Jaaved Jaaferi On Nepotism

Jaaved Jaaferi is a talented Indian actor, comedian, and dancer known for his dynamic presence in films, television, and voice acting. With a career spanning decades, he has showcased his versatility in movies like Dhamaal, Salaam Namaste, and Singh Is Kinng. He gained immense popularity as the host and judge of Boogie Woogie, India’s first dance reality show. Also for his hilarious Hindi dubbing of Takeshi’s Castle, which became a cult favorite. Jaaved has also lent his voice to iconic animated characters and played pivotal roles in several Bollywood films. In an exclusive interview, Jaaved opens up about nepotism that goes on in Bollywood.

Jaaved Jaaferi On Nepotism

In an exclusive chat with Bollywood Bubble, Jaaved Jaaferi shares an anecdote about nepotism in Bollywood. He says, “Yeah, that’s the word, unecessary, and I don’t even think it applies too much, like what Bachchan Sahab said, see even if he did launch launch his son, it’s his money and he’s backing what he believes in, it’s upto the audience to accept him or reject him. If they reject it, who would be the loser? Mr Bachchan and his son. So where’s the nepotism? I’m the one taking the risk, I’m the one who’s putting in money, I’m the one putting in effort, toh at the end of the day, the audience is the boss, in one moment they can say, ‘Bakwaas hai,’ they can do that.”

He continued, “So where does nepotism come? My money, my effort, my time so what is your problem? I will back who I feel I want to back you know, so it’s like it doesn’t even apply in the film industry, I mean look at the history, look at the people and the biggest of stars, they have been children of even bigger stars but, if you look at… say Shah Rukh Khan or even Salman Khan, he was rejected on his first film, Biwi Ho Toh Aise, then came Maine Pyar Kiya but, he had to prove it on his own, not because he was Salim Sahab’s son. If that was the case then that film would have been a big-big hit.”

He added, “So I just feel, we have Akshay Kumar…. in the recent times a lot of the actors, I mean right from Mr Bachchan from when he came then Rajesh Khanna Sahab and all these actors and a few like Sanjay Dutt came later then Sunny Deol came.”

He continued, “Bachchan Sahab’s son let’s say, he had so many films after which he was accepted as an actor, he didn’t work, box office wise but he was a good actor and he has improved his craft, so I just feel you have to prove yourself at the end of the day, this nepotism business doesn’t count all the time, you’re not playing with public money, we’re playing with our own money, whoever’s putting in the money.”

On The Work Front

On the work front, Jaaved Jaaferi has continued to explore diverse roles across films and digital platforms. He was recently seen in projects like Looop Lapeta and Jaadugar, where he impressed audiences with his effortless acting. Apart from acting, he remains active in voice dubbing and television, bringing his signature wit and humor to various shows. Known for his versatility, Jaaved seamlessly transitions between comedy, drama, and voice acting, making him a dynamic presence in Indian entertainment.

Watch Full Interview

Interview transcribed & written by Harsh Nargolkar

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