Nora Fatehi compares Bollywood to a high school clique; says, “If you don't prove yourself…”

Nora Fatehi, celebrated for her dance talent and acting abilities, is recognized for her candid personality. Recently, she reflected on her experiences in Bollywood, describing the industry as resembling a high school clique. However, she noted that her past experiences have helped her navigate this environment more easily. Additionally, she pointed out that foreign actors who struggle in the industry often do so because they don't learn Hindi or other local languages.

In a candid interview with film critic and journalist Rajeev Masand during the 15th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the actress shared her journey in the Hindi film industry and discussed the challenges she faced along the way.

Nora Fatehi, who was born and raised in Canada and spent several years in Saudi Arabia, recalled her high school experiences in those countries, where she encountered students who had formed exclusive cliques that were resistant to newcomers.

Drawing from her understanding of that dynamic, she finds Bollywood to be similar and felt as though she was revisiting that environment upon entering the industry. However, she utilized that experience to navigate her way through the film world.

She said, “It's (Bollywood) a little bit worse than high school since most of these cliques grew up together from day one. But when you've done it once, it feels like you can do it again. Since you're an outsider, if you don't prove yourself or learn Hindi, assimilate and prove to them that 'Hey, I can be like you guys,' there's no way in.”

The Madgaon Express actress explained that she doesn't blame Bollywood, viewing it as a company where success requires knowledge and experience. While her fellow models enjoyed nights out at clubs, she focused on studying the industry and created graphs to analyze it.

Through her research, the Bharat actress realized that newcomers who struggle to maintain their success often fade away after a year or so. She stated, “That's also when I understood one thing: if a foreigner came into Bollywood and they didn't make it, most of the time it's because they didn't learn the language (Hindi) or didn't assimilate.”

Nora explained that some foreign actors attempt to emphasize their identity as American or Canadian, wanting others to recognize it. However, their language skills and accent often reveal their status as outsiders, which may contribute to their lack of success in the industry.

Also Read : Nora Fatehi opens up about her toughest rejection from Yash Raj Films audition: “I just broke my cellphone, shattering it into pieces in anger”