Sushant Singh Rajput’s sudden demise has stirred something within the otherwise blind-sighted Bollywood-lovers. The actor used to talk about the difficulties that an outsider has to face in the industry. While everyone is talking about nepotism and its consequences on Bollywood and the music industry, actor Manoj Bajpayee has also joined the bandwagon. The actor has opened up on how the industry celebrates mediocrity, and at the same time ignores the real talent.

In a conversation with WION, Bajpayee spoke about the ongoing nepotism and its ill effects.

“Let me start with this, the world is not fair. I have been saying this since 20 years that as an industry we celebrate mediocrity. Forget about industry, as a nation we celebrate mediocrity. Something is lacking somewhere- in our thought process, our value system. When we see talent, we immediately want to ignore or push it away. This is the value system of ours which is so deplorable,” Manoj said.

The 34-years old actor was reportedly found hanging in his room at his Mumbai residence. According to reports, the actor was in depression. His fans have picked up the pitchforks against powerful filmmakers, monopolistic film studios, and star kids, for allegedly not giving Sushant his due.

Manoj, who worked with Sushant in Sonchiriya further added that the industry needs to check itself or it will keep facing flak from the audience. “I have said it before that this industry has wasted talent; so much that in any other country those talents who have not been given their due here, would have been known as the best actors of the world. But we don’t care. Firstly, if you don’t have talent then you have to be extremely lucky to get by. This is the system I am talking about. This is the cold value of this industry. I am not blaming anyone. I am a part of this industry. This is why I said in my past interviews that we have to look inward and rectify that. Rectify, or you will keep getting flak for it, cursed for it and will keep on losing respect of the common people,” he said.

Talking about himself, Manoj said that he survived in the industry as he is thick-skinned and ‘the son of a different mother’. He said that films of a smaller scale are not marketed properly and the moment they start doing well, they are pulled out of theatres.

Sushant’s death has sparked severe criticism of the film industry, many of whom declared themselves shattered. Very few of those who posted actually attended the actor’s funeral and not a single A-lister was among them.