'I was told my films worked because my father was CM': Riteish Deshmukh opens up on industry labels post Bollywood debut

Riteish Deshmukh discussed overcoming labels linked to his father's political legacy in the film industry during a conversation on Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa.

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, who currently hosts Netflix's reality show Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, opened up about overcoming the labels and perceptions he faced when he entered the film industry. During a heartfelt conversation with the contestants in the latest episode, the actor reflected on being tagged as the son of the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra and how he spent years proving himself.

Riteish Deshmukh recalls early struggles in Bollywood.

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Before one of the tasks, inmate Yogesh Rawat spoke about how he was hurt by Kangana Ranaut calling him a "cheater" without knowing his entire story. He said, "She doesn't even know if I have just been accused of it or if it's even true. I don't even want to bring up this tag because it was a very traumatic experience for me. People have made it seem true just by repeating it, even when it's not. Sir, I don't think it's right that, without knowing the whole truth, the world has created a narrative. And now that I am a part of this show, a guest is calling me a cheater. Last time, when I made the mistake of leaving Akanksha in the show, my mother told me, 'I used to walk with my head held high, but now I feel ashamed because of your story.'"

Responding to Yogesh, Riteish explained that the guests merely represent the audience's perspective and bring those perceptions into the house. He added, "Perception is something that continues to build on the basis of what you project outside. We all have gone through this phase. When I did my first film, my father was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. When I debuted, everyone said, 'His father is the CM, that's why he gets work, and that's why his films do well.' Guzra hoon main (I have gone through this). Twenty-three years and 60 films later, I am standing in front of you today after breaking all those tags. Breaking some tags takes time and effort, but once you are determined, they do break."

Riteish's father, Vilasrao Deshmukh, was the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Riteish made his acting debut in 2003 with Tujhe Meri Kasam and went on to star in films such as Kyaa Kool Hai Hum, Heyy Babyy, Dhamaal, Housefull and many more. More recently, Raja Shivaji, which he also produced and directed, emerged as the highest-grossing Marathi film of all time, collecting over ₹100 crore worldwide.

About Lock Upp

Hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh, Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa places 14 celebrities inside a controlled, high-pressure jail, where they are stripped of their comforts and subjected to challenging tasks. The show streams on Netflix at 8 pm from Saturday to Thursday.