Saif Ali Khan Has Been A Victim Of Politics & Favouritism In Bollywood, Says Akshay Kumar Experienced The Same
Last time when Saif Ali Khan had spoken about the industry, he was trolled brutally on social media. After all, the son of actress Sharmila Tagore and cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi had said that he was a victim of nepotism.?
He stands by what he said, and in a recent interview, he explained that not only nepotism, but he has experienced favouritism and politics in the industry.?
He says he has battled dark times and phases of lonely struggle.
"There are stories like a film might have come or gone, usually it's me and then once or twice somebody's rung up and said 'oh, I don't know, this film that we offered you might not be offered to you anymore because there's been some politics behind the scene', so you're like 'ok wow'. So, all that has happened."
He said he has been thrown out of films too.
"So, I have been in a situation a couple of times in my career where I've been offered something, it's been done. It's on paper, and the next day I've got a phone call saying, 'it's gone'. I'm like, 'what do you mean it's gone?' They're like 'we can't help it, it's out of our hands, someone important has rung up and said, it's got to be this way, so sorry'. The first time it happened, I couldn't do anything about it because I was too young, and the second time they tried to do it I made a few phone calls myself and said that you can't do this and made a big fuss. Then it came back, and my manager said 'wow'."
Talking about his journey, he added that Akshay Kumar has also struggled in the industry and he knows about it.
"When anything unfair happens, I don't think it is right. That's why I got upset with people ridiculing me for saying I have been a victim of nepotism, because I've also worked hard. People have images in their head that you're all privileged and you've got a palace and what does it even mean to you. But we've had our pretty dark times and our lonely struggles, every one of us have -- especially in my time, I mean, Akshay Kumar would know what I've been through and I know what he's been through."
Despite having experienced all this, Saif Ali Khan says he looks back at his journey with gratitude.?
"I got thrown out of my own movie so we've experienced politics, we've experienced nepotism. We've experienced favouritism, people changing their mind for whatever reason, getting a better offer. The vicissitudes of the industry -- you know the ups and downs of things that happen and therefore, at a certain age you become a bit philosophical, you say 'let me just be happy with what I'm doing'".
"But generally, it's been a really pleasant experience and with lovely people. I think this industry is wonderful and I think it's a meritocracy and it does, it's very non-judgmental, you could be anything and it is one profession where, I think Jackie Shroff once said, a spot boy can be a superstar," he added.?
Saif Ali Khan made the revelations on the podcast of?JioSaavn #NoFilterNeha season 5.
