak more about cinema then gossip. 1/2
— Onir (@IamOnir) June 22, 2020
Platforms/ studios make multi film deals with a set of production houses, so the indies have no choice but to tie up with "bigger players" .When you want to market your films, unless u go through aggregators/brokers its difficult to sell your film. so ultimately what you make 1/3
— Onir (@IamOnir) June 22, 2020
is miniscule. So called "saleable artists" are tied to those banners.... the entire chain nurtures disempowering much of talent and nurturing a handful of "talent" .
— Onir (@IamOnir) June 22, 2020
In another set o ftweets on Tuesday, Rahul wrote that a few ‘monopolised’ the business, by earning crores and spending crores on publicity of ‘bad films’ every week and ‘hoarding theatres’ by cracking deals with the cinema owners for every show. The actor wrote that due to COVID-19, the cinemas were empty and nepotism was trending. He added that it was a ‘bad time’ for them.
Few people monopolised the business in Bollywood , made crores and threw crores on publicity of bad films , week after week ,hoarded theatres , booked everything , every show in cahoots with cinema owners - today cinemas are empty and #nepotism is trending, BAD TIME GUYS
— Rahul Bhat (@RahulBhatActor) June 23, 2020
Rahul also wrote that during the release of his film Daasdev there was 'pressure' on him to feature on front pages of newspapers and magines. However, he refused when he was asked to pay lakhs for the coverage, questioning the need to participate in it. He added that an emerging actors finds it hard to climb up the ladder unless they can pay, have a godfather, crack these ‘barter deals’ with media, or get pally with the big names.
I remember how much pressure was on me when #Daasdev released people expected me to be on the front pages BT/magazine covers etc they were asking for lacs - I refused .Why should I pay in the first place to get written about?u create that pressure and that is #Nepotism #medianet
— Rahul Bhat (@RahulBhatActor) June 23, 2020
Rahul defended the act of launching a name from the film industry, but expressed his displeasure at ‘thrusting’ the product by ‘manipulating the market’, even after films flop.
Stars have all the right to launch their kids,wrong to criticise that #Nepotism is when you thrust your product by manipulating the market,it’s when film after film flops even then the market remains intact and on the other hand with no god father most likely u r out of the game
— Rahul Bhat (@RahulBhatActor) June 23, 2020
Onir also shared similar views on launching new talent with films like Shab and Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz, sharing how the media refused to give them coverage unless they paid for it, and called it ‘problematic.’ The filmmaker also said that slamming nepotism was not about discouraging the star kids, but to empower those deserving and talented who he claimed were denied opportunity by 'blatant discrimination.'
In 2017 I introduced a new talent as main lead in my film SHAB & in 2018 2new talents in Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz. I remember how most big media refused to unless paid interview them.That is how media (many of them screaming murder now ) supports new talent . Media net is problematic https://t.co/s9pVerYdB7
— Onir (@IamOnir) June 23, 2020
Calling out on Nepotism does not mean denying talent just because someone belongs to the industry.
— Onir (@IamOnir) June 23, 2020
It is about empowering all those deserving and talented denied opportunity by blatant discrimination. It’s about marginalising talent and creating a non inclusive space.
Onir gave another example from 2007 of being replaced in a film, after being signed a big banner. He recalled how he went for recce to Melbourne, but upon returning, a ‘more established filmmaker’ had joined the team as he promised ‘bigger strs.’ He remembered that the other filmmaker later told him that Onir could’ve done a better job on the film.
In 2007 I was signed up by a big studio to make the remake of a well know film.The creative team loved the script. I went for recce to Melbourne. I returned And was dropped as a much more established film maker promised bigger stars. He never even called me before taking over. https://t.co/4k2XKy71eS
— Onir (@IamOnir) June 24, 2020
Years later the original film maker and producer met me and said , I would have done justice to their film much more . But that was never the point .
— Onir (@IamOnir) June 24, 2020
14:01 IST, June 24th 2020