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Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan has come forward in support of his son, Abhishek Bachchan, amidst recurring discussions about nepotism in the industry.

On Tuesday, the veteran actor took to social media to praise Abhishek’s versatility and talent, responding to a post that described the younger Bachchan as a “victim of nepotism negativity.”

Bollywood news portal Bollywood Talkies posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) of Abhishek posing in a white tuxedo on the red carpet with the caption, “Abhishek Bachchan unnecessarily became the victim of ‘nepotism’ negativity, but the amount of good films in his filmography is very high (fire and hundred emojis).”

Amitabh reshared the post, adding, “I feel the same… and not just because I am his father.”

This is not the first time Amitabh has spoken highly of Abhishek’s work. Ahead of the release of Abhishek’s upcoming film Be Happy, that also stars Nora Fatehi, the legendary actor expressed admiration for his son’s commitment to evolving as an artist.

“Abhishek you are extraordinary .. how you adapt and change with each film character is an art, which is incredible .. love you Bhaiyu,” he wrote in another post.

Sharing a fan’s post lauding Abhishek’s presence on the red carpet, Amitabh described his son’s style as “superior,” adding, “stunning .. Abhishek .. the walk the grace and… THE STYLE .. and no fuss, just a normal being .. away from the unnecessary display of excitement or attention seeking ..”

Known for its dynasties and influential families, Bollywood has often faced backlash for pushing forward star kids while limiting opportunities for outsiders.

Most recently, Indian audiences criticised the casting of Sri Devi’s daughter Khushi Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim Ali Khan in Netflix’s Nadaaniyan, despite Kapoor’s underwhelming performances in The Archies and Loveyapa.

Similarly, Suhana Khan, daughter of Shah Rukh Khan, has been at the centre of the nepotism debate, with many questioning whether her debut in The Archies was the result of a successful audition or her ‘King’ father’s influence.

Abhishek stepped into Bollywood in 2000 with Refugee, starring alongside Kareena Kapoor. His early career saw success with blockbusters such as Dhoom, Bunty Aur Babli, and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. However, post-2010, he faced setbacks as films like Raavan, Game, and Players failed to perform at the box office.

But Abhishek continued to receive offers, sparking criticism about him being given repeated chances that other struggling actors without famous surnames would not receive.

Despite the slump, Abhishek made a strong comeback with critically acclaimed and commercially successful films like Ludo, Breathe: Into the Shadows, The Big Bull, and Bob Biswas.

Be Happy, Abhishek’s upcoming film, explores a father-daughter relationship and will reunite him with his Ludo co-star Inayat Verma. His previous film, I Want to Talk, in which he portrayed a terminally ill Bengali patient, received positive reviews but struggled to attract audiences to cinemas. Abhishek will also return to the Housefull franchise for its fifth instalment.