The Land of Maharajas..

If you had asked this question two hundred years ago outside of India, you would have got the answer as India... If you ask this question, now, inside of India, you are likely to hear - The Film Industry - as the answer.

Keep away the SRK and Akshay Kumar, close to 75% stars are sons-daughters-nieces-nephews of the 1970's brigade. This is something every movie-going Indian is aware of.

The 60's - 70's brigade - Amitabh, Jaya, Hema, Dharamendra, Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore, Rakesh Roshan, Jitendra, Vinod Khanna, Babita, Rishi.

The 90's - 2000 brigade - Abhishek, Esha, Sunny, Bobby, Twinkle, Saif, Soha, Hrithik, Tushar, Akshay Khanna, Imran, Karisma, Kareena, Ranbir oof...

To me this topic has various subtexts...

1. A bit of marketing - The Art of Brand Transfer

This is not Brand Extension..This is actually a new art called - Brand Transfer, where in, one's constituency of fans is rolled over to the next generation..has been mastered and perfected by these stars....From the styling, the PR, the movies there are some serious brains at work. Like the songs of the father/mother, father or mother co starring..Aamir interviewing Imran etc etc

2. A bit of psychology - Our (Viewers) Subconscious

All our memories are filled with images of the Romantic Rishi, Amitabh's angry young man, Dharam's macho-ness, Vinod Khanna's suavenees...Our subconscious finds it very easy to extend the memory line to accomodate these princes...Doesn't it happen that we keep saying, that he looks like X or she looks like Y...it is our subconscious face-emotion data base in action..In the case of princes the moulds of Dads are already available, we just need to add another floor..While Abhishek is intense in Dhoom and Sarkar, our subconscious very effortlessly accommodates...

3. A bit of culture...

Sons and daughters are rightful claimants of father's / mother's mantle, a belief that is enshrined in our psyche..The acceptance of these princes is just a mere extension of the belief..

4. A bit of Social Studies

When you try looking for similar pattern, in mecca of films, Hollywood, you cannot find..In an era where Narayana Murthy's mantra of creating the world's largest enterprise is 'meritocracy', these icons seem to follow just the opposite..I am not suggesting, that some of these names are not-talented...Some of them are, some are not...that is the key point..The question is that while some people create their stairs and move up..some people just take an elevator..The way opportunities are delivered on a platter, confirms that we are in the land of maharajas..

While a talented actor like Shreyas or Sharman Joshi struggle for roles, you have these Princes getting offers after offers even though one flops after another..The commerce of films is cruel...It just wipes out people...Manoj Bajpai could not survive a couple of flops, inspite of having stupendous talent..But this law does not apply for these princes..They will still continue to get banners...Because their daddies have these great elephants...The great elephants of these modern day maharajas has trampled upon many a great talent..

Thank god, this cannot happen in sport and other fields of art...It can happen only in acting ...That leads to a question...Is acting an easy profession?May be yes, that is why the dads, tend to think, if I can do it, so can you...

God bless them all, but spare a thought for those talent, who are trampled, whose dreams lay shattered and their aspirations squashed...because no one offered them opportunities in a platter..

It is unfortunate, that Shreyas is not a Shreyas Deol or Manoj is not Manoj Bachchan or Sharman is not a Roshan...To quote the great JFK - "There is always inequality in life..Life is unfair "

I hope someday, we begin to put the science behind this trend and why people are readily accepting these princes...