Aankhoon Ki Gustaakhiyan is finally out in theaters, launching Shanaya Kapoor’s Bollywood career. While the film has sparked limited buzz, many on the internet are now questioning whether even that attention is organic.
Leading up to the film’s release, Shanaya Kapoor and Vikrant Massey appeared in a string of interviews together, but what caught everyone’s attention was how all of them, in a way, looked rehearsed.
Audiences took notice that, a few minutes into the interview, Shanaya was just repeating everything that she had already said in some of her previous interviews.
It’s no secret that Bollywood today leans more heavily on PR machinery than genuine filmmaking when it comes to launching star kids. The interviews are rehearsed, the star kid is prepped, and a new face is rolled out.
Social media users felt Shanaya is no different from the other Kapoor kids like Sonam, Janhvi, Harshvardhan, Arjun, and Khushi, who were also launched purely for being part of a legacy.
What enraged many online was Shanaya speaking about her struggles while sitting beside Vikrant, who viewers feel has faced real hardships that star kids rarely experience.
Many users also noted that while Vikrant praises Shanaya in every interview, he often appears to be doing it out of obligation rather than genuine admiration.
Fans recalled how much Vikrant had struggled from his Balika Vadhu days until now to make his own mark in the industry, only to get overshadowed by a star kid, who, despite her lack of talent, will eventually get far more opportunities than he could.
Moreover, to make it look like genuine hype, users speculate that Shanaya’s PR switched to bot comments when none of the interviews managed to reach the audience.
The problem isn’t the star kids; it’s the way they are forced on the public by completely tailoring their personalities to make them look like normal people who’ve earned the spot.
Regardless of the lineage, it’s talent that leaves a mark, and star kid or not, only a memorable performance earns attention. If that’s what the Kapoor kids want, they should start paying more to their acting coaches rather than PR teams.
