Indian media outlets are a thorn on everyone’s side and in 2020, they were especially problematic. From aiding and abetting the disgusting witch hunts of innocent actors (Rhea Chakraboty) to fanning the flames of hate towards Bollywood by giving bottom-feeding cretins (Kangana Ranaut) a permanent soapbox, Indian media outlets were acted especially irresponsibly in 2020, an especially tumultuous year.
5. Nepotism
Enough already. Indians are too hung up on this common practice, a practice that is entrenched in every part of life all across Asia, Africa and other developing regions, when it comes to Bollywood but not when it comes to any other businesses in India. They need to stop. I think we can all agree that there are actors in Bollywood who got their foot in the door because of their family connections who are far better than actors who came from nothing. I think Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt for example are much better actors than say Akshay Kumar or John Abraham or even Ayuushmann Khurrana (yeah I went there and what?)
Americans do not care about nepotism in Hollywood. They really don’t. “Nepotism only with Bollywood mafia!” No it isn’t, bitch. Look at Angelina Jolie (Jon Voight’s daughter), Emilio Estevez (Martin Sheen’s son and Chuck Sheen’s brother), Gwyneth Paltrow (Blythe Danner’s daughter), Solange Knowles (Beyonce’s sister), Michael Douglas (Kirk Douglas’ son), Jaden Smith, Tori Spelling, umm MILEY CYRUS?!
I’ve never heard any groaning and moaning from my mostly American friend circle about these actors’ connections and how it helped them get a foot in the door. Americans actually really like all these actors and know that they carried their careers through their own sheer talent and star power, not because they’re the sons and daughters of whomever. If they couldn’t, they would have ended up as Jaime Spears. Who? Exactly!
4. Kangana Ranaut
I think we all owe Hrithik Roshan a humungous apology.
3. FIR
A South Asian police document that’s short for “First Information Report” – everyone and their grandmother in Bollywood received one of these in 2020 and for no discernible reason whatsoever. From SRK to Ajay Devgn to Rhea Chakraboty (sending you love, girl) to Anushka Sharma, yes Anushka Sharma; it all got a little bit much. Stop. Just stop.
2. Sushant Singh Rajput
Ever heard the saying – “let the dead rest in peace?” Apparently, that does not apply to Sushant Singh Rajput. Every morally depraved dirtbag, including newspaper editors, dragged Sushant’s good name through the mud for their own personal agenda and it honestly became mentally exhausting after a while. Indian papers reported a new, unsubstantial angle to the drama every single hour for months on end to further viewership and Kangana, who of course never met the man when he was alive, spoke about him endlessly to fuel the general public’s hatred towards the Bollywood establishment.
Sushant Singh Rajput was one of the few Bollywood A-listers whom you never heard anything negative about, who had no major issues with anyone and who just always seemed like a perfect gentleman. If he saw all the pointless drama and commotion that got stirred up in his name, chances are he wouldn’t be happy about it all.
Let the poor man rest.
1. Patriotism
Patriotic, which is the antonym to the term “anti-national” in India, movies are now a dime a dozen in Bollywood. These sappy, schmaltzy cash grabs are nothing more than calculated efforts to pull on the average Indian’s heartstrings. They also have the potential of further deepening sectarianism in India if Akshay Kumar or Ajay Devgn are involved in their production.
I realize this trend won’t die in 2021 but I can dream, can’t I?
