Redditors Slam Bollywood For Another 'Nepo Kid Launch' After Ahaan Panday's Debut Film Announcement
Nepotism in Bollywood is a debate that never fades. The conversation flared up yet again when news broke that Ahaan Panday, cousin of actress Ananya Panday, is all set to make his Bollywood debut. Ahaan will enter the industry with Yash Raj Films' (YRF) upcoming romantic drama 'Saiyaara', directed by Mohit Suri.
As soon as the news surfaced, social media users reacted instantly, flooding Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) with opinions, memes, and criticism.
Redditors react
A Reddit user wrote, “Another nepo kid?”, while another joked, “Man, even Ahaan is gonna debut before Shanaya.” One comment sarcastically said, “Do you guys even make movies for the audience? Or do you make movies just to launch another star kid????”
A particularly sharp remark read, “Presented by Aditya Chopra, flopped by audiences worldwide.” Another added, “YRF getting nepos who can’t even speak Hindi.”
A netizen cheekily stated, “NEPO THIS.. NEPO THAT.” Another quipped, “Yet another nepo launch.”
One Redditor’s detailed post reflected frustration: “Just when I thought Bollywood has hit its lowest and there’s only going up from here, they pull this type of s**t. Bollywood keeps digging the bar lower and lower in ways I can’t imagine. Remember when you had to be an actual good-looking dude to be a hero? Now every Tom, Dick and Harry guy will play lead. No wonder my female classmates don’t watch Bollywood anymore.”
Another summed it up with, “YRF put a higher bid in the recently conducted Nepo Auction, beating Dharma in its own game.”
Yash Raj productions announce new film
Amidst this wave of reactions, Yash Raj Films officially announced 'Saiyaara' on Tuesday, confirming Ahaan Panday’s debut alongside actress Aneet Padda, known for Big Girls Don’t Cry. The film is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on July 18, 2025.
In its statement, YRF said: "Yash Raj Films’ romantic film 'Saiyaara', which introduces Ahaan Panday in the Hindi film industry and also stars Aneet Padda as the female lead, is set to release on July 18, 2025, in theatres worldwide.”
Ahaan Panday is the son of Deanne Panday and Chikki Panday. His sister is influencer Alanna Panday, and his famous cousin is actress Ananya Panday.
With this, the never-ending conversation around Bollywood’s nepotism culture finds itself back in the spotlight. Whether audiences will embrace 'Saiyaara' or reject it remains to be seen.
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