Sushant Singh Rajput’s Family Launches Nepometer. Alia Bhatt’s Sadak 2 Fails the Nepotism Test

The death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput sparked a fierce debate around nepotism, power structures, and favouritism in Bollywood. Celebs have been criticised on social media, some have put up video messages sharing stark realities of the industry, while others have simply embarrassed themselves with insensitive comments.

While there has been a lot of talk and little action, Sushant Singh’s family has decided to do something about it. The family had announced earlier that it has decided to set up a foundation to support young talent. And now Rajut’s brother-in-law has launched an app – aptly titled Nepometer – which measures how nepotistic a film is.

Fight Bollywood Nepotism with Information. We will provide rating for movies based on how nepotistic or independent movie crew is. If the #nepometer is high, then it’s time to #boycottbollywoodnepotism #fightnepotism pic.twitter.com/EkazMgtS6d

— nepometer (@nepometer) June 25, 2020

The app measures a film in five categories – producer, lead cast, supporting cast, director and writer. The first film that came under scrutiny was Alia Bhatt’s Sadak 2 that is scheduled to release on Disney+ Hotstar. The movie directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by his brother Mukesh has Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Sanjay Dutt in the lead. Pooja Bhatt and Soni Razdan also have roles in the film.

The app was found that the  film is “98 per cent” nepotistic. “4 out of 5 categories have Bollywood family members. When #nepometer is high it’s time to #boycottbollywood,” a Nepometer tweet said.

#Sadak2 is 98% Nepotistic. We rated it based on 5 categories, Producer, Lead Artists, Supporting Artists, Director & Writer. 4 out of 5 categories have Bollywood Family members. When #nepometer is high it’s time to #boycottbollywood
Will you watch this movie? Tell us in comments pic.twitter.com/LqZFhE6bk8

— nepometer (@nepometer) July 2, 2020

Rajput’s members took to Instagram to announce the plan to launch the app. “It’s time to take some concrete action on this front as well. I’m afraid that this momentum and outrage might fade away in a few weeks. I think the best way to make it happen is by using our own wallets and not watch movies that don’t support enough independent artists. But how do we remind ourselves about not watching nepotistic movies? Hence to support the growth of more independent movies, music and artists, we are creating an app/website called ‘Nepometer’. The goal of this app is to provide you a percentage meter of how nepotistic or independent upcoming movies are and send you notification to watch more independent movies.”

View this post on Instagram

https://www.facebook.com/Nepometer Dear Friends, Our family is devastated with #SushantSinghRajput ‘s passing away. We all want #justiceforsushantsinghrajput and request everyone to pray & demand for the truth to come out. This has also exposed the dark side of Bollywood and how some of the very few abuse & exploit independent artists. It’s time to take some concrete action on this front as well. I’m afraid that this momentum and outrage might fade away in few weeks. We all signed up for change. org petitions with great unity and it shows that we are looking for this Bollywood nepotism to change. I think the best way to make it happen is by using our own wallets and not watch movies that doesn’t support enough independent artists. But how do we remind ourselves about not watching nepotistic movies? And even if we can remember, how do we find alternative independent movies easily. Many independent movies just don’t make the cut of publicity to catch our eyes. Hence to support the growth of more independent movies, music and artists, we are creating an app/website called “Nepometer”. The goal of this app is to provide you a percentage meter of how nepotistic or independent upcoming movies are and send you notification to watch more independent movies. If the nepometer is high, then it’s time to #boycottbollywoodnepotism #boycottbollywood To make this successful we need your support. Please follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nepometer Twitter: https://twitter.com/nepometer and Instagram: https://instagram.com/nepometer so that we can let you know once the app is available to download. Please share and forward to your family and friends so that we can take some concrete action to fight this suppression and killing of talent of the commoners like us. #InMemoryOfSushant Thanks 🙏🏼

A post shared by Nepometer (@nepometer) on Jun 27, 2020 at 5:45am PDT

The Nepometer social media pages already have 4,712 followers on Twitter and 1,757 followers on Instagram.

Messages of support have poured in for the app, with users cheering the idea and pledging to boycott films of star kids.

No way… I have promised myself not to watch these movies anymore.. so not only this one also watching the other movies vl go against my promise which I have made to myself… Not any more… #boycottbollywood #CBIMustForSushant

— Debleena Saha (@itsdeleena) July 2, 2020

“No, we won’t and now I swear I will never watch movies of any of these stars. It will be my Tribute of @itsSSR,” said one user.

No, we won't and now I swear I will never watch movies of any of these stars. It will be my Tribute of @itsSSR

— Fan of SSR (@FanofSSR2) July 2, 2020

Many social media users praised the concept and hoped that the app will get better with time. “The India which we see in so many #NepoFilms, does not exist,” said one user.

This is cool. I think the algorithm will expand a day by day. But this sure is going to save us from a lot of crap which works without story and only with Swag. Time for real artists. The india which we see in so many #NepoFilms, does not exist.

— vx (@VarixPatel) July 2, 2020

The debate around nepotism is set to continue in the industry, and Sushant Singh Rajput’s family have thrown their hat in the ring, trying to bring about a change in whatever small way possible. Only can only hope the usher in the much-needed change.