Zoya Akhtar's upcoming film The Archies marks the debut of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan's daughter Suhana Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan's grandson Agastya Nanda, and Boney Kapoor and late Sridevi's daughter Khushi Kapoor. The filmmaker has been questioned over her decision to cast star kids in her movies since the film's announcement.
Now, Zoya's dad and veteran lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar, who has also penned songs in The Archies, has defended his daughter and even said that nepotism is not possible in the Hindi film industry as someone will only succeed in the industry when they are accepted by the audiences.
Speaking at the Sahitya Aaj Tak event, Javed said in Hindi, "The talk about nepotism in the film industry always goes on. Nepotism can happen everywhere in the world, but not here. Why? Here, it's like an election that isn't rigged. Here, a person will only succeed if they are liked by the audience. So, you can't make someone a star here. Stars are made by the audience."
He further explained himself as he added, "Nepotism happens when you help someone who doesn't deserve it at the expense of someone else. I work in a company, people have trusted me and those who are from my city, I'm getting them jobs. There's no risk for me in that. That is nepotism. It can happen in bureaucracy, in agencies where lower-level individuals get the power to hire people. But here, it's not nepotism because the person here is taking their own risk. They are not relying on someone else."
The 78-year-old poet stated, "If a producer's son says, 'I want to become a hero.' He's making a movie with his own money, not someone else's. He's taking the risk; if the movie fails, the producer will incur losses, but if it works, it's okay. So how is this nepotism? If this is the measure of nepotism, then all industrialists, businessmen, and wealthy people in the world are nepotistic; they hand over their entire business and property to their children. This is a wrong definition of nepotism."
Talking about Zoya's decision to cast Suhana, Agastya, and Khushi in her film, her dad Javed said, "We make movies at our own risk. Zoya is making a movie at her risk. Tomorrow, if anything goes wrong, it's not like the government's money or some other industrialist's money will be lost. It's her own money that will be at stake. She is taking the risk. She has every right to involve anyone she wants; she shouldn't be questioned. She is taking the risk; it's her project and she is backing it."
Also starring Mihir Ahuja, Vedang Raina, Aditi 'Dot' Saigal and Yuvraj Menda, The Archies will start streaming on Netflix from December 7.
READ | Zoya Akhtar slammed for saying media is responsible for nepotism, netizens say 'she is gaslighting the audience'
