Harsh Chhaya on Gen Z not knowing him: 'It's not their responsibility'
Synopsis
Harsh Chhaya's take cuts through a tired Bollywood grievance: he doesn't expect Gen Z to know him, because he himself only knew Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan when he entered the industry. With 'Undekhi' now giving him a fresh wave of recognition, his argument is as much about humility as it is about how stardom actually travels across generations.
Key Takeaways
Harsh Chhaya said younger audiences have no obligation to recognise senior actors, calling the debate a 'useless fight.' He recalled that when he entered the industry, he only knew Dilip Kumar , Rajendra Kumar , Amitabh Bachchan , Vinod Khanna , and Rishi Kapoor .
Chhaya reprised his role as Papaji in Undekhi Season 4 , which has introduced him to a new generation of viewers.
His film credits include 'Company' , 'Fashion' , 'A Wednesday!' , and 'Manto' ; TV credits include 'Tara' and 'Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani' .
He argued that audiences follow contemporary stars naturally, and expecting cross-generational recall is unrealistic.
Bollywood and television veteran Harsh Chhaya has offered a refreshingly grounded take on a debate that resurfaces often in the Indian entertainment industry — whether younger audiences should be expected to recognise senior actors. Speaking candidly, Chhaya said he takes no offence when Gen Z viewers draw a blank on his name, arguing that every generation grows up with its own set of stars.
Chhaya's Take on Generational Gaps in Fandom
'They are not supposed to recognise us at all. Why should they? Today, if a 20 year old is watching today's actors, then according to him, I have gone 30 years ahead. If he has not seen my work, then he has not seen it. It is not his responsibility. If he does not know me, then he does not know me,' the actor said.
Chhaya was direct in dismissing the grievance as unproductive. He called the debate a 'useless fight,' pointing out that the expectation cuts against how popular culture actually works — audiences follow whoever is current and visible to them.
How Chhaya Himself Entered the Industry
Drawing on his own experience as a newcomer, Harsh Chhaya recalled that when he first stepped into the entertainment world, he too was aware of only a handful of legends. 'When I came to the industry for the first time, because Dilip Kumar was a big star, that is why I knew Dilip Kumar and Rajendra Kumar. Otherwise, I did not know the rest of the people who were working with them. Because they are people who are 40 years ahead of me,' he said.
The stars who defined his own formative years were Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, and Rishi Kapoor — the dominant names of that era. His point was clear: selective awareness of stars across generations is not ignorance, it is simply how fandom functions.
'Undekhi' and a New Wave of Recognition
Chhaya acknowledged that the crime thriller web series 'Undekhi' has introduced him to a significant new audience. 'So many people have seen Undekhi. There are many people who have only seen Undekhi and have now started knowing me. But if they did not know me, then they did not know me. It is not their responsibility to know me,' he said.
He most recently reprised his widely praised role as Papaji in the fourth season of 'Undekhi', which continues to rank among the most appreciated Hindi-language web series on OTT platforms. Notably, the show has served as a second — and for many viewers, a first — introduction to an actor whose career spans decades.
A Career Across Television, Film, and OTT
Over the years, Harsh Chhaya has built a wide-ranging body of work. On television, he is recognised for his performances in 'Hasratein', 'Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani', and 'Tara'. In Hindi cinema, he has appeared in films including 'Company', 'Corporate', 'Fashion', 'A Wednesday!', and 'Manto', among others.
His perspective — that artists earn recognition through the work that reaches people, not through a sense of entitlement to it — reflects a maturity that the broader debate around generational memory in Bollywood rarely surfaces.
Point of View
And that is not a failure of culture. What his 'Undekhi' example actually illustrates is that OTT has become the great equaliser, capable of resurfacing decades-old talent to audiences who never encountered it in theatres or on cable. The real question is not whether Gen Z knows Harsh Chhaya, but whether the industry creates enough vehicles for veteran actors to remain visible — and on that front, the record is patchy at best.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Harsh Chhaya say about Gen Z not recognising veteran actors?
Harsh Chhaya said it is not the responsibility of younger audiences to recognise senior actors, adding that every generation naturally follows its own contemporary stars. He called the debate a 'useless fight' and said he takes no personal offence when someone does not know him.
Which stars did Harsh Chhaya know when he first entered Bollywood?
Chhaya recalled knowing only Dilip Kumar and Rajendra Kumar from an earlier generation, and Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, and Rishi Kapoor from his own era. He said actors from 40 years before his time were largely unknown to him, illustrating his point about generational awareness.
What is Harsh Chhaya's role in 'Undekhi'?
Harsh Chhaya plays Papaji in the crime thriller web series 'Undekhi.' He most recently reprised the role in Season 4, and the show has been credited with introducing him to a large new audience on OTT platforms.
What are some of Harsh Chhaya's notable works?
Harsh Chhaya has appeared in Bollywood films including 'Company', 'Corporate', 'Fashion', 'A Wednesday!', and 'Manto'. On television, he is known for 'Hasratein', 'Tara', and 'Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani', and on OTT for the 'Undekhi' series.
Why does Harsh Chhaya think the debate over generational recognition is unnecessary?
He argues that audiences are not obligated to seek out work they have never been exposed to, and that expecting cross-generational recognition sets an unfair standard. His own entry into the industry, where he was unaware of most actors from earlier decades, supports his view.
