Shashank Khaitan Recently talked about the ongoing insider-outsider debate in the film industry. He also brought up how people often target Karan Johar to launch star children. In the same subject, the filmmaker offered a balanced perspective.In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Khaitan reiterated that Karan Joar launched Varun DhawanAlia Bhatt, and Sidharth Malhotra with this year’s student. He split further, “I think that when it comes to Karan, how his personality is and how he presents people, sometimes outsiders are placed in the bag ki yeh toh nepotism Ka hi product hai. Bichare sidharth malhotra ko bhi humne nepotism hi orbana diya hai.”The director added that Sidharth is a boy who came from Delhi without industry roots and may have had his own trip.
Shashank Khaitan on ‘Student of the Year 2’
In the same interview, Khaitan stated that even in Student of the Year 2, Karan Tiger Shroff and Ananya Panday, who were from the industry, chose Karan Tiger, but also threw Tara Sutaria.The director explained that he himself comes from Nashik without a filmed background, but he has managed to direct five films and produce three films. “I didn’t know anyone here. This happened because Karan Johar read a script by ‘Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’,” he said.Khaitan added that it is Karan’s company, not a state -owned company with obligations. “It’s his private money. He can choose to spend what he knows. The audience always has a choice if they want to look at it or not.”
More about Shashank Khaitan’s latest release, ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’
The film, in the lead role Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra and Rohit SarafReleased in theaters on October 2, 2025. It also contained Maniesh Paul and Akshay Oberoi in important roles. The film collided at the cash register with Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1.
