Depression and Suicide, These are the Problems Sushant Singh Rajput Faced in Bollywood Suspected to be a Victim of Nepotism

Kapanlagi.com - Sushant Singh Rajput decided to commit suicide due to experiencing depression. He was allegedly under pressure because of the strong practice of nepotism gripping the Bollywood industry.

During his lifetime, Sushant, who can be considered an outsider in Bollywood, faced many problems in his career in the film industry. Sushant's death has prompted many entertainment industry professionals in India to voice for justice for actors and actresses who do not come from celebrity families so that they can still survive and be recognized for their acting abilities, not their family background.

1. Not From an Artistic Family

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Sushant Singh Rajput had no connections when he stepped into the Indian entertainment industry. With his desire to be like Shahrukh Khan, Sushant entered the world of acting and began his career as a television star.

With his excellent acting skills, Sushant felt confident to venture into the world of films. However, it was not an easy journey for Sushant to enter Bollywood, although he eventually managed to do so.

2. Sushant's Thoughts on Nepotism

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A few years ago, Sushant discussed nepotism in Bollywood. He admitted that he couldn't do anything about it and felt fine as long as he could coexist.

"You can't do anything about it. We can coexist with nepotism and have no problem with it. Unless at the same time, someone's talent is left unexplored, then there will be a problem. The entire industry structure will collapse someday. But until then, it's fine. Nepotism can coexist with talented people, and you will get good films because they will compete with each other and it will improve performance," said Sushant as quoted from Indianexpress.com.

3. Sushant's Problem with Aditya Chopra

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When the cause of Sushant's death was revealed to be depression related to professionalism, the Indian public remembered Sushant's issues with Aditya Chopra. A few years ago, Sushant made Aditya angry and it had a long-lasting impact on his career.

The reason was that Sushant rejected a film offer from Aditya Chopra. He didn't take the offer from Rani Mukherjee's husband because he wanted to play in the film PAANI that he had been preparing for 11 months.

But because Sushant rejected Aditya's offer, the producer got angry and reportedly sabotaged the PAANI project. Suddenly, the production house refused Sushant as the lead actor and it made the actor very depressed.

A few years after that incident, Sushant answered the question of whether he regretted rejecting Aditya for PAANI. And here is his answer.

"I understand that I am a newcomer in this industry and the producer has invested a lot of money, so he will hesitate. But that doesn't change the fact that if you decide not to make the film, you can't give me another film project, just because you know that I have said no to so many films. That didn't happen. If he (Aditya) offered me a role in his film and felt that I would be good in it, I would definitely do it," said Sushant as quoted from Koimoi.com.

It didn't stop there, Sushant's issues with Aditya only grew worse. There were two film projects initially offered to Sushant, GOLIYON KI RASLEELA RAM LEELA and BEFIKRE, but suddenly his name was changed because Aditya was reportedly still heartbroken.

Both projects were then given to Ranveer Singh, who until now is Aditya Chopra's favorite child. But Sushant did not discuss this and refused to answer when asked by journalists.

Although Ranveer is a great actor in his own right, the Indian public is reluctant to let go of the fact that he is the cousin of Sonam Kapoor, also known as Anil Kapoor's niece.

4. Trouble with Salman Khan

In addition to having problems with Aditya Chopra, Sushant was also mentioned to have problems with Salman Khan. In 2017, Salman got angry at Sushant for fighting with Sooraj Pancholi at a party.

Everyone knows that Salman is like a foster father to Sooraj. He always stands up for and defends people close to him, and he will do anything.

Although Sooraj and Sushant denied that they fought, the fact that Sushant never got a project from Salman Khan fueled the rumors of their feud.

Salman was accused of being one of the causes of Sushant's depression because his production house never offered him a project. Instead of choosing an actor with great acting skills, Salman was accused of favoring Sooraj, who has average acting skills but comes from an artist family.

Sooraj Pancholi is the biological son of Aditya Pancholi, an old actor who is still active in Bollywood. Unfortunately, Sooraj's debut project in Salman's hands was not successful. Many still can't forget the case of Sooraj with Jiah Khan, who committed suicide due to depression some time ago, and it tarnished Sooraj's reputation in India.

5. Often Underestimated

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So difficult to gain trust in Bollywood, experienced by Sushant until the end of his life. Despite his excellent acting skills, he was not known as an A-class actor because he did not come from an artist family.

The public still remembers well how Sara Ali Khan's mother, Amrita Singh, once looked down on him. When Amrita asked for her daughter to debut in a good film and be paired with Sushant, Saif Ali Khan's ex-wife initially refused.

When the script for KEDARNATH was presented, Amrita initially did not want Sara to be paired with a B-class actor because she was afraid the film would not sell. Meanwhile, the debut project is very important for the career of a Bollywood actress, so Amrita became very selective.

But the director of KEDARNATH convinced Amrita that Sushant was the perfect choice. And indeed, the project was successful in the market and broke into the Bollywood box office in early 2019.

6. Suspected to be Banned by Many Production Houses

Not only having issues with YRF and Salman Khan Production, a Twitter account stated that Sushant Singh Rajput was also banned by Balaji Telefilms, Dharma Production, and several other major production houses in Bollywood.

The account named @KRKBoxoffice did not mention the reason why Sushant did not get projects from those major production houses. However, the public suspects it is because of the strong presence of nepotism projects from several production houses.

Not exempted from this is Karan Johar, who is accused by the public as the mafia of nepotism in Bollywood. The production house Dharma Production under his wing, almost exclusively launches artists from the upper-class celebrity circle. Karan also becomes the main support for celebrity families when launching their children, such as Janhvi Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Sara Ali Khan who made their debut under his supervision.

7. Sushant's Death Revives Nepotism Issue in Bollywood

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Now Sushant's death has brought up the issue of nepotism in Bollywood. Many celebrities have spoken out about the depression that is suspected to have led Sushant to commit suicide.

Actress Kangana Ranaut, who has been vocal about eradicating nepotism in Bollywood, has accused Karan Johar as the main culprit. According to her, Karan is the epitome of nepotism in Bollywood and it never ends.

"In my biopic film, if it were to be made, you (Karan Johar) are the stereotypical Bollywood figure who is arrogant and intolerant towards outsiders. (You are) the flag bearer of nepotism, the film mafia," she said some time ago.

Kangana also regrets Sushant's decision to end his own life. According to the star of the film MANIKARNIKA, those who hindered his career and underestimated his abilities should be the ones receiving karma.

"He doesn't remember what his mother told him. Those people want to write history, and in it, they write that Sushant was a weak-minded person. They won't say what actually happened. So, we need to decide who will write history. We will decide that," Kangana said in a short video uploaded on Instagram.

(kpl/phi)