Lately, the conversation around Bollywood’s inclusivity—or lack thereof—has taken another sharp turn. This time, it centers on filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, who recently offered a perspective that has sparked quite a bit of debate across social media and film circles.
Akhtar’s core argument was simple but provocative: If you are working in films, you are part of the industry. The comment that really got people talking was her observation that some actors or aspiring artists feel like they are on the “outside” simply because they aren’t starring in a massive, glossy Dharma Productions or YRF film.
There is a certain segment of the audience and the acting community that equates “making it” exclusively with the high-glamour, big-budget world of Karan Johar. Akhtar’s point is that this mindset creates a false sense of exclusion.
According to her, if you are getting paid to act, if you are on a set, and if you are contributing to a project—regardless of the scale—you are a legitimate member of the Indian film industry.
Zoya’s take is an attempt to democratize the definition of a “film professional.” By her logic The Scale Doesn’t Define the Status working on an indie project for a streaming platform is just as much “being in the industry” as a Diwali blockbuster.
She suggests that some people hold onto a “complaint” or a sense of being an outsider because they haven’t reached a specific, narrow peak of mainstream commercial fame. The moment you sign a contract and step in front of a camera, you have crossed the threshold.
Of course, not everyone agrees with this “all-in-the-same-boat” philosophy. Critics of her statement argue that while everyone might technically be “in” the industry, the access to resources, opportunities, and career longevity is vastly different for those inside the elite circles versus those on the periphery.
While Zoya is encouraging actors to own their space and stop waiting for a specific type of validation, others feel this oversimplifies the struggle of the “outsider.” Being “in” the industry is one thing; having the power to get a movie greenlit is another entirely.
Whether this feels empowering or a bit dismissive depends on who you ask, but it certainly highlights the growing pains of an industry trying to redefine itself in the age of streaming and global content. To know such latest updates tuned to tellyboosters.com Thank you!
