Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; August 3, 2024)

Junaid Khan made a fine debut with the historical drama Maharaj, directed by Siddharth P Malhotra recently. There was no massive marketing campaign or a tizzy on social media around the launch of superstar Aamir Khan’s son. He quietly and gracefully made an entry, made a mark and left everyone curious about him. On a rainy Sunday morning, he hopped out of a rickshaw and rushed in for an interview with us (minus the entourage and all that jazz).

Refreshing! Between laughs and a few words, our conversation unfolded. He listened more, spoke less and let his charm do the rest. Curious? Read on...

Congrats on an impressive debut with Maharaj! Many people thought it was an unconventional debut. What are your thoughts? Is this the kind of debut you had envisioned for yourself?
I think the story is highly dramatic and that it is a fairly mainstream film. I don’t think it is a niche film at all. I guess different people find different things unconventional. About my debut, I actually didn’t put much thought into it. I have been doing theatre in Mumbai since 2017 and whenever I was called for a reading or an audition, I would go for it. So, I never had any grand plan for my debut film.

Did you hope for your debut film to be a big screen release? Does the medium or format matter to you?
I don’t think it does. What is important to me is that people watch my film, where they watch it is not relevant. In an ideal world, I would say put it up for free on YouTube, but obviously, no one will do that (laughs).

The film is set in a different era, you had a distinct look and a certain dialect, too. How long did it take you to get into the skin of the character?
We spent a year prepping for it. The language in the film is heightened, and there is a slight Gujarati dialect. We worked on that as well to understand how much Gujarati we should include in the dialogues. We also did a lot of look tests and dance rehearsals.

You confessed that you aren’t a good dancer. Are you honing your dancing skills?
Yes, I am not a very good dancer. But at the end of the day, everything is practice, so I will get there (laughs).

Did your experience as a theatre actor prepare you for the big screen?
The craft is the same. However, I didn’t do theatre to prepare for the big screen. There are technical differences in both, but what’s similar is that the more you do it, the better you get. You have to be thorough with what you are doing – whether it is theatre or films. You don’t have the luxury to be unprepared in any medium. That luxury doesn’t exist. Today, no director or producer will appreciate it if an actor comes unprepared.

Was there a certain point in your life when you decided you wanted to be in the movies?
I don’t think there was a point as such when I decided that. I was doing what was coming my way. I had tested for a bunch of roles, like I had auditioned for Laal Singh Chaddha. When I tested for it, the film was in the initial stages, it hadn’t even been budgeted. They were trying to figure out what to do with it, I guess that was one of the reasons it didn’t work.

Maharaj was waiting in the wings for three years to be released. Did you get impatient and restless during that waiting period and have to deal with a lot of questions around its release?
I don’t think I was asked much about what was going on with the film, because I don’t think anyone even knew this film was being made. It wasn’t announced by the producers, and I think it was announced only sometime last September. So, I didn’t feel any pressure during that time, and I trusted that the producers would do what’s best for the film.

All this time, you have been really low-key. Like even your director Siddharth P Malhotra, in an interview, said that many didn’t know you were Aamir Khan’s son. Even now, it’s not like you are spotted much by the paps, nor are you on social media. Was it part of a plan to not overexpose yourself in the media before your launch?
I don’t think there was a plan per se. Most people still don’t know me. I have just been this way (laughs). Long ago, I had a Facebook account, but that was a different time on social media. I haven’t been drawn to Instagram and I don’t think social media is my thing.

You come from a culturally diverse family with creative people who have diverse views and opinions. Has your upbringing shaped your personality and thoughts on life, movies, et al?
I think it definitely has. I think our upbringing and families shape our lives quite profoundly. I have a very supportive and diverse family, and we encourage debate and disagreements. I am thankful for the family that I have.

Did your father’s work have an impact on you and your film choices?
I don’t think so. He’s done some fantastic work and he’s done some work that’s perhaps not all that good also. Everything can’t be the best work ever, as filmmaking is not a science. So, what I have learnt is that you have to take the learnings and move forward.

What was your parents’ (Aamir Khan and Reena Dutta) reaction when they learnt about your debut film? During the release, were they anxious?
Not really (laughs). They weren’t anxious, they were happy for me. They are not anxious people generally, as they have been through all of it and more (being part of the industry for so long). The fact that they weren’t anxious also helped me with everything that was going on with the film. They both liked it. Dad liked it quite a lot He tends to be an easy audience, as he goes in to watch something wanting to enjoy it. My mom is a tougher audience to please.

Did he ever drop in on the set of your film?
He was never on our set. He only came on the first day of the shoot with my three grandparents and then he directly watched the film.

You got a lot of love for your first film, but a huge part of being an actor is about being able to deal with criticism that comes your way, which isn’t always easy. How did you deal with it?
As an actor, you are always learning and growing. Film is an art form, and it encourages diverse opinions. Not everyone will like everything. I know there are a lot of people who didn’t like Maharaj as much as we would have liked them to, but that’s fine. You learn from the good and bad and grow.

Generally, actors step into production much later in their careers. You have already taken on the role of a producer with Pritam Pyaare. What prompted you to do that?
Yes, I have. I have been on film sets and behind the camera on the set of PK. I have assisted in ad shoots as well. After we completed the shoot for Maharaj, there was a film we were working on at AKP (Aamir Khan Productions). At that point, Kiran (Rao) was making Laapataa Ladies and dad was going through this whole ‘I-am-retiring phase’, and he even spoke about that (smiles). He told me, “I am retiring, why don’t you take over.” So, that’s the phase when I stepped in. I think I have a decent understanding of production. It’s probably one of the toughest jobs in filmmaking.

Have you warmed up to the idea of media attention, interviews and the fandom that will follow?
It is definitely a new world, and I am getting used to it.