Family, friends and several Bollywood personalities bid adieu to actor-director Rajiv Kapoor, son of celebrated filmmaker-actor Raj Kapoor, as he was cremated yesterday. Rajiv, the youngest among five siblings died after suffering a heart attack. He was 58.

Randhir Kapoor and nephew, actor Ranbir Kapoor led the funeral procession. Actor Neetu Kapoor arrived with son Ranbir at the late actor’s residence. Aadar Jain, son of Rajiv’s sister Rima Jain, along with Tara Sutaria, and Alia Bhatt were spotted. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, actors Sanjay Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, Sonali Bendre, and Neil Nitin Mukesh were also in attendance at Rajiv Kapoor’s residence.

Rajiv made his acting debut with 1983 film Ek Jaan Hain Hum, but made first appearance as a leading man in blockbuster Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), which was Raj Kapoor’s last directorial venture. He went on to feature in films like Aasmaan, Lover Boy, Zabardast and Hum To Chale Pardes.

Rajiv’s last film as a hero was 1990’s Zimmedaar. He then made a switch to production and direction with films like Henna, Aa Ab Laut Chalen, and Prem Granth respectively.

He was set to make a comeback to the screen with the sports drama Toolsidas Junior, starring Sanjay Dutt.

The actor, whose Hello Charlie is the first Hindi film to resume shoot in Mumbai during the pandemic, talks about shooting in the new normal
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 29, 2020)

The world is slowly returning to routine, and hopefully, film shoots will also start gathering momentum. The first Bollywood film to resume shoot in Mumbai is Hello Charlie, starring Aadar Jain.

BT spoke to the actor about resuming work in these times of ‘new normal’ and he said, “I was a bit apprehensive at first, given the current situation, but my producers (Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar), as well as the entire production team are following all safety measures. The entire crew of the set in Malad was in PPE suits, following social distancing at all times.”

He added, “Never did anyone expect a crisis like this. However, I am a firm believer in making the most of what we have in any scenario.”

Aadar feels that artistes should prioritise personal protection to ensure that others on the set are safe. Talking about the measures he took personally, the actor said, “To begin with, I have not left home unless extremely necessary. From the time of the Coronavirus lockdown until now, I have replaced my outdoor routine to a more digitised home-based one to hone all my skills. I feel I have used my time as efficiently as I could have.”

He continued, “We have to accept that this is the new normal and we have to get back to work. We are responsible for ourselves and others. As actors, we have to take our mask off in front of the camera. I would keep it in my back pocket and put it back on instantly after the shot.”

Sources say Aadar Jain's Hello Charlie among the first Bollywood movies to roll; the unit of Farhan Akhtar-Ritesh Sidhwani production shoots song at Madh island
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 17, 2020)

In contrast to the television industry that resumed work from June 25, filmmakers have been biding their time to return to the sets. With most directors adopting a wait-and-watch stance, Hello Charlie — produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment — is perhaps the first Bollywood film to have gone on floors. It is heard that the makers of the Aadar Jain-fronted project began shooting for a song at Vrundavan studio in Madh Island yesterday.

A source reveals, "The film was almost complete before the Coronavirus lockdown, only the patchwork shoot of the song was pending. The unit began filming the number with 15 dancers at an indoor set yesterday. Keeping the safety of the crew in mind, the makers have had a sanitisation tunnel built at the entrance of the set and provided the team with masks, gloves and PPE kits to be used during the three-day shoot."

mid-day reached out to Sidhwani, who did not respond till press time.

MUMBAI MIRROR (June 19, 2020)

Whoever said diamonds are a woman’s best friend, sure didn’t know about dogs. And Tara Sutaria will vouch for this. With rules of the Coronavirus lockdown relaxed since the last few weeks, the actress brought home an adorable five-month-old Beagle over the weekend and couldn’t stop fussing over the puppy.

