Is Hindi Fluency the New Nepotism: How Language and Local Culture Decide Bollywood Stardom

Is Hindi fluency the new nepotism? Fans say language and local culture now mark Bollywood stardom more than family ties. The debate centers on Raghav Juyal's claim that command of Hindi and close ties to local culture can separate successful from non-nepo stars, with Aryan Khan cited as a case study ^[1].

Language as gatekeeper: Post 1 argues Hindi fluency and cultural proximity function as a merit signal in a global market. By naming Aryan Khan as an example, the thread raises how insiders and outsiders are judged not just by pedigree but by language and roots ^[1].

Roundtables and privilege: Jim Sarbh schooling Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor on nepo privilege during Rajeev Masand's roundtable fuels the insider-outsider debate ^[2]. The exchange shows how public forums shape which careers count as fair fight, not just which surname you carry ^[2].

Outsider vs insider: Post 3 argues Akshay Kumar deserves outsider respect alongside SRK. It contrasts SRK's theatre-to-film grind with early challenges, illustrating how persistence, and who leans on privilege, can crop up in who finally gets a big break ^[3].

Bottom line: language, roots, and cultural proximity are reshaping what ‘merit’ looks like in Bollywood’s global run. The conversation isn’t about scrapping nepotism—it’s about reframing who gets to be in the spotlight.

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