The ongoing discussion around nepotism in the Kannada film industry took an interesting turn when actor Shivarajkumar responded strongly to the subject while attending a screening of Mango Paccha, starring Sanchith, nephew of actor Kichcha Sudeep.
The debate began during a recent press interaction for the film when Sudeep was asked about nepotism. Responding to the question, the actor had remarked, "It all started with Dodmane, didn't it? Have you ever asked Shivarajkumar this question?" His comment sparked discussions online, prompting both criticism and support.
On Sunday, when Shivarajkumar attended a screening of Mango Paccha alongside Sudeep, Sanchith and along with the film's team, the media once again brought up the issue. Referring to Sudeep's earlier remark, a journalist asked Shivarajkumar why such questions had never been directed at him.
Reacting immediately, Shivarajkumar expressed his disappointment with the very nature of the question. "I watched that video. But why are you asking that question in the first place? It is not even a question that needs to be asked," he said.
The veteran actor went on to share his views on opportunities in cinema, emphasizing that dreams are not reserved for people from film families alone.
"It is not only their children or these people's children who should come and dream of being in cinema. Every human being, every child, has the right to dream. Anyone's children can enter the film industry. Even you can come. There is an opportunity for everyone here," Shivarajkumar stated.
Earlier, Sudeep had also clarified his position after his comments were widely debated. He said that actors Shivarajkumar and the late Puneeth Rajkumar became stars because of their talent and hard work, not because of nepotism.
"If nepotism alone guaranteed success, every star's child would automatically become a star. Since the days of Dr Rajkumar, audiences in Karnataka have supported talent above everything else. If you have talent, you will grow. People do not judge you based on which family you come from," Sudeep explained.
Bringing the discussion to a close, Sudeep added that Kannada cinema should not be viewed through the same lens as Bollywood's nepotism debate. According to him, Kannada audiences have always celebrated merit and artistry, making talent the ultimate deciding factor.