'Hero dikhne laayak nahi ho': Tusshar Kapoor on getting 'targeted' for being Jeetendra's son, says 'I could have been crushed'

Tusshar Kapoor has opened up about getting affected by the nepotism tag and how he has been targeted throughout his career. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Tusshar said that when he made his debut in 2001, the topic of nepotism existed, but it was debated as such in comparison with the current time. Being the son of Jeetendra made him an easy target of criticism. Speaking about the same, he said, "It had started in my time, too. Especially if you were from a film background, then the glass is always half empty for a certain section of the media. You have to be very thick-skinned. Bahut neecha giraane ki koshish, bahut negativity thi (There was a lot of negativity. There were efforts to pull you down)."

The Golmaal actor went to revealed that there were instances when he was mocked for his look, and was called not suitable for a hero. Tusshar said that if he came to a press conference naturally without makeup and hair, he was criticised, saying 'aap hero dikhne ke laayak nahi ho (you don't look like a hero)'. Similarly, if he appears with makeup and hair, he's been told about being 'too filmy'. "Everyone was trying to pull you down," asserted Tusshar. 

Tusshar feels fortunate enough to have the willpower to tolerate the criticism while concentrating on his work. "That work ethic is what took me forward," he added. Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai was released, and it did well. But if it had failed, "I could have been crushed under this pressure," claimed Kya Kool Hai Hum actor. Tusshar also asserted that he didn't come into the industry with the feeling that he had to live up to someone's expectations. But there was a constant attempt to 'judge and derail' him. Thanking the audience, Tusshar added, "They will judge you based on what they see on the screen." On the work front, Tusshar's new film Kapkapii released in cinemas.