Alaya F says she's not fully nepo baby as Pooja Bedi quit films before her birth: 'There are levels of nepotism...'

Alaya F talked about nepotism in a new interview. She said she's not ‘a fully nepo baby’ and did not grow up going to Bollywood parties.

Alaya F, who is the daughter of Pooja Bedi and granddaughter of veteran actor Kabir Bedi, opened up about not considering herself a 'nepo baby', at least completely. Alaya said she has not grown up going to industry parties. She said her mom had quit acting before she was born, and 'sometimes it does get frustrating', when people speak about nepotism, without understanding that 'there are levels of nepotism'.

Pooja Bedi and Alaya F pose together in an old photoshoot. (File Photo)

Alaya had made her acting debut with Saif Ali Khan and Tabu-starrer Jawaani Jaaneman in 2020. Since then she has acted in films such as Kartik Aaryan's Freddy (2022) and Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat (2023). In her recent interview, Alaya said although she does 'come from privilege', it’s unfair to say that everything she does comes her way because of where she was born.

“I don’t count myself as a fully nepo baby, because you need to understand there are different levels in that. My mother was done with the industry, she had quit acting before I was born. I have not grown up among industry parties, that’s not been my life. So sometimes it does get frustrating because there are levels of nepotism. At the end of the day, I do come from privilege and that’s half of someone else’s journey. It does get me into rooms but it doesn’t really guarantee me movies. But reaching there is the hardest part. While I won’t deny the access, it’s the merit that takes one ahead. You may agree or disagree, I am a nepo baby but it’s unfair to base everything I do to put it on where I come from. I have tried so hard to do much more and continuously do good work," Alaya F told The Indian Express.

Alaya's mom Pooja Bedi was seen in films such as Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1991), and in reality TV shows such as Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Khatron Ke Khiladi. Alaya F will soon be seen in the film U-Turn, which also stars Priyanshu Painyuli, Ashim Gulati, Manu Rishi and Rajesh Sharma. The film is produced by Ekta Kapoor and directed by Arif Khan. Alaya also has Bade Miyan Chote Miyan as one of her upcoming projects.