In a recent interview with the YouTube channel Breaking Stereotypes, Madhu Chopra, mother of actress Priyanka Chopra, shared her candid thoughts on the contentious topic of nepotism in Bollywood. Addressing the ongoing debate, she described the term as one coined by “frustrated people” and emphasised the importance of talent over lineage.
Madhu Chopra commented, “When you bring in talent and merit, then you can’t talk about nepotism. It has been going on for generations in every industry. You would want to give the same opportunities to those you love. Every parent thinks that way. But your responsibility is to hone their talent to deserve that place. Undeserving people get thrown out; nepotism doesn’t last.”
Her remarks come in light of the widespread criticism of the Bollywood industry regarding favouritism towards star kids. Madhu asserted that success relies on talent, stating, “Nobody will put money on you if you are somebody’s son; you have to have talent. I feel nepotism is a word coined by frustrated people who don’t see this.”
Priyanka Chopra Interview
Priyanka Chopra has previously spoken about her struggles in the industry, particularly regarding her status as a non-nepotistic actor. In an interview with Dax Shepard, she recounted a moment of panic following a series of box office failures in 2008. Reflecting on her mother’s concerns, Priyanka shared, “She came to me and said, ‘You know you are going to be 30 soon.’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ She responded, ‘That’s old in this industry. They want to work with 20-year-olds, so you need to think of a revenue stream if you are going to sustain yourself.’”
This stark reality prompted Priyanka to pivot towards production, driven by her mother’s foresight. “It was so sad that she had to come and tell me at my ripe old age of 30 that my career would not be the same,” she recalled.
Highlighting the disparities in opportunities, Priyanka noted, “I was terrified when those six movies did not do well because I’m not a nepo baby. I didn’t have that kind of support which exists in a big way in Bollywood movies. They are multi-generational actors that come in and get multiple opportunities.”
Looking ahead, Priyanka Chopra is set to appear in two Hollywood films: the action-comedy *Heads of State*, alongside Idris Elba and John Cena, and the swashbuckler drama *The Bluff*.