Why Neil Nitin Mukesh Says Bollywood Can Be ‘Toxic’ and Enjoys Others’ Failures
Neil Nitin Mukesh has seen both highs and lows in his acting career. Because of that, he’s noticed how people’s attitudes change depending on how well someone is doing. In a recent interview with SCREEN, Neil opened up about how the Bollywood industry can sometimes be toxic and negative.
Neil shared that there are people in the film industry who feel happier when someone fails rather than when they succeed.
“In Bollywood, people actually celebrate when a film flops on Friday. They’re happier about failure than success,” he said.
He added that working in such an environment can be difficult. The only way to survive, according to Neil, is by staying passionate and believing in yourself.
Neil also talked about how harsh criticism in the industry can be.
“It gets toxic. I’ve seen it happen many times, and it’s still happening,” he said. He feels that people rarely praise each other’s success unless they are very close.
Another issue he pointed out is body shaming. Neil said that many in the industry focus too much on how someone looks instead of their talent.
“People say things like ‘he should lose weight,’ but why talk about someone’s appearance instead of their acting?” he asked.
Neil shared that when he lost weight for his role in the upcoming OTT dance drama Hai Junoon, people started asking if he was sick. That really bothered him.
He added,
“Sometimes, looking a certain way feels like a disadvantage. I constantly have to explain that my skin tone or my golden hair doesn’t define what kind of roles I can play.” He feels he has missed out on good roles because people judge him based on looks, not his skills.
Neil ended by giving examples of stars who have transformed themselves for roles.
“Even today, Shah Rukh Khan takes on completely different roles. Hrithik Roshan changed his look in Super 30, and Saif Ali Khan played a bold character in Omkara. So yes, sometimes looks can actually hold you back,” he concluded.
Also read: Akshay Kumar’s Heartfelt Reminder to Suniel Shetty in Hera Pheri 3