While twin sister Pia welcomed the pooch home, announcing, “I love you way too much already,” actor-beau Aadar Jain took on the christening duties and named the little furbaby Bailey. Happy with his pick, Tara blew him emoji kisses, asserting, “Whoever named her knows what he’s doing.” The actress who, when asked about their relationship, had said, “Well, we really enjoy each other’s company,” now has yet another reason to bond with him, apart from their shared love for food.

Aadar’s sister-in-law Anissa Malhotra, who married his brother, Armaan, in February, went “Yayyyyyyy” on the post and Tara immediately replied, “Cannot wait for you to meet her.” Guess introducing a new member to the clan could be a good reason for a reunion of the Kapoor and Jain khandaans after the star-studded wedding.

Aadar Jain’s mother on him and Tara Sutaria, the couple who was the centre of attention at the Armaan Jain-Anissa Malhotra wedding festivities last week
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 12, 2020)

At Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotra’s wedding, the most talked about filmi do since Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra-Nick Jonas nuptials, Tara Sutaria and Aadar Jain were the centre of attention.

The common refrain at a string of star-studded ceremonies—Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan, Karan Johar and Kiara Advani were among the performers at the sangeet, which was held the day after the wedding—was that the couple would be the next one to tie the knot. The arrival of Neetu Kapoor with Ranbir and Alia Bhatt, after they missed the preceding events to be by the ailing Rishi Kapoor’s side, momentarily fuelled chatter around the reported December wedding of the Brahmastra co-stars. However, the focus swiftly returned to Tara and Aadar.

On Monday, Rishi and Neetu’s daughter Riddhima Kapoor-Sahni posted a group picture, which she described as “family”, on Instagram. It had Tara, with her arm around Aadar, sharing the frame with the latter’s parents, Rima and Manoj Jain, his newlywed brother and sister-inlaw and cousin Nitasha Nanda, among others.

When Mirror reached out to Rima about rumours of another wedding in the family, she said, “No, nothing like that. They’re young. We’ll see later in life what happens. Let them make their life and let them work (first).” When asked if the relationship had the family’s approval, she said, “We love anybody our son loves.”

Last week, along with Karisma and Kareena Kapoor, who’re the Jain brothers’ cousins, Tara had been at the forefront of the wedding festivities. At the sangeet, she joined Aadar for a performance on the song “Gallan Kardi” and sang a song for the newlyweds.

In an earlier interview to Mirror (Nov 5, 2019) the Student of the Year 2 debutante had said that she and Aadar met for the first time at a Diwali party in 2018. “It’s important to say this, we enjoy going out and spending time together. Aadar is special to me and both of us are foodies, so we are going to be spotted at restaurants,” the 24-yearold actress had said, reiterating evasively, “We really enjoy each other’s company”, when asked about their relationship status.

Last year, the couple made joint appearances at several prominent filmi dos, including the Bachchan Diwali bash and Malaika Arora’s 46th birthday in October. Aadar was also spotted at the screening of the actress’s last film, Marjaavaan. In December, they went to the U2 concert in Navi Mumbai together. Later, Aadar shared a recording of the band performing on their song, “Beautiful Day”. “When I am with you,” he noted, tagging Tara, who responded, “Always with you.”

Reportedly, the couple also brought in the New Year together in London.

Karisma Kapoor, Armaan Jain, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Anissa Malhotra

MUMBAI MIRROR (December 16, 2019)

Almost five months after their engagement, the Kapoor clan assembled in South Mumbai on Saturday night for the roka ceremony of Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotra.

While Rishi and Neetu Kapoor arrived together, Karisma Kapoor was accompanied by mother Babita, and kids, Samiera and Kiaan Raj Kapur. Kareena Kapoor, who flew in from Bangalore after fulfilling a work commitment, showed up in a fiery red Raghvendra Rathore outfit with husband Saif Ali Khan, who was dressed in allwhite. Earlier, the actress was spotted getting ready for the ceremony at the Bangalore airport, which she jokingly identified as her new makeup room in a video that surfaced online.

