Above is an English translation of the Hindi dialog "Raja ka beta raja hota hai" from Super-30, a Bollywood movie based on a true story of an individual who trained thousands of students free of cost to crack the toughest exam of the country -IIT JEE. He gave the right to education to the poor and turned their life around. In a way, it tried to follow the right to education to prepare for IIT. (I have my own journey of appearing for IIT but saving that story for future )
Although I think the dialog does not completely relate to the true story that producers attempted to portray, but it appropriately relates to the open debate on #nepotism. Triggered by the death of Sushant Singh rajput- SSR, the debate on #nepotism is not looking to end too soon and is becoming a movement greater than #Metoo.
I was very sad after the death of SSR. He was the rank holder (AIEEE Rank 7) and studied in DCE ( Delhi College of Engineering). Such rank holders have got immense mental strength and are fighters, the challenges of life do not bog them down but they face it with unparalleled courage.
Can #Nepotism cause his death? Well, it is not sure whether we may come to know the truth, or will it be buried under history as a death in mysterious circumstances? But the theory of depression doesn’t suit SSR personality.
Talking about nepotism, it is not only in Bollywood but exist in every sphere of life. Has it affected me?, the answer is Yes. Has it affected the entire human race? the answer is yes.
"Everybody is the product of #nepotism"
Remember Mahabharata, the entire epic is based on #nepotism. A blind person, Dhritrasthra is made a king of the clan, and then he wanted Duryodhana, his unworthy son, to be the king which triggered the biggest war of human history.
Why was there a rule that “The king’s son can only be the king” because the forefathers of the clan acquired the region with their struggle and created their own kingdom. Now that they have created the kingdom, then why would they not want their children and future generations to take advantage of their struggle. So in a way, it is right and anybody is free to have a war to put their claim to the throne
Talking about contemporary time, in most of the cases, a family-owned business always has a successor from the same family. Capability is never the ideology behind the selection. But the ideology is that the person who started the company will want his family to continue and not want them to struggle the same way as he did but take it ahead to new heights never attained before. So this kind of nepotism is ok and everybody does that at their level.
In the current debate in Bollywood, no actor shall like to see his children struggle but shall want them to use his network and contacts to start a career. And there is nothing wrong in that. Why would he want his kids to struggle the same way as he did? Out of kindness, and real capability of other people, a person can support others but it can never be the obligation. Now, talking about outsiders and their expectation to get work in big production houses: My question to them why don’t you do the same work what your father did at young age, you will get the benefit of your father’s experience, #Nepotism so to say. If you are doing something new that nobody in your family has done it then you are bound to struggle, it has to happen but your kids, if they follow your path will take benefit of your struggle and move ahead. This is how life works. If you have so much problem with nepotism, then follow your father’s path and take the advantage that you can get out of nepotism.
I also some times crib that my first job is not as some department head or a strategist but merely an employee of a company. But that’s the choice that I made and the struggle I chose, so there is nothing to crib but to work hard and become that much able that your future generation can take some advantage of your struggle and move ahead in life #Nepotsim.
The Ugly Truth
But it does not sometimes end here. Big people with power take advantage of outsiders and desperate people. They do not give them due credit. Female and male wannabes need to compromise to get work. This no doubt is wrong and should be stopped.
What should people do?
You should build on your emotional strength and explore the true meaning of happiness for you. Your desperation and want of social acceptance and respect can make you do crazy things but you have to balance your mind, look into your Life Mirror and find out your true long-term ambition and vision of life.
May be rough, but there will be an alternate route available.
