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Published: February 4, 2026 5:37 PM IST 
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For years, film families and Bollywood royalty have been a part of the industry’s fabric. But it was in 2017, after Kangana Ranaut’s famous appearance on Karan Johar’s chat show, that the word ‘nepotism’ became a daily conversation in entertainment news. Now, as Imran Khan prepares to return to films after almost a decade, he has shared his take on a debate he says was always present in the industry.
Imran, who made a memorable debut with Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na in 2008, with the backing of his uncle Aamir Khan, admitted that conversations around privilege and family connections were not new to him.
Imran Khan opens up on nepotism
Speaking to News18, Imran said, “If I made my debut today, I think it would’ve been the same, really. But I certainly heard those things even then. It has been a part of the discourse since I joined the business. In the Indian film industry – I don’t want to single out only the Hindi film industry – there has been a long-standing pattern of it being a family business and there being a lot of incest within (laughs). That has historically been a feature of the industry. So, that conversation has always been around.”
For Imran, the debate didn’t suddenly appear after 2017. He believes it simply became louder.
Why talent changes the conversation
Imran also pointed out that nepotism becomes a talking point mostly when the audience is unhappy with the work being delivered. To explain this, he gave the example of Ranbir Kapoor.
“Ranbir’s from film royalty. His family founded the film industry. But he’s a fantastic actor and nobody has any complaints about that. I really think that the issue comes in when people don’t like the quality of their work. If they don’t think that you’re a good actor or a filmmaker, then they’ll criticise you very rightly,” he said.
Old comparisons with Ranbir Kapoor
Back in the late 2000s, Imran and Ranbir were often compared as the new faces of Bollywood. Ranbir debuted in 2007 with Saawariya, while Imran followed in 2008. Both quickly became national heartthrobs and were seen as competitors.
Today, their journeys look very different. Ranbir has big projects lined up, including Love & War, Ramayana and Animal Park. Imran, meanwhile, is gearing up for his comeback film Adhoore Hum Adhoore Tum.
As he returns, Imran’s words reflect clarity. In an industry where family names may open doors, it is talent that decides how long you stay.
