Bollywood stars Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, in a recent interview, have shared their thoughts on the relevance of star kids and the importance of last names in the Hindi film industry. The couple, in conversation with Film Companion, confessed that they don't like their kids being photographed all the time. During the interview, Anupama Chopra talked to Kareena about the public's obsession with her sons—Taimur and Jeh— and asked, "When you were asked about how much last names matter in the Hindi film industry and has that importance increased or decreased? You said it is decreased. But do you really think that's true given our obsession with star kids and especially yours?” At this, Saif interrupted to say, “The audience and people are so interested in star kids. I mean look at The Archies for example. They're constantly being photographed, constantly being followed. I mean tomorrow if somebody wants to make a movie with one of them, it's not rocket science.” The Archies, cited by Saif, was directed by Zoya Akhtar and marked the Bollywood debut of Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana Khan, Boney Kapoor's younger daughter Khushi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan's grandson Agastya Nanda.
Sharing an incident about his son Taimur, Saif Ali Khan continued, “So I don't know you have to decide where this attention comes from and why it comes. Taimur was doing Taekwondo and people were photographing him. It's on the internet. So, we don't want that kind of attention [for our kids].”
“We don't make the star kid”, Saif said, adding, “We might make him biologically but what makes the star kid is the press, the photographers and then the audience who perhaps quite innocently just want to see a star kid.”
While Anupama Chopra opines that this indicates that the importance of star kids has not decreased, Kareena Kapoor shared, “I think you might have a last name but it doesn't mean you have talent.” To this, Saif Ali Khan added, “…Or that you will be successful. That the audience decides.”
Kareena Kapoor added that having millions of followers on social media doesn't make someone a star either. The actress emphasised, “So in terms of consumption and now with social media, you might get really excited because people look at pictures, you have 30,000 followers, you are getting 40 million likes or whatever—doesn't mean you are a star.”
“…You can buy 30 million followers now,” noted Saif Ali Khan. To this, Kareena Kapoor said, “I am sure you can do anything. But it doesn't mean that you are a star or anything. You have to prove that. You have to prove yourself through your body of work."
Meanwhile, on the work front, Saif Ali Khan was last seen in Om Raut's Adipurush. Up next, he will be sharing the screen space with Jr NTR in Kortala Siva's Devara Part 1. The film, which is slated to release on April 5, also features Janhvi Kapoor in a prominent role.
Kareena Kapoor, on the other hand, is awaiting the release of The Crew. Rhea Kapoor's film also features Kriti Sanon, Tabu and Diljit Dosanjh in prominent roles. The movie will hit the theatres on March 29.
