Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty has caused tremors by dropping a bombshell in joining the raging debate on nepotism in the aftermath of Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide. Reacting to filmmaker Shekhar Kapur’s ‘kiss of death’ tweet, Pookutty said that he too had stopped getting work in Bollywood after he won Oscar award for his film Slumdog Millionaire.
He wrote, “Dear @shekharkapur ask me about it, I had gone through near breakdown as nobody was giving me work in Hindi films and regional cinema held me tight after I won the Oscar… There were production houses told me at my face ”we don’t need you” but still I love my industry, for it.”
His revelation came days after Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman stunned everyone by revealing how he a gang was working in Bollywood to tarnish his image, resulting in his boycott in the Hindi film industry.
Shekhar Kapur had told Rahman that winning Oscar was ‘You know what your problem is @arrahman. An Oscar is the kiss of death in Bollywood. It proves you have more talent than Bollywood can handle.”
It was in response to Kapur’s tweet that Pookutty decided to share his own experiences of falling victim to nepotism in Bollywood. In another tweet, Pookutty said that when he shared his ordeal with ‘The Academy member friends,’ they informed him about what’s known as ‘Oscar Curse.’ It’s faced by everybody! I enjoyed going through that phase, when you are on top of the world & when you know people reject you, it’s the biggest reality check!”
Dear @shekharkapur ask me about it, I had gone through near breakdown as nobody was giving me work in Hindi films and regional cinema held me tight after I won the Oscar… There were production houses told me at my face ”we don’t need you” but still I love my industry,for it…. https://t.co/j5CMNWDqqr
— resul pookutty (@resulp) July 26, 2020
In another tweet, Pookutty wrote, “Nepotism is the cheapest and most unimaginative corruption!”
Pookutty found plenty of support on social media as singer Adnan Sami wrote, “Unfortunate! Ur a gem my dear bro! Mediocrity will always be threatened & intimidated by brilliance no matter how humble u r about ur achievements..They want those whom they can dominate & less qualified than them!They fail to understand that brilliance can help elevate them too!”
Unfortunate! Ur a gem my dear bro! Mediocrity will always be threatened & intimidated by brilliance no matter how humble u r about ur achievements..They want those whom they can dominate & less qualified than them!They fail to understand that brilliance can help elevate them too! https://t.co/Wl07imvRgB
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) July 27, 2020
Team Kangana Ranaut claimed that Pookutty and shared his ordeal with the Queen actress during the release of Manikarnika. “During the release week of Manikarnika when whole industry ganged up on Kangana, @resulp called her in a long conversation for about more than an hour, not only he appreciated the film but spoke about the major emotional & professional crisis he is facing because of Bullying,” Kangana’s team wrote.
The debate on nepotism in Bollywood has gained momentum after the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. Sushant’s body was found inside his house on 14 June this year. The 34-year-old actor from Bihar had made his Bollywood debut with Kai Po Che before acting in successful films such as MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, PK, Raabta and Kedarnath among others.
