At a time when Bollywood is sharply divided over the debate on nepotism, filmmaker and actor Viveck Vaswani, who once played a key role in shaping up superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s early career, offered a grounded, heartfelt perspective.
For him, helping the next generation, especially SRK's kids Aryan and Suhana Khan, isn’t privilege, it’s a natural progression, rooted in mentorship, and family.
In an exclusive conversation with Moneycontrol, we asked Viveck about the ongoing nepotism debate and he said: “When I could go out of my way for my friend Shah Rukh, why shouldn’t he (SRK) do the same for his own children? Woh toh dost tha, yeh toh beta hai. He’ll do everything he can for his son. And if he called me and said do anything for Aryan and Suhana, I would do it too. Where’s the problem in helping the youngsters? Where’s the problem in trying to make them all successful? Where’s the problem?"
Known for his frank, no-nonsense opinions, Viveck defended his friend Shah Rukh Khan's right to support his children in their creative journeys.
“I bless them, I wish them all the success. I thought Suhana was very good in Archies. I thought Aryan directed 'The Bads of Bollywood' very well. I’m fully supportive. They’re Shah Rukh’s kids, I’d support them even if it wasn’t that good, like I would my own children. I mean, at our age, we are not going to dismiss people. We’re going to support them. They will make mistakes. They will grow. They will rise," he said.
Having built Shah Rukh Khan’s foundation through sheer hard work, Viveck Vaswani also said he believes every artist star kid or outsider, must ultimately prove their worth. But he also said that he sees no fault in a father extending a helping hand.
“We are friends. Because if he calls me at two in the morning, I’ll be there. If I call him at two in the morning, he’ll be there too. That’s all that matters," he added.
Both Aryan and Suhana Khan have now stepped into the film world following their father's footsteps and carrying forward the Khan legacy in their own ways.
Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana made her much-anticipated debut in Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies which released on OTT and now she will be seen with her father on the big screen in King. The film's first look was released on November 2 and it marks Suhana's debut on the silver screen.
While SRK's eldest son, Aryan Khan has chosen to stay behind the camera, launching his directorial debut series The Bads of Bollywood under Red Chillies Entertainment.
While comparisons with their father are inevitable, both seem determined to carve their individual identities.
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