Bias and favouritism had long existed in the industry, but Sushant's death sparked a nationwide "enough is enough" mentality. Heated disputes erupted on social media about the actor not being treated equally or given his due.
Though nepotism exists in all fields, it became more apparent in Hindi cinema after the death of SSR. Even after a year, the rage hasn't subsided. If you look at the top tweets on SSR on any given day, you'll notice that devoted supporters aren't willing to let the crusade die. Fans of the actor continue to demand equal treatment for all in Bollywood, referring to June 14 as "Anti-Nepotism Day."
Mumbai Police had questioned several major figures, including producers Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar, during their investigation into Sushant's death, who moved from being an "outsider" from Patna to the hero of films like MS Dhoni: The Untold Story and Chhichhore. While the whole industry mourned its passing, the nepotism discussion caused unprecedented rifts and ripples. Bollywood became a divided house as the industry's veneer was peeled away to reveal its inner workings.
She called Sushant's death "murder" and accused Bollywood heavyweights of plotting against him. Apurva Asrani, a screenwriter, and Simi Garewal, an actress, complimented Kangana for speaking out against nepotism.
In an Instagram live talk with filmmaker Shekhar Kapur last year, Manoj Bajpayee, Sushant's Sonchiriya co-star, tried to reason the angst. “People saw Sushant as a hero, (someone) who emerged from among them, and the loss of that representation has made those people angry,” he had stated. He also stated that "the industry's lack of fairness is just the way the world isn't."
Actors such as Aahana Kumra and Amol Parashar have admitted that their families are concerned about their mental health and resilience as they continue to pursue this risky career in a ruthless industry. Some performers acknowledged that being born into the industry allows them to go right in without having to waste time developing contacts.
Sonu Sood says that celebrity kids will always have greater access to resources than those who do not work in the film industry and that he is proud when an outsider succeeds in the city.
Several directors have slammed the label "Bollywood" as a result of the discussion. “ENOUGH!!! I am resigning from the Bollywood industry. Director Anubhav Sinha's tweet, "Whatever the f*** that means," received praise from Hansal Mehta and Sudhir Mishra. Anurag Kashyap, a filmmaker, also spoke up, claiming that no one had worked with outsiders as much as he had and that he was speaking up because he didn't want people to change the industry's narrative.
While Bollywood fans continue to adore star kids, whose social media following increases even before their films are released, calls for a level playing field for all continue to grow. Because Bollywood is made up of so many people, it's difficult to say how long it will take to make a difference. However, it is hoped that the indignation sparked by Sushant's death would continue, resulting in more deserving candidates receiving opportunities.