Talent blooms amid nepotism: Meet outsiders writing their success story in Bollywood

Bollywood superstars and big names launching their kids in the film industry has always been the norm. From Raj Kapoor launching Rishi Kapoor in Bobby to Twinkle Khanna getting her first movie Barsaat with Bobby Deol since she was the daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, such things have been very common for many decades. But no one gave it much importance, or it was never discussed much.

However, in the last few years,nepotism and the term "star kids" have become a common topic of hot debate on social media. Incidentally, this is also because many star kids with little talent are repeatedly getting good movies, whereas outsiders who are very good at their craft are struggling to get even a short space on the screen.

Despite all these struggles, there have been a few actors in the last few years who are now getting noticed and slowly are writing their own success stories.

Sanya Malhotra

SANYA THE UNDER-RATED ACTRESS 👏

Sanya Malhotra is far better than the recent NEPO kid in terms of Acting

Yet Bollywood still doesn’t give enough chances to such TALENT 😐 #SanyaMalhotra#Mrspic.twitter.com/IprcyNkWAT

— Filmyverse (@itsfilmyverse) February 21, 2025

The actress debuted in Bollywood with Dangal almost a decade ago. But has started getting lead roles in the last couple of years. Her recently released Mrs. on Netflix is earning rave reviews for her and many Bollywood fans have said that they need to see her doing more such roles in the coming years. Sanya Malhotra is also a good dancer and is now getting opportunities to showcase both her dancing and acting.

Vineet Kumar Singh

Vineet Kumar Singh finally getting the recognition he truly deserves.

This feels like a personal victory ♥️ pic.twitter.com/qVS98cfsCk

— The Cinéprism (@TheCineprism) February 18, 2025

Chhaava has given Vineet Kumar Singh overnight recognition for which he has been struggling for years. As Kavi Kalash his performance in the climax is a major highlight of Chhaava. Recently during an interview, he revealed that after the release of Mukkabaaz, he did not have work for a long time. But now he is glad that he is getting to do movies like Chhaava which he can be proud of.

Harshavardhan Rane

'Tera Chehra', an absolute gem of a song by Arijit Singh from #SanamTeriKasam 💔❤️🥲 pic.twitter.com/hvgD7vbwbp

— Srinivas Reddy Gondesi (@bullseye11007) February 15, 2025

Rane is currently being discussed a lot on social media platforms because Sanan Teri Kasam originally released 9 years ago has now found appreciation from the audience. While when it was released for the first time it failed to earn much, now after its re-release Harshavardhan Rane has suddenly gotten a lot of attention and recognition. In between he also did a few other projects but this Sanam Teri Kasam re-release has given him new hope as the response from the audience has been tremendous.

Jaideep Ahlawat

Jaideep Ahlawat brought Hathiram Chaudhary to life by infusing it with memories of his father’s walk, gestures, and reactions, making the character real and deeply human.

Catch his insights at #ETMESummit!

Know More: https://t.co/xNf7r10D8H#MediaAndEntertainmentpic.twitter.com/I1smJmvqh8

— ET Brand Equity (@ETBrandEquity) February 14, 2025

Currently, he is receiving high appreciation for his performance in Paatal Lok 2. But this brilliant actor who made a foray into Bollywood with Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012 had to wait for almost 8 years to get recognised. It was Paatal Lok who hit the digital platform in 2020 that finally brought him the recognition as a highly talented actor that he always deserved. Now the sequel is also getting an overwhelming response and is sure to take Jaideep Ahlawat ahead in his career.