Bobby Deol: If nepotism was at play, I should've never been out of work

Picture Courtesy: Official Instagram Account/Bobby Deol

Bobby Deol started with a bang in Bollywood with Barsaat in 1995 and went on to do successful films like Gupt, Soldier, Ajnabee, and Humraaz. There came a slump in his career in the latter half of the 2000s when his films began to see critical panning and commercial failure. In 2013, after the release of Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, he didn't see any release till 2017 and it was only after 2018 that he was back in action with films like Race 3 and Housefull 4.

The 50-year-old actor, who's the son of Bollywood icon Dharmendra, recently opened up on the raging nepotism debate saying mere family background can never let an actor survive in the cut-throat world of films. Speaking to Filmfare, the actor said, "I'm quite troubled as to why this topic should be blown up in such a manner. I know one thing, if you are a star son, you get the first chance easily. That's the easy part. After that, you're on your own. If you aren't good no one can build your career for you. And nepotism can be seen in every field. The child of a doctor wants to become a doctor, a businessman wants his son to join him in business. Similarly, an actor's son dreams of becoming an actor. At one point in life, I had no work at all. If only nepotism was at play here, I should never have been out of work."

The actor in the interview also talked about the bonding he shared with his father, and how it affected his relationship with his children. "When we were growing up, papa was working hard. So we didn't spend much time with him. I used to go with him for outdoor shootings. People thought and acted in a different way then. The relation between father and children wasn't as smooth then as it's in today's generation. I made it a point to avoid that kind of a distance with my own kids. We have a friendly relationship."

"In earlier times, children respected their parents but didn't open their hearts to them. My father always complains that I don't open my heart to him. He often tells me to sit with him, talk to him and I reply that even today I'm afraid you'll start scolding me. I wanted to take that fear away from my children and perhaps I've been successful in doing so," he added.

Also Read: Bobby Deol: Started Pitying Myself When I Had No Work And Relied On Alcohol

This isn't the first time the actor has talked about nepotism. In an earlier interview, the Race 3 actor said, "Our work has to speak for us to survive in the industry. Everyone comes from a family, but only your family name cannot allow you to last 25 years in the industry. Our parents give us every best thing -- education, upbringing, everything. When we grow up, a doctor wishes his child to become a doctor, and it is true for every industry. Whether a businessman, a media baron, or an industrialist, they all want their children to follow in their footsteps. My father being an actor wanted us to be an actors, too. There was an advantage initially, but that is it. There is a lone journey after that".

On the work front, Bobby Deol was last seen in Aashram and Class of 83. In Aashram, Deol plays a godman called Baba Nirala who has millions of followers and faithful bhakts who have blind faith in his teachings. Aashram also features Aaditi Pohankar, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Anupriya Goenka, and Darshan Kumaar among others.

Class of 83 presents Bobby Deol like the actor has never been presented before. He plays a cop called Dean Vijay Singh, who's struggling with his own demons.

Also Read: Dharmendra: Can't Sit Idle, Will Be Working On Something Interesting Soon

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