Once upon a time there was a place called Bollywood in India. It was a place different from the rest of India. In a feudal society like India, where getting ahead depended more on your connections, your religion, your race and everything except your ability, Bollywood was the only truly democratic society existing. Like the US of A it had an uncanny ability to attract talent irrespective of background, caste, gender and status. A poor fruit seller called Yusuf Khan could become a superstar and legend called Dilip Kumar. A guy from Gurdaspur who worked as a censor for mail during wartime went on to become Dev Anand. A.R. Srivastava quit a cushy job in Calcutta and struggled for 10 years before going on to become a living legend called Amitabh Bachchan. A radio announcer called Balraj Dutt who interviewed stars on radio, himself costarred with some of them as Sunil Dutt. A girl of Burmese descent sizzled up the screen from the 50´s to the 70´s in innumerable cabaret songs, she was the incomparable Helen. And yes they came from all over to Bollywood, from Karnataka came a sensitive filmmaker called Guru Dutt who gave Indian cinema some of its most enduring classics. From the south came Waheeda Rehman, Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, Rekha, Sridevi and Jayaprada some of the most beautiful and finest actresses ever to have graced the screen. From the east came the glamorous and talented Sharmila Tagore, the bewitching Rakhee, and the homely Jaya Bhaduri. The east also gave us brilliant actors like Utpal Dutt, Uttam Kumar, Ashok Kumar and of course Mithun Chakraborty. And of course who can forget those brilliant Bengali directors Bimal Roy, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee. Aamchi Maharashtra proved that it is no less contributing some of the most brilliant talents Nutan, Tanuja, Smita Patil, Amol Palekar, Dr. Shriram Lagoo and Madhuri Dixit.

               These people just did not come from a place, they also bought along with them the culture of that place, the memories of that place, their experiences . Their struggle to achieve stardom is itself a story. Amitabh Bachchan being rejected by AIR since his voice was not suitable and being dismissed by many a producer as not hero material. Mumtaz´s transition from a B Grade heroine to vamp to the top most star of her era. Dev Anand sleeping on benches outside the famous studios. Rekha´s transformation from an ugly duckling to one of the most beautiful woman of all time. These people again came from different backgrounds. Raj Kumar was a cop, Mithun was an Ex Naxalite, Anand Bakshi served in the army, Basu Chatterjee worked as a cartoonist. And so they bought forth their rich experiences to the movies. This trend continued well into the 80´s and 90´s where actors like Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Jackie Shroff and above all Shahrukh Khan made it without any family surname to their credit. Bollywood for all its faults was the place where any Indian could make it irrespective of what he or she was. It didn´t matter which region you came from, who you were or what your status was. The only thing that mattered was your ability, much again like the US of A.

             And this was what made Bollywood movies so enjoyable and entertaining, in spite of the fact that many of them were quite predictable. Though most of the movies released in every year were junk, there were at least 10-12 good movies which could be watched. But unfortunately in the past couple of years Bollywood  seems to have gone into a shell. Take a look at the number of new heroes who have been coming, almost every one of them seems to be the son of some director, producer, writer, actor or some technician. Its very rarely that we get to hear the success story of some one who doesn´t have a god father in Bollywood or who doesn´t belong to a filmi background. Think deeply, who was the last actor who was successful in Bollywood without any filmi background to boast of. It should be Shahrukh Khan. After that one hasn´t heard of any non star son being a success. Mind you I have nothing against star sons or daughters. There have been some outstanding examples like Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgan, Akshaye Khanna, Sunny Deol, Vivek Oberoi to name a few who have done well. But does that mean there are no talented newcomers outside of Bollywood who don´t have a filmi background, or don´t have any one to push them.

              Take a look at the profile of any one of the actors who have been launched recently. It would read something like this son of a prominent celebrity( read that as actor/ director/ technician/producer/politician). Studied in an university abroad. Learnt acting at some acting school. Would be launched by a big banner with a top notch director. Promoted exclusively by the media. Its been a long time since we have seen a rank newcomer breaking into Bollywood and becoming a top star. The situation seems better as far as actresses go with heroines like Preity Zinta and Bipasha Basu proving that they can make it on their own steam without any props. Its as if Bollywood has become a sort of fortress where outsiders are not welcome, and even if they do come must not aspire for the top job. Much like what Indian companies were in the pre liberalization days where only the family members could aspire for the top seat. This trend in Bollywood comes at a time when ironically Indian society has become more open than before. The IT revolution has turned middle class guys into millionaires, Indian companies have no qualms about pushing professionals for the top spots, Indians are making their mark in every profession without having to account for their status.

                  In such a scenario, where Indian society has been changing at a rapid pace, its surprising that Bollywood seems to be shutting the doors on itself. The producers have every right to promote the star sons and daughters, but they must remember one thing, this would work if they are talented. Try promoting a mediocre actor or actress just because she or he happens to be the daughter or son of so and so, and that would backfire very badly. Its like those ancient kingdoms, they were doing fine as long as the ruler was good, if the successor was bad, those kingdoms too collapsed. Closer home all those family run business just couldn´t compete in post liberalization times since they pushed undeserving members into the top spot regardless of their capability. Bollywood seems to be intent on committing the same mistake where it is pushing some absolutely hopeless actors and actresses just because they happen to be from a filmi background. The result of that could be seen in 2002, where 99% of all movies just sank like the Titanic at the box office.

           Bollywood is in a parlous state today and if it turns itself into a fortress today, it would only be spelling disaster with a capital D. What Bollywood needs to do now start searching for talent, and when I mean talent it is real talent outside. Go outside the confines of filmi families and Miss India finalists. Go beyond Mumbai and cast the net wide. Bollywood has to become what it was. A magnet for attracting the best talent. For that it should inspire confidence among aspirants, that every one is welcome there. Look everywhere in the North, in the South, in the East and the West. Take a look at the struggling extra in your movie, he could be a talented actor who has not got the break. Care to have a look at the guy who keeps on sending you his script, that could turn out to be a winner all the way. India is a nation of a billion people, and there are at least a million talents out there waiting to be discovered. Bollywood  has to open out, and stop being a fortress if it has to rejuvenate itself. The day it becomes a fortress, that would mark the beginning of its end and the death of a million dreams.