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Sushant Singh Rajput’s demise: Huge loss and a wake-up call on many levels
Sushant Singh Rajput passed away at the age of 34 in Mumbai. His untimely demise has left the entire film industry shocked but has also raised certain questions.
Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely death has shocked people and it’s still unbelievable news for the ones who knew him. Social media is flooded with messages, condolences and theories behind the drastic step taken by the actor. Sushant was found dead in his Bandra apartment and there were reports about him suffering from depression for the last six months.
It is definitely a huge loss. But it’s also a wake-up call on many levels for the industry and the society as a whole.
The nepotism debate
After his demise, many celebrities spoke about mental health and its importance but some also questioned Bollywood and its hypocrisy. A few years back, Kangana Ranaut opened the Pandora box, questioning the prevalent nepotism in the industry.
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur was supposed to work with Sushant on an ambitious project, Paani but got shelved after YRF backed out as producers.
The Bollywood Privilege Club must sit down and think hard tonight.
PS- Now don't ask me to elaborate any further.
Karan Johar and Alia Bhatt too put up condolence messages but by then the social media had turned into a war ground where Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha got trolled and accused of nepotism. He was appreciated by critics for his debut, for his noteworthy performances in Sonchiriya, Chhichhore, among others. His films were also not just critics' choices, it did decently well in revenue terms. It is indeed shocking that despite having been part of films that have done remarkably well at the box office, his film Drive had an OTT release. Sushant’s career was many times compared with Shah Rukh Khan’s journey from TV to Bollywood. Yet, it’s shocking that the actor didn’t have one industry friend who he could confide in.
There are many tweets and comments where the celebrities have half-confessed that they knew but did nothing about it. What’s the benefit of a public expression of guilt trip now? Yes, nepotism exists in all industries. But when you not just promote nepotism but also create hurdles for upcoming talents with no Godfathers, the industry must be held accountable. The worst we can do is to pass off the struggle as ingenuine. At least give due credit to those who deserve it.
Respect the dead
It didn’t take much time before pictures of Sushant started circulating on chat groups. There were discussions floating conspiracy theories on what could have been the reasons, turning this into a vulture attempt in whodunnit. It’s vulturism and highly disrespectful. Did he deserve it?
Fairweather friends
Ugte sooraj ko salaam, is a phrase which is often used to state how the industry functions. Fairweather friends and death in oblivion are curses that continue to haunt the industry. From Bhagwan Dada, Meena Kumari, Lalita Pawar, A K Hangal, to even Parveen Babi, there are many such instances where the industry forgot the stars once they held high on their shoulders. It’s time for us to take a pause and reflect: are we ready to live up with this anymore?
Actor-Producer Nikhil Dwivedi's tweet questioned Bollywood whether they are in touch with few other actors who might not be popular today.
Udaan actor Rajat Barmecha too questioned where the industry was when Sushant needed them.
DON’T JUST SAY THINGS...FUCKING MEAN THEM! #Bollywood #Media #Hypocrites https://t.co/3UcGhTfLVK
Mental health
According to the World Health Organisation, India has the highest suicide rate in South East Asia (at 16.5 suicides per 100,000 people).
There is still a stigma attached to mental health issues. Our sporadic outburst in support and acknowledgment of the issue isn’t enough. Every time we hear a celebrity speak about it, it becomes a bandwagon with all and sundry jumping on the issue, and then it fades away. On social media, the industry unites and agrees that it’s a critical issue and has to be dealt with. On the other hand, films continue to highlight mental health as a matter of joke. Where does the sensitivity vanish when we jest about such issues?
