Vivaan Shah says 'I am deeply aware of my privilege, nepotism should not be denied' | Exclusive

Vivaan Shah, in an exclusive conversation with IndiaToday.in, speaks about his web show Sutliyan, comparisons with father Naseeruddin Shah and nepotism.

Making yourself known at a place where your parents are considered stalwarts, is no easy task. But Vivaan Shah has successfully done that. For the unaware, Vivaan hails from a film family, born to legends Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak. Of late, the actor is receiving great reviews for his latest show, Sutliyan. In an exclusive conversation with IndiaToday.in, Vivaan spoke to us about his latest series, life as a child of legendary actors, nepotism, and much more.

Excerpts from the interview:

Vivaan Shah’s latest show, Sutliyan, just dropped on Zee5. Speaking to IndiaToday.in, the actor opened up about his character in the series, Raman Chandel, a youngster. He shared, “Raman Chandel is a university student in Delhi. He is also an activist and an idealist who also gets in trouble with the law. He’s at a phase of his life where he is very confused about professional prospects, has money issues, his romantic life is in turmoil, he is grappling with all kinds of feelings, emotions and issues. And it’s a fascinating character. It has so many layers and aspects to it. I had a blast inhabiting him. Some of the things I could relate to, for example, the emotional turmoil that he is going through, but on the other hand, that’s the job of an actor. It’s to go beyond one’s experience.”

We asked Vivaan if there was any additional pressure to perform well since his parents, Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak, are considered stalwarts in the world of acting. He replied, “Yes, it’s healthy pressure. It’s a pressure that makes me work harder, motivates me. It’s a pressure that makes me want to make my family proud. Although one would refer to it as pressure, I would refer to it as positive pressure or as a motivating factor to push harder or work harder and to make my parents proud. That’s the most important thing.”

Does he think that comparisons with his father are fair? Vivaan stated, “I would love to be spoken of in the same breath as him. It’s an honour. As far as comparisons are concerned, I suppose there are subconscious comparisons that everybody sort of makes. People can’t help but make it. The comparisons that occur are all healthy comparisons. It’s never been like ‘Oh, you are a fraction of what your father is’ (laughs).”