Babil Khan’s sad outburst labelling Bollywood the “fakest industry” is a reflection of the deeply ingrained issues festering in the Hindi film industry: bullying, hypocrisy, and a deeply rooted hierarchy that even nepotism cannot protect you from.
His video-in which he tagged colleagues such as Ananya Panday, Shanaya Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, and Siddhant Chaturvedi-elicited worry, not only for his mental well-being, but for the toxic culture that still prevails behind Bollywood’s glitzy enviroment.
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The response from the industry was stereotypically defensive; his PR apparatus was quick to say that his words were taken out of context and that he was actually thanking the people he named.
But this is not merely an issue of one actor having a bad day. Exclusion and bullying stories-from Randeep Hooda being excluded during promotion for “Highway” to Aparshakti Khurana being kept off stage-are all too frequent.
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The hypocrisy is stark: actors who proclaim themselves advocates for mental health awareness indulges in the same behaviour they publicly decry.
But let us not overlook the fact that Bollywood has provided a stage for Babil Khan-he was among the leads in Yash Raj Films’ hit series “The Railway Men.” With the mantle of Irrfan Khan and actual good wishes from many in the industry, Babil will get more opportunities.
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But Bollywood is not for the faint of heart. Instead of succumbing to despair, one should draw strength from Shah Rukh Khan’s struggle, who had to make his own way through pure grit, rather than the unfortunate end of Sushant Singh Rajput.
The business is merciless, but toughness and honesty-and not victimhood or silence are the only means to endure and transform its culture.
