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Neil Nitin Mukesh says nepotism never helped him despite belonging to a film family. The actor praises Shah Rukh Khan and Kartik Aaryan as inspirations.
Neil Nitin Mukesh reveals he still struggles to find work and draws inspiration from outsiders like Shah Rukh Khan and Kartik Aaryan.
Neil Nitin Mukesh may belong to one of Bollywood’s most respected musical lineages—he is the son of playback singer Nitin Mukesh and grandson of the legendary Mukesh—but the actor insists that nepotism has never worked in his favour. In fact, he says he is still battling to land his next acting job despite his family background.
In a candid conversation with Screen, Neil said he doesn’t believe in the label “nepotism” when it comes to his journey, “I have had the privilege of being born and brought up in the film fraternity, but my struggle nullifies that word for me. It never helped me; I am still struggling to find my next job. It changes perception, yes. But when it comes to work, nobody has supported Mukesh ji, Nitin Mukesh ji or me in that regard. Three generations have faced enough struggles. We’ve worked very hard all our lives to sustain our craft and put food on the table.”
According to Neil, talent will always outweigh connections in the industry. He believes that no matter how many opportunities come your way, an actor cannot survive without skill, “The current generation of stars… look at Shah Rukh Khan sir, isn’t he the benchmark? Isn’t he the idol, not just for being the biggest superstar in the world, but also for being an outsider who came and conquered? We all draw inspiration, even I do, from actors like Shah Rukh sir or Kartik Aaryan, who hails from a non-film family. He has such a simple and nice family. I love his relationship with his mother and father; it’s very refreshing to see that.”
Neil was last seen in the musical drama series Hai Junoon, alongside Jacqueline Fernandez, Siddharth Nigam, Priyank Sharma, Anushka Sen, Sumedh Vasudev Mudgalkar, Elnaaz Norouzi, Elisha Mayor, and Kunwarr Amarjeet Singh. Directed by Abhishek Sharma, the show is currently streaming on JioHotstar. The actor has yet to announce his next project, but for now, he remains steadfast in his belief that hard work and perseverance—not lineage—are the real keys to longevity in the industry.
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun…Read More
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun… Read More
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