The recent nepotism debate triggered by Kangana Ranaut’s Koffee with Karan stint raised a lot of controversies as well as debates. A lot of star kids came up with a theory that if a doctor or a lawyer’s child can aspire to be a part of the same profession, then so can star kids.

But having said that, they conveniently forgot to mention how in other professions, examinations are held on the basis of which you can actually take up a profession whereas actors have it easier with a whole lot of contacts and some great launchpads. Of course after that, it is all about building your own contacts and proving your worth because ultimately it is the audience that accepts you or rejects you as an actor.

But if you thought the second generation has had it easy, think again. There are a number of actors who’ve had super-successful parents but who themselves have not really been able to make a mark in the industry. From Zayed Khan (today’s his birthday) to Abhishek Bachchan, here’s taking a look at some of those who’re a part of the flop second generation list.

Zayed Khan 

Zayed Khan debuted with Chura Liya Hai Tumne after which he landed the SRK-starrer Main Hoon Na and things were surely looking great for Sanjay Khan’s son. But then Zayed’s choice of roles, which included a lot of multi-starrers, really couldn’t do much for his already flagging career. Gradually, he disappeared from the screen altogether and later, in an interview, stated how he didn’t take his Bollywood career seriously which led to its demise. 

Abhishek Bachchan

Abhishek Bachchan definitely had a lot of pressure to live up to his famous surname. He tried, but then couldn’t really match up to his father’s success. He did manage to carve a name for himself with films such as Guru, among others but then his career graph slowly declined. In contrast, his father, who was earlier known as the ‘Angry Young Man’ of Bollywood is now known as the ‘Angry Old Man’ because he is still a prolific actor who delivers hit after hit.

Soha Ali Khan

Soha Ali Khan is the daughter of cricketer Masoor Ali Khan Pataudi and superstar Sharmila Tagore. Soha’s brother Saif Ali Khan too struggled in his initial years but managed to carve a niche in his later years. We’re hoping the same case would apply to Soha who is yet to prove her mettle in Bollywood as a leading lady.

Fardeen Khan

Fardeen Khan’s father was a heartthrob during his heyday and was one of the few leading actors who could play the role of a hero and villain with panache. When Fardeen began his career, he was compared to his father owing to his good looks but sadly, his career failed to take off. He was also embroiled in a drug possession controversy that may have destroyed his career further.

Bobby Deol

He started off as an unconventional hero with long, curly locks and was touted as the next big thing. And it was pretty obvious he’d do well in the industry because his father Dharmendra and his elder brother Sunny Deol have made a name for themselves in the industry. But again, having high expectations does not necessarily translate into success. Bobby’s recent stint as a DJ also failed as he faced the wrath of his listeners by playing one of his songs from Gupt on loop.

Tusshar Kapoor

Tusshar Kapoor is one unlucky man. His father Jeetendra was one of the leading stars of his generation and his sister Ekta Kapoor was the reigning queen of Indian television. Although Tusshar comes from the same batch of youngsters such as Kareena Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan who entered the industry and gradually carved a niche for themselves, Tusshar isn’t in the same league anymore.  

Mimoh

His father Mithun was known as the disco dancer of Bollywood and Mimoh thought he could replicate the same. But then, after his disastrous debut, neither the filmmakers nor the audience gave him another chance.

Sikandar Kher

Sikandar Kher is the son of two greats: Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher who are still an indispensable part of Bollywood. Sikander isn’t, sadly.

Esha Deol

Daughter of Dharamendra and Hema Malini, Esha Deol got a number of opportunities to prove herself. Sadly, it didn’t materialize into anything fruitful and all of her films bombed at the box office, one after the other.