Salman Khan is set to launch his nephew Ayaan’s debut English single, Universal Laws, in Dubai on February 20. Ayaan Agnihotri is the son of Alvira and Atul Agnihotri. Choosing music over acting, Ayan marks a fresh departure from the Khan family’s cinematic legacy. The grand event will see strong family support, with Salman, Sohail Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Alvira Agnihotri, Atul Agnihotri, Alizeh Agnihotri, Arpita Sharma, Aayush Sharma, Salma Khan, and Helen Khan attending. Salman’s nephews Nirvan Khan and Arhaan Khan, along with Ssuhra Khan, will also be present.

Adding to the star power, Bollywood celebrities Bobby Deol, Sonakshi Sinha, and Sunil Grover will be part of the launch, alongside music composer Himesh Reshammiya and actor Zaheer Khan.

Talking to mid-day, Ayaan said, "There’s no better feeling in the world than receiving acceptance and support from your loved ones. Everyone’s been so kind and I’m grateful to them all, always."

The event will be at the Belcanto Restaurant in the Dubai Opera on February 20 and the premiere of the music video is the grand finale of the do. He says, "We’ve chosen Dubai as an international hub as it is a centre point for a lot of international music and artists. We’re hoping the track finds its audience globally."

The music video for Universal Laws will premiere on Ayan Agnihotri’s YouTube channel, Agni, which also serves as his stage name, and will be available on all streaming platforms. It is an English song. Composed, written, sung, and rapped by Agni, the track is produced by Aditya Dev, with direction and creative execution by Jugaad Motion Pictures and backing from Reel Life Productions Pvt Ltd.

How did he ditch the acting route for this? "The song originated from the feelings of happiness and wonder, it’s a reminder that no one can predict what’s to come and that sometimes you find the greatest, most beautiful things when you’re not looking. Trust the process, it’s not over until it’s over. I have always been into music. It began with writing poetry and 16, which nobody will ever read as I can personally tell you they were not good. From there it evolved into spoken word pieces leading into writing rap verses, too chorus and eventually writing and composing entire songs. And for another 8 years with a key focus on sounding better so I could sing and rap my own music."

Agnihotri had a ball shooting this, he says. "I think the funniest thing that happened was that my producer Aditya Dev forgot that he had ever made this beat for me when I went back to him with the completed song."

But does it mean there won't be acting ever for him? "Who knows what the future holds? These Universal laws leave me in awe," he says, quoting the track.

Alizeh made an unconventional and impressive Bollywood debut last year with Farrey. While she is guided by her parents Atul and Alvira Agnihotri and mamu Salman Khan, this youngster seems to know the path she wants to tread on. Alizeh talks to us about how she does not want to pick up projects just to gain momentum and her showbiz learnings from the experiences of her star-studded family. Excerpts:

I was auditioning for ads, shows and films, and I got shortlisted for a lot of projects, but nothing was really working out. We had seen this movie Bad Genius (it’s a Thai film) and were working on it for a while. We never planned for it to be my first film, but it was always a project we were interested in. As actors, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses and work with the right people at the right time, and that’s exactly what happened with this project. I felt like I didn’t have to change myself much for this role. I could relate to my character, and I felt that while she’s not very likeable, she’s endearing, and you wanted to support her.

I have always wanted to do something in the creative field, like production, direction or writing. My family always thought I would pursue a career in acting, but I didn’t. I wasn’t sure. There’s so much extra baggage that comes with this profession. You have to deal with a lot of people’s opinions and advice. For me, that’s very intimidating because I am an introvert. But over the years, I realized that many creative people are introverts, and you need a different skill set to handle a large crowd and be a public speaker. Look at Ranveer Singh, when he enters a room, the energy changes. Whatever little bit of work I had done, be it showreels or projects, I would show it to my parents and they would give their honest opinion. Gradually, I began auditioning. I would get rejected, and though that was disappointing, I would pull myself together and get back on my feet. I don’t give up easily.

I feel like I have the experience of someone who has been in the business for 50 years (laughs!). We have a Salman Khan in the family who’s a superstar, my dad is a producer, my nana is a screenplay writer. I have all the combinations around me. Each of them has had their own complicated journey and has seen good and bad days. One lesson my family has taught me is that everyone has good days and bad days, and as simple as it sounds, it is something you need to keep reminding yourself of.

I have always believed that the more, the merrier. You can’t get everything and can’t keep fighting for everything. It’s not a positive approach. There is work and space for everyone. Cinema is changing and the audience is changing. This is an amazing time to be a young actor in this country right now.

I had put in a lot to get the characterization of Niyati right. I am always eager for constructive criticism. I am a bit of a sceptic and wasn’t expecting anyone to praise my performance. Having received the kind of appreciation I did, now I don’t want to rush into anything or pick roles just to keep the momentum going. I am a sustainable actor, and I prefer quality over quantity.

Just by observing and listening to the conversations in the family, I have picked up a lot of tips and advice. The biggest privilege of hailing from a film family is the knowledge and insight you get based on their experiences because you don’t need to go through the trial-and-error process as there are people who have done that for you already. Salman mamu would always ask me if I wanted to get into movies, and I would say I don’t know if I had the right personality. He used to encourage me by saying, ‘You can always find your way by finding your niche.’ He always suspected that I wanted to be an actor, and when I told him that I wanted to, he just laughed.

Before they kick off the shoot of Antim from November 15, Salman Khan and director Mahesh Manjrekar have planned everything down to the last detail — from the combination dates of actors to the location of shoot and the safety protocols. Yet, the two find themselves in a unique dilemma as they are unable to decide the finer details of the superstar's role in the action drama.

Considering the film is a remake of the Marathi hit Mulshi Pattern (2018), Manjrekar is keen that Khan play a Maharashtrian cop in the film. "However, Salman wants to play a Punjabi police officer. He believes it will lend pan-India appeal to the film. Over the past few days, Salman and Mahesh have been brainstorming about