Neil Nitin Mukesh reveals how 'outsiders' like Shah Rukh Khan and Kartik Aaryan inspire him: 'Nepotism never helped me...'

Neil Nitin Mukesh recently opened up about his journey in the film industry, challenging common assumptions about nepotism. Coming from a well-known film family, Neil shared how despite his lineage, he has faced struggles like many outsiders.

Rejecting the Label of Nepotism

In conversation with Screen, Neil expressed that he does not agree with the term “nepotism” because, despite his film family background, he has had to work hard like many others to build his career. He shared that although being born into the industry may change how people see him, it has not helped him get work easily. In fact, he said that neither his grandfather Mukesh, his father Nitin Mukesh, nor himself have received special support in their careers. Over three generations, they have all faced significant struggles and have worked hard to sustain their craft and make a living.

Talent Over Connections

He also stressed that talent is the most important thing, and no matter how many chances an actor gets, they won’t succeed without it. He pointed out that today’s stars look up to Shah Rukh Khan as a benchmark—not just because he is a huge superstar, but also because he started as an outsider and made it big. Neil said he, too, draws inspiration from actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Kartik Aaryan, who comes from a non-film background. He appreciates Kartik’s simple family values and the strong bond he shares with his parents, which he finds refreshing.

Latest Work and Upcoming Plans

Neil was most recently seen in the musical drama TV show Hai Junoon, which also starred Jacqueline Fernandez, Siddharth Nigam, Priyank Sharma, Anushka Sen, Sumedh Vasudev Mudgalkar, Elnaaz Norouzi, Elisha Mayor, and Kunwarr Amarjeet Singh in important roles. Directed by Abhishek Sharma, the series is available to watch on an OTT platform. Neil has not yet announced his next project.