Shahid Kapoor on being an ‘outsider’ in Bollywood: I will bully the bully because they deserve it

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor considers himself an 'outsider' in Bollywood. Kapoor's parents Pankaj Kapoor and Neliima Azeem are well known actors but Kapoor has revealed that he had to make his way into the Hindi film industry without any help from his parents. 

In a new episode of No Filter Neha, Shahid spoke about how he had faced 'bullying' in his career and that he would not tolerate it anymore. 

Shahid said that while his father was from the film industry, he couldn't really take any advantage of it to kickstart his own career. He said that only 'stars, superstars and directors' have that kind of power, ‘not character actors’.

Outsider in Bollywood

The actor addressed the age-old debate around nepotism and admitted that opportunities are less for outsiders in the film industry. Shahid said he became a known face only because of his work and talent and he learned the craft of acting along the way. 

The actor also candidly stated that the quality of cinema had deteriorated because people who were industry insiders or related to someone within the industry would get opportunities and not talented outsiders. 

Bullied throughout

Shahid Kapoor also spoke about coming to Mumbai from Delhi and how he was the odd one out at his school due to the way he spoke. Shahid said he had been treated as an outsider all his life. “I didn't have the qualities to be a campy person (part of a Bollywood camp). I was from Delhi and came to Bombay (Mumbai) and I was not accepted in my class. I was the outsider because my accent was different and I was really badly treated for a long period of time. Then we were living in rented houses and had to shift every 11 months. So I would be in a new building, trying to make friends with people, who did not know me," he said. 

It was finally in college that he felt accepted and found some friends.

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya review: Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon's film is an over indulgent story on AI

Shahid recalled that he felt the same when he started working in films. “I came into this industry and realised ye toh school ke tarah hi hai (This is just like school). Outsiders are not accepted easily here. They have a big issue with how did you manage to come in here. So, for many years I dealt with that. I don't like this campy thing. I think people who want to creatively collaborate with each other should, people who are comfortable with each other should. But that doesn't mean you diss other people and try to put other people down or close the doors to other people. And I think that as a teenage or young adult I didn't have the confidence to fight back but now, if you try to bully me, I will bully you right back. I will bully the bully because they deserve it."

Shahid was last seen in the romantic comedy Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya which also co-starred Kriti Sanon. The film has collected Rs 150 crore (Rs 1.5 billion) at the box office.