Besides the extended family, including Randhir Kapoor, Parliamentarian Supriya Sule, Tina Ambani and Kiara Advani were among the guests. Armaan’s younger brother Aadar was spotted greeting alleged girlfriend Tara Sutaria at the entrance, while Neetu took to the dance floor with the bridegroom-to-be, who is the son of her sister-in-law Rima Jain.

Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; November 14, 2019)

After stepping into Bollywood with Student Of The Year 2, Tara Sutaria will be seen with the original ‘student’ from the franchise, Sidharth Malhotra, in the upcoming film Marjaavaan. While she plays the role of a speech-impaired girl in the film, offscreen, Tara loves singing and wants to pursue a career in music. In a candid chat with BT, she spoke about her Bollywood journey, singing aspirations and rumours of a link-up with Aadar Jain. Excerpts:

Sidharth Malhotra and you hail from the same on-screen school — Saint Teresa College (from Student Of The Year) — and have the same mentor, Karan Johar. Did that make it easy to bond?
Honestly, Sidharth and I rarely spoke about Student Of The Year (SOTY) on set. In fact, we had a lot of other things in common. Both of us are not from the industry and would talk about our families and siblings. Sid would tell me how he has changed as a person, since the time he joined the industry. And I told him that I wasn’t sure if I will change because I am extremely shy and reserved. I used to ask him about how he deals with filmi parties as I am new to the industry and feel scared at these events. He would share his personal experiences, and we got to know each other during the making of Marjaavaan. We tried to understand each other, as the film is very intense and we had to portray that kind of chemistry. Someone also told him that I sing well, so he asked me to sing a few lines. He loves music, and we connected over that, too.

Like your debut film, you are once again sharing screen space with a female costar; this time with Rakul Preet Singh...
(Cuts in) Ananya (Panday) and I had a lot more in common. We were making our debut together and were huge fans of the franchise (SOTY); both of us also have the star signs — Scorpio. On the other hand, Rakul (Preet Singh) has done so much work. I didn't know her at all, and we had very few scenes together. In our limited interaction, we spoke mostly about food. She would give tips about replacing ingredients that will help me make healthier choices. She was doing two shifts in a day and still wasn’t exhausted on the sets. It was interesting to see how she managed it all.

While Sidharth and Riteish Deshmukh have shared screen space in Ek Villain (2014), this is the first time you are working with Riteish…
Yes, but I did not have many shots with him. My character dies when his character comes into focus. Our scenes were mostly shot in the night. I remember him crawling on his knees as he played a vertically-challenged man. He had many funny stories to share and was very witty, which would lighten up the mood during the late-night shoot.

Milap Zaveri, who has directed Marjaavaan, is known for his sex comedies. Are you a fan of the genre? Which films of his have you seen?
I haven’t seen any sex comedies. I remember that he had shown me the trailer of Mastizaade (2016). I don't think I will ever do a sex comedy; it’s just not my thing.

Considering the fact that you are a trained singer, will we see you singing soon?
I wanted to be a singer; this (acting) was not a part of my plan. Whenever I see a photo of mine or read articles about me, I still can’t believe it. I am already promoting my second film and shooting my third… all of it feels like a dream. While this year, I focused on acting, next year, I will also look for opportunities in music. I want singing to be a huge part of my career next year. I idolise Barbra Streisand and Beyoncé, and am very old school when it comes to music and like 50s music. I want to see myself as a singer very soon.

Post SOTY 2, are you still in touch with Karan Johar? Do you consult him when you make your career choices? Also, you had got along well with Tiger Shroff. Do you manage to catch up with him?
I will always be in touch with Karan. He is very special to me. He calls us (actors of SOTY 2) his babies. If I need advice, especially when it is related to the industry, he is my go-to person. Even if he is busy, he makes sure that he is there for us. As far as Tiger is concerned, I have a special place in my heart for him. He is my first co-star and the first person with whom I could share everything. We will be friends forever. We two have a lot of things in common, and have lots to talk about whenever we catch up.

