Deepak Tijori: Bollywood Functions on a ‘You Scratch My Back, I’ll Scratch Yours’ System – Exclusive

Groupism and favouritism in Bollywood have long been a topic of debate. Several actors, be it insiders or outsiders, have spoken about the concept of a ‘clan’, with some accepting that it exists and others outrightly denying it. But actor-director Deepak Tijori has a different way of looking at it. He says that the idea of working within a group is more about comfort. In fact, it’s how the industry always functioned, he says. Tijori, who made his debut in 1990 with Aashiqui, is well known for his characters in films such as Sadak, Khiladi, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Pehla Nasha and more. Reflecting on his early days and close friends such as Pooja Bhatt, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, the actor talks to Filmfare about the comfort they shared. He speaks about the camaraderie they shared and why he believes the industry functions the same way today.

Tijori says, “I have heard this a lot of times that everybody works in groups. As they say, ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours‘. We all work in a group, in a clan. And this is not a new thing. The clan was there back then, and it existed even before us. It has always been there. We were all friends and used to having fun. We used to go to the sets and play games. During the shooting of Pehla Nasha, we used to play dumb charades before the shooting. Today, we talk about insiders. But people do it because there is a comfort level. If I go to someone with my script, and they refuse to do it because I don’t have any equation with them, then I will not feel bad. My talent or my work is a matter of later. What happens first is that when I go on set, I don’t want to see any irritating characters. I want my friends. So that is what is happening. The environment is still the same. Films are made the same way and will continue to be made the same way. But that success or failure, it is a matter of time.“

Talking about whether the bonds were more organic back in the day, he continues, “We feel that the bond today is inorganic. But these people are not inorganic. Fingers are raised at them today, and in those days, fingers were raised at us for partying or going to nightclubs. I don’t feel anything is new. Today, everything has become very quick. Be it making reels or being visible on social media. We were not visible that much. But the people from our industry only knew that I party with people like Shah Rukh Khan. They used to tell me, ‘You party with Shah Rukh, right? Come on yaar, set something up for me too.’ Being comfortable is a must. And we can find friends in the environment of work. If I am working with someone, then I have to be friends with them. Nothing is inorganic. It is the same system.”

Deepak Tijori was most recently seen in the short film Echoes of Us. He received his first-ever nomination for the Best Actor Award in Los Angeles for this film.  

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