Shahid Kapoor Says Outsiders Are Not Accepted Easily In Bollywood, Opens Up On Being Bullied In Mumbai

Shahid Kapoor recently spoke about being an ‘outsider’ in the Hindi film industry despite being the son of renowned actors Pankaj Kapoor and Neelima Azeem.

Shahid Kapoor recently spoke about being an ‘outsider’ in the Hindi film industry

Source : Instagram/@shahidkapoor

New Delhi: Actor Shahid Kapoor recently spoke about being an ‘outsider’ in the Hindi film industry despite being the son of renowned actors Pankaj Kapoor and Neelima Azeem. In a new episode of 'No Filter Neha', Shahid shared his journey of making his mark without relying on his parents' influence and addressed the bullying he faced throughout his life. 

Despite his father's background in the film industry, Shahid asserted that he couldn't leverage any advantages to kickstart his career, emphasising that such privileges are reserved for 'stars, superstars, and directors,' not character actors. 

Bollywood for outsiders
The actor expressed concern about the diminishing opportunities for outsiders in the film industry. Shahid attributed his success to his hard work, talent, and the lessons he learned about the craft of acting. However, he noted a troubling trend where predominantly 'insiders' or actors with industry connections are getting opportunities, leading to a decline in the quality of Hindi movies. 

Reflecting on his transition from Delhi to Mumbai, Shahid recalled feeling like an outsider due to his different accent. He recalled facing mistreatment during his school days and the challenges of making friends while constantly moving between rented houses.  

“I didn't have the qualities to be a campy person. I was from Delhi and came to Bombay (Mumbai) and I was not accepted in my class. I was the outsider because my accent was different and I was really badly treated for a long period of time. Then we were living in rented houses and had to shift every 11 months. So I would be in a new building, trying to make friends with people, who did not know me," he told Neha Dhupia. 

It was only in college that he finally felt accepted and found genuine friendships. 

Feeling like an outsider in Bollywood
Upon entering Bollywood, Shahid experienced a similar sense of exclusion. Comparing the industry to school, he remarked that outsiders face difficulty gaining acceptance. 

“I came into this industry and realised ye toh school ke tarah hi hai (This is just like school). Outsiders are not accepted easily here. They have a big issue with how did you manage to come in here. So, for many years I dealt with that. I don't like this campy thing. I think people who want to creatively collaborate with each other should, people who are comfortable with each other should. But that doesn't mean you diss other people and try to put other people down or close the doors to other people,” he said. 

Shahid on bullying
As the discussion unfolded, Shahid expressed his aversion to bullying and revealed his newfound confidence to stand up against it. “And I think that as a teenager or young adult, I didn't have the confidence to fight back but now, if you try to bully me, I will bully you right back. I will bully the bully because they deserve it,” he shared. 

Shahid was last seen in ‘Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Jiya' also starring with Kriti Sanon. He will next be seen in ‘Deva.’