There is a strong buzz about you dating Aadar Jain. Do you want to clear the air?
I met Aadar at Karan’s (Johar) Diwali party last year. Well, he is very special to me, and we do go out a lot. We enjoy the same things. We have a similar taste in music and enjoy bingeing on good food. We also get photographed together, and I am fine with it as there is nothing to hide. We are very fond of each other and like each other's company a lot.

Like your debut film, your third film, the remake of RX 100, has an industry kid — Suniel Shetty’s son Ahan — stepping into Bollywood...
Yes, I am excited about it. Ahan is great to work with. The film a remake of RX 100, but our roles are very different from those in the original. We will be announcing the title of the film and releasing the first look very soon. We will start shooting the film in Mussoorie on the day that Marjaavaan releases. I had shot SOTY 2 there as well, so I will feel like a local when I am there (laughs!).

Tara Sutaria fields questions on rumoured beau Aadar Jain, her sequinned sari, letting go of films that became hits & going from glam to girl-next-door
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 5, 2019)

When it comes to star-studded house parties, Tara Sutaria sure knows how to work the cameras and then some. Barely two months after reports emerged that she could be dating Aadar Jain, the Student Of The Year 2 debutante arrived at the Bachchan Diwali party with the actor, draped in a sari which has, incidentally, been spotted on Karisma and Kareena Kapoor (Aadar’s cousins) earlier. Presumably to contemporarise it further, Tara paired it with a décolletage-flaunting satin blouse. Online, the look found takers and haters in equal measure, depending on whether you’re listening to a millennial copywriter or a seasoned blogger.

“Manish (designer Manish Malhotra), very sweetly, designed that look for me. I love his sequin saris, they are famous,” the actress shares as she sinks into a comfortable chair at a suburban five-star. For this turn, she has opted for a pair of denim shorts, white sneakers and a Gopi Vaid jacket made of traditional prints, trims and embroidery.

She is relatively less forthcoming on the topic of her date, who had, not long ago, accompanied her to Malaika Arora’s birthday bash as well. “It’s important to say this, we enjoy going out and spending time together. Aadar is special to me and both of us are foodies, so we are going to be spotted at restaurants. We met for the first time last Diwali and have a lot of mutual friends.” But are they dating? “Well, we really enjoy each other’s company,” she reiterates evasively.

Previously, there had been link-up rumours with her Marjaavaan co-star, Sidharth Malhotra. Tara is quick on the uptake, saying, “Such rumours, and not just with Sid, started even before SOTY 2. They are annoying because they’re not true and there is nothing you can say to clarify. Now, I understand this comes with the job, so I take them with a pinch of salt. I got to know Sid because of Marjaavaan. Before that we had only met at parties. We realised that we were neighbours and had so much in common as we are both ex-Students and come from non-filmi families.”

Speaking of the ex-Students’ first film together, the actress will be seen in a de-glam avatar after a teenybopper turn in her debut “I connect with Zoya more than with Mia (SOTY 2), she is passionate about music and so am I,” she explains.

The film’s release date has been moved around a few times but Tara is unfazed. “I am new in the industry, so I don’t really understand numbers yet, but I am happy that it is releasing around my birthday,” she beams, going on to share that she was planning a prom-themed party for her 24th birthday on November 19. “But now I am leaving for Mussoorie on the 15th for my next film (RX 100 Hindi remake). Ahan (Shetty, co-star) is already there.”

She is excited about portraying her first grey character in the film. “Everyone wants to play safe when they are young and starting out. I never thought I would do the things I am doing in this film,” she gushes.

Tara was offered Sandeep Vanga’s Kabir Singh which could have been another South remake for her besides RX 100. Ask her if she’s glad she didn’t do the film considering the flak it received for its blatant misogyny and she says, “I don’t think I agree with that (the film’s misogynistic tone). It’s not a true story and I think everyone has the artistic right to show what they want in their film. Having said that, I also understand and respect everyone’s opinion. I couldn’t do Kabir Singh as I was shooting for SOTY 2 and had signed Marjaavaan at the time, but I loved Shahid (Kapoor) and Kiara (Advani) in it.”

