Harshvardhan Rane Declares ‘Nepotism Debate is Over’ Amid Box Office Success of ‘Outsider Films’

Harshvardhan Rane says Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, Thamma success proves nepotism is just an excuse: 'Let’s end this word'

The actor, currently promoting his hit film, argues that the equal box office response to two “outsider” films proves the audience now treats all talent equally.

Actor Harshvardhan Rane is enjoying a moment of success following the warm box office reception of his latest release, Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, which co-stars Sonam Bajwa and is directed by Milap Zaveri. As the film earns ₹50 crore, Rane is embarking on a promotional tour and seizing the opportunity to weigh in on one of Bollywood’s longest-running controversies: the nepotism debate.

Success of ‘Outsider Films’ Signals the End of the Nepotism Debate

Rane’s film clashed at the box office with another major release, Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna’s Thamma, which has grossed ₹100 crore. In an interview with Zoom, the actor reflected on this dual success and offered a strong message to the industry and fans.

He urged the country to finally stop obsessing over the word “nepotism.”

“My initial reaction was that the whole country should finally stop using this one word that we’ve been obsessed with for the last 6-7 years — nepotism. Let’s end this word in 2025 because you guys have ended it. Two outsider films were released together on Diwali, and both received equal love and box office numbers. What does that mean? That the audience treats everyone equally,” he argued.

Rane went on to characterize the term as an “excuse” and a “defence mechanism” used by those unwilling to take risks or those who are lazy. He concluded that the word has been “overused” and there is no longer any valid example to support the claim of systematic bias, urging people to simply smile and walk away if someone uses the term.

The Box Office Battle: ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’ vs. ‘Thamma’

The simultaneous success of both films, which Rane highlights as being led by “outsiders,” provides a strong argument for his position:

Film Title	Star Cast	Director/Studio	Genre/Plot Summary	Box Office Collection
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat	Harshvardhan Rane, Sonam Bajwa	Milap Zaveri	A fiery romance between a powerful politician and a strong-willed superstar that turns into a battle of obsession and ego.	₹50 crore
Thamma	Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna	Aditya Sarpotdar (Maddock Films)	A supernatural-romantic thriller-comedy where a journalist falls in love with Betaal and they fight the supremacy of Nawazuddin Siddiqui.	₹100 crore