Vihaan Samat on disappointment of losing film to a star kid: ‘The father, mother, uncle, whatever, was funding the film'

Hindustan Times

13 hours ago

The debate around nepotism in Bollywood continues to spark conversation, especially as many outsiders find themselves being replaced by star kids in major projects. In a recent conversation with Free Press Journal, Vihaan Samat opened up about losing a role in a film due to nepotism. Vihaan Samat recalls being replaced by a star kid in a film.
Vihaan revealed, "There has been a movie that I wanted to do, and they eventually gave it to someone who was son, daughter, nephew of someone. And because that person, who was the father, mother, uncle, aunt, whatever, was funding the film. That's how and that's why they went that way. So, I mean, really, can you blame them? Because they are literally spending money on a movie. So the movie probably wouldn't be made if they didn't have a reason to spend that money. So I'm sure there's been a couple of instances that have happened. You kind of just learn how to ignore that and move on. But it was a bit disappointing.'
He added, "I also think any of us, if we're parents, we want to give our children the best possible future. So I think that's what's happening in terms of the way people are funding things, the way people are casting things. Now, does that mean that people who might be more naturally suited or naturally fit the background of the role miss out on that role? Yes. Is that disappointing? Yeah, it is disappointing. But it's like saying, is life disappointing? Yeah, it is disappointing. But are you going to go and say that life is unfair, change it? You do your best, and hopefully your efforts will be rewarded in due course.'
Vihaan added that even though the journey in the entertainment industry is complicated and tough for an outsider, with the path not usually visible, it eventually ends up being fruitful. Vihaan Samat's work so far
Vihaan Samat began his career with a supporting role in the feature film Worth, starring Michael Keaton. He rose to prominence with Netflix's Mismatched, which earned him recognition. Since then, Vihaan has appeared in shows like Eternally Confused and Eager for Love and the upcoming series Call Me Bae, alongside Ananya Panday. He also featured opposite her in the film CTRL, further cementing his growing presence in both web and film projects.
He was last seen in the web series The Royals. Helmed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana and written by Neha Veena Sharma, the show also features Bhumi Pednekar, Ishaan Khatter, Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Vihaan Samat, Dino Morea, and Milind Soman. While the first season received criticism for its portrayal of royal families and the performances of some cast members, it has now been renewed for season 2.