Tara also had to let go of the role of Princess Jasmine in Guy Ritchie’s live-action adaptation of Aladdin featuring Will Smith as Genie.

Ask her if she wonders whether it would have been a better launch pad and the answer is a resounding ‘no’. “I have three films coming out in my first year in the industry. That wouldn’t have happened if I had done anything else. There is a lot to be grateful for with SOTY 2. People expected it to do crazy numbers, which I understand it didn’t, but it still did well. It will always be special for me as it’s my first film,” she asserts.

The Diwali weekend kept the paparazzi busy following party-hopping celebs, and among the many star-studded snapshots, here are a few that speak of more than just fashion choices
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 30, 2019)

Sara, Kartik caught in the same frame
With news of the split coming just before the start of the festivities, all eyes were on Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aaryan to see how they would react when thrown together. And the duo didn’t disappoint. After maintaining a dignified silence about the separation, they handled public interactions with grace. While Ananya Panday was the pretty guest at Kartik’s pooja at home, Sara joined them, along with Karan Johar’s other stars, at the pooja organised at the filmmaker’s office on Sunday. She shared the frame with her one-time steady date without a twitch of embarrassment. That’s love #AajKal.


Eye-popping
Mirror was the first to tell you about the new BFFs in B-Town. Now, Tara Sutaria and Aadar Jain are always spotted together, be it on shopping sprees or at Big B’s Diwali bash on Sunday. And it wasn’t just their joint appearance that had flashbulbs popping but also the student’s daringly cut choli which left little to the imagination.


Back with a bang
After 11 months away from the country, and then a quick Italian getaway, Rishi Kapoor was a welcome face at B-Town parties with his better half, Neetu, and daughter Riddhima. However, son Ranbir stayed away and only emerged on Sunday, with bestie Ayan Mukerji, at KJo’s office. Maybe he was missing Alia Bhatt who was away on a shoot in Ooty.


Bump-ing along the rumours
It’s been three years since they tied the knot, but for Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover, the honeymoon continues. However, after the Mrs and Mr were spotted at Ramesh Taurani’s party last Wednesday, tongues have been wagging. Wasn’t Bipasha looking beautifully rounded? Was there a bump there? Had the stork come calling? Well, we will know soon enough if there’s more monkey love on the way.




Meet the parents
Two days after ex-wife Adhuna posted a picture of a passionate lip-lock, to wish boyfriend Nicolo on his birthday, thanking him for two-and-half years of “honest a goodness honesty”, for accepting her for who she is and for unabashedly showing his love for her, a picture of Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar popped up. What made this one different was that it didn’t turn up on the couple’s handles but was shared by Shabana Azmi on Insta. It has both her and Farhan’s father, Javed Akhtar, sharing the frame with the couple. Does this make the relationship official?


Happy new year
No one knew when Sushant Singh Rajput and Rhea Chakraborty stole away for a vacation to Paris and Italy cause they flew out separately. But they returned together and even left the airport in the same car. New beginnings in the New Year?

We are family
They may still be figuring out the date and destination for their wedding, but there’s no doubt that Varun has found his dulhania in real life. Natasha Dalal turned up at the Dhawans’ office pooja and seemed quite at home with the pariwar. What’s more, their days of playing hide-and-seek also seem to be over. These days, the couple turns up at dos colour coordinated and happily say cheese.

Hiren Kotwani (DNA; August 20, 2019)

Tara Sutaria, Student Of The Year 2 debutante, and Aadar Jain, (Ranbir Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor’s cousin who made his Bollywood debut with the 2017 musical-drama Qaidi Band) are the new BFFs in movie town. The duo has frequently been spotted together, even at a popular suburban hotel, where they only have eyes for each other and a lot to chat about.

