Zoya Akhtar says anyone can enter Bollywood: ‘People just complain because they aren’t in a Dharma movie’

Zoya Akhtar last directed The Archies. (Photo: IMDB)

Ever since Kangana Ranaut took a public swipe at filmmaker Karan Johar nearly a decade ago by branding him as “movie mafia,” terms like nepotism, insider, and outsider have firmly entered the public discourse. The conversation only grew louder during the pandemic and the rise of OTT platforms, which helped actors such as Jaideep Ahlawat and Pankaj Tripathi, often labelled outsiders, find wider recognition. Over the years, the debate has resurfaced repeatedly, often triggered by high-profile projects fronted by star kids, from Nadaaniyan to Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies.

Zoya faced significant backlash for the film, which introduced star kids like Agastya Nanda, Suhana Khan, and Khushi Kapoor. The criticism largely centred on the nepotism debate and whether industry access continues to favour those with film-family backgrounds. Now, in a clip from a podcast by The Swaddle, that has been widely shared on Reddit, Zoya has addressed the issue head-on, offering her perspective on how the industry functions. She said, “Firstly, we have to stop looking at the industry like it’s a room, where you’re either inside or outside. The industry is an infrastructure. Anybody can do what they want. Anybody can make a film. You can come in here, you can do what you want.”

She went on to argue that much of the frustration around exclusion is often misplaced. “See, the point is, a lot of people complain that they are not in the industry. But they’re actually complaining because they’re not in a Dharma film. You understand? It’s not about not being in the industry. You want to act? You can act. And if you’re acting, you’re in the industry.”

Zoya further maintained that a closer look at the broader picture reveals that many newcomers continue to break through every year. “You actually look at the statistics, every year more people who become stars are those who come from outside Mumbai, and from outside the industry, so to speak. They weren’t born into the industry, right? They weren’t born to someone who was already working here.” She also pointed out that despite being born into a film family, her own debut took nearly seven years, while her long-time creative collaborator and business partner, Reema Kagti, an outsider from Assam, made her first film earlier.

Last year, Zoya also addressed the backlash surrounding The Archies while speaking on Komal Nahta’s podcast Game Changers, reflecting on the online trolling faced by the newcomers and whether she felt responsible. “They all are very talented and I would love to work with them again. What I felt terrible about was that they were newcomers. I auditioned them. We gave them the roles. A very professional crew dressed them. There were all the best names in the business involved. I workshopped with them. I okayed the take, so it was me. They just did what I asked them to do. I didn’t like the fact that they were being almost bullied. It wasn’t nice, it was all my responsibility, so I did feel guilty, but then they asked me not to.”