According to an industry insider, the two met through a couple of common friends and immediately hit it off. “Tara is a friendly girl who quickly broke the ice and drew out the normally reserved Aadar. They share a lot in common,” the source informed.

In February this year, during an appearance on Karan Johar’s chat show, Tiger Shroff had hinted at a brewing romance between fellow student Tara and former student Sidharth Malhotra. Tara had shrugged off the talk with a laugh, pointing out that being neighbours, they often go out on shopping sprees or for a bite when they get time off from their hectic schedules and are no more than good friends.

Earlier, Tara was reportedly seeing Rohan Mehra, who made his debut in the Saif Ali Khan-starrer Baazaar last year, while Aadar was said to be previously dating another actress. Well, all we can say is that if these two good-looking and unattached youngsters enjoy spending time together, we can only sigh and smile.

After wrapping up their next film, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh let their hair down
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 6, 2017)

As guests began pouring in around 11pm on Saturday, the street outside Deepika Padukone’s sea-facing Prabhadevi residence began to crowd with fans. Cops lined up outside the high-rise to manage the traffic and additional security was deployed in the society to escort celebrity guests to Deepika’s top-floor apartment. While the other residents are used to occasional sightings of the actress’s steady beau, Ranveer Singh, who was the first to arrive at the star-studded bash around 9pm, over 200-odd fans eagerly waited to click other B-town A-listers. And they weren’t disappointed.

A WhatsApp-invite had been circulated by Deepika herself a few days before the bash. She was keen to celebrate the success of the widely- praised “Ghoomar” song from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming period-war-romance, Padmavati, given that the chartbuster has already got over 50 million hits.

The celebration doubled up as wrap party for the Padmavati duo as well. Deepika had finished her work early last week but was waiting for Ranveer to complete his portions so that they could let their hair down together.

Everyone followed the “chic and fabulous” dress code, with the pretty hostess looking radiant in a strappy maroon gown as she posed with actors Armaan and Aadar Jain. Armaan had arrived with birthday girl and close friend Athiya Shetty. On seeing the Hero-actress, Sonakshi put an end to rumours of a supposed “cold war” between the two by lifting Athiya off her feet. “Happy birthday baby doll! This is how you shall be greeted always bcause if we girls don’t uplift each other, who will?” Sonakshi exclaimed.

Speaking of cold wars that aren’t, soon-to-be-leading ladies Jahnvi, Boney Kapoor and Sridevi’s daughter, and Sara, Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s daughter, were on a selfie-spree, with almost every second pic with mentor-filmmaker Karan Johar.

Also on the guest list were Alia Bhatt, Imran Khan with wife Avantika, filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani with wife Dolly, Dinesh Vijjan, who arrived with his Raabta-actress Kriti Sanon and Homi Adajania with his stylist wife Anaita.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali was busy with post-production, while Deepika’s Padmavati Maharaja Shahid Kapoor, was in London. But the surprise guest was Abhishek Bachchan, beaming in a tuxedo.

Abhishek spent a long time chatting with Deepika. His sister, Shweta Bachchan, joined them too. Buzz is, Abhishek and Deepika could be paired in Bhansali’s next — the Sahir biopic with AB playing the poet-lyricist and Deepika as his poetess muse, Amrita Pritam. Even though, SLB’s spokesperson had denied the news to Mirror earlier, the actor’s new-found camaraderie with Deepika did have eyebrows raising in speculation on Saturday evening. Is a collaboration on the cards?

The party later moved to the adjoining large terrace with the revellers binging on seekh kebabs and Deepika shaking a leg with one and all.

Ranveer discussed movies and masti with Ishaan Khatter, Shahid Kapoor’s younger brother who makes his debut with Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds.

While most guests left by 3am, that’s when Shah Rukh Khan arrived with wife Gauri and stayed on till well past dawn.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 16, 2017)

Anya Singh, a Yash Raj Films protégée like Ranveer Singh, is a fan of the actor. The actress, who is being launched in Qaidi Band is an absolute outsider like Singh, therefore the affinity and adoration.

Anya recently met Ranveer at YRF studios. She recalls, “My film’s trailer launch was just a day before Ranveer’s birthday. We knew that like every year, he would come to YRF to cut his cake on his birthday eve. And being a Ranveer fan, I was very excited. Aadar (Jain, co-star) and I were supposed to come in the evening, but when he told me Ranveer’s coming to office early, I said, ‘I want to go’. He narrated the story to Adi sir (Aditya Chopra) and told him that I want to come early to see Ranveer cut the cake. I was in my make-up room getting my eyes done, and I opened my eyes and saw Ranveer standing in front of me. I got up and then I sat down, I didn’t know how to react. He said he’d come to wish us all the best.”

She adds, “I love Ranveer. I’m a huge fan of his. And I couldn’t believe it, but when I met him for the first time, he called me beta! I was sitting downstairs with Anushka just before we were about to go on stage and he walked upto us. When I was leaving, he said, ‘Best of luck, beta!’ My heart shattered into pieces and I was like, ‘I’m such a big fan of yours, I thought I’d get to work with you someday and you just called me beta’.”

Here, the newbie talks about his debut film, cousin Ranbir and takes head-on the charges of nepotism
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; July 20, 2017)

He is the newest kid from the Kapoor khandaan to make a foray into films. Son of Reema Jain and grandson of Raj Kapoor, Aadar Jain is all set to make his debut in the film Qaidi Band. Even before the film hits the theatres, the youngster is making news. After all, he was introduced by none other than cousin Ranbir Kapoor as the new talent of YRF, the banner, which is launching him. His promotional campaign, however, got targeted by the Twitterati as reeking of nepotism. Here, the newbie talks about his debut film, cousin Ranbir and takes head-on the charges of nepotism..

The trailer of Qaidi Band is out, what are your thoughts right now?
It’s an amazing surreal feeling. I am at a loss of words. My family, friends, teachers, everyone, who has been a part of my life have appreciated it. My mother got so emotional, she was in tears. She actually saw it a couple of days before the launch. She has a Ganpatiji ka photo on her phone and she was pointing it at the trailer to seek his blessings. That was a special moment for me, because she was so overwhelmed. When my nani saw the trailer, she called and told me, ‘I am proud of you’.

What was Ranbir’s reaction?
He hasn’t seen it yet. He is in New York shooting for the Dutt biopic. I am waiting for him to watch it and give me his feedback.

Are you closest to him among your cousins?
Yes, as a child, I was obsessed with Ranbir. I would follow in his footsteps. He was the one who gave me my first football shoes. We have several things in common. We share the same love for movies, sports and food! He also bullied me a lot! I am also close to Karisma, Kareena, Riddhima and Natasha Nanda, who is my maasi Ritu Nanda’s daughter, Nikhil bhaiyaa. We are a close-knit family. When we get together, it is like a big parade — it’s a full table tennis match. Food is going from one side of the table to the other, there is a lot of noise. Every Sunday we make a conscious effort to go and meet my nani and we never miss the annual Christmas party at Shashi nana’s house.

Every actor dreams of making a debut in a love story with pretty visuals and foreign locales. What made you choose a film on undertrials as your first film?
My dream was to act and to entertain people. When I was auditioning for the film, Habib (Faisal) narrated the story to me. He said it is important that I like the story and connect with it. When he narrated it to me I didn’t see it ki yeh koi alag type ki picture hai, I really connected with the story. I thought it was entertaining and engaging and at the same time educational. I never knew anything about the situation of undertrials in jail. I had only seen it in films like Shawshank Redemption and Prison Break. I had a rough idea. What was interesting for me was our country has more undertrials than what is considered normal. Overall, I connected with the character and the music aspect. I have always been musically inclined growing up and played an instrument. In the film, my character plays the guitar. The way all of us express through music and come together in the film also interested me.

Did you discuss it with your family and take any tips?
To be honest, when I started out, I told my family I wanted their blessings. I didn’t want any advice. Whatever choices I make I want to take credit. I just went with my gut feeling.

What kind of prep did you do for the film?
We attended a rigorous workshop. I am a drummer, so had to learn the guitar, the nuances, etc. During the shot, I actually played the chords. I also learnt a particular dialect because my character has a northern accent. Since music is an important part of the film, I sat with the composer Amit Trivedi to draw some inspiration. I read up on different cases of undertrails and jails as the film is based on real incidents and real characters. There was an Assamese undertrail Machang Lalung who was in jail for 54 years for a crime he didn’t commit! When he got acquitted, he felt that his whole life was wasted and it affected him. I read his entire story.

Physically did you have to undergo any changes?
Yes, I had to lose five-six kilos for the film. In jails they serve phiki dal and rice. My character had to reflect that. My lifestyle is such that I get proper food, but I can’t look healthy in the film, so I had to lose weight and get the rugged look.

Like Ranbir, you also started out by assisting directors. What is the idea behind it?
When I was in high school, I decided, I wanted to act. I went to New York Film Academy to educate myself. When I came back, I realised I needed to do the ground work. As a child, I had never gone on the set of a film, so didn’t know how a film was made. I wanted to know the basics, what actually goes into the making, how the DOP frames his shots, how the actor hits his mark, etc. I wanted to gain experience and exposure so I assisted Farah Khan on Happy New Year and Karan Johar on Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Incidentally, Ranbir tried to bully me on the sets of ADHM. He treated me like a professional and I used to call him ‘Sir’ though it was a little awkward! Actually, he wanted to teach me how to do things in the right way. Then he told me, he didn’t find much to bully me!

After ADHM, did you decide to face the camera?
I wanted to train myself, I went to dance and acting workshops, concentrated on my fitness — I was doing all those things when I met Shanoo Sharma (casting agent). She told me that if I am ready to audition, she will test me. I was auditioning for three-four weeks before I got the film.

Soon after you were introduced by YRF, you had to face charges of nepotism as you come from a big film family. Were you prepared for it, did you get affected?
I did read a couple of comments. When it’s your first film, you work so hard and you give it your all for one year — of course, you feel bad when you read these comments. Obviously, you can’t help it. People will always have opinions. The only thing you can do is work hard and speak through your work. I just feel no matter where you come from, no matter your background, the odds are the same. Yes, it might be a bit easy for me to meet the casting director. But I have to audition, prove my mettle as an actor because I don’t think a producer or a director wants to take an actor who is not worthy of the script. A producer/director is putting so much of his own money on new talent. So, you have to audition whether you are the “insider” or the “outsider”. I got the film purely on the merit of my talent. There are so many who don’t belong to a film family, like a Ranveer Singh or an Anushka Sharma, who also audition. The odds are the same for everyone.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 6, 2015)

Rachana Dubey (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 7, 2014)

Ranbir and Kareena Kapoor’s cousin, Armaan Jain is gearing up to make his debut in Dinesh Vijan’s Lekar Hum Deewana Dil. But few know that the actor has a 20-year-old sibling who is also gearing up for a career in showbiz.

Aadar Jain, who is the younger son of Reema Kapoor-Jain (Ranbir and Kareena’s paternal aunt), also harbours showbiz dreams.

Armaan, who assisted Karan Johar on Student Of The Year before taking the plunge, had attended workshops by NK Sharma in Delhi and classes by Barry John in Mumbai.

Aadar has in a way taken after Armaan. He clocks in over 12-14 hours on the sets as assistant director to Farah Khan on Happy New Year and plans to continue assisting for Karan Malhotra’s impending Shuddhi.

The youngster, who has trained in acting and filmmaking in America, is likely to be launched by a prolific production house as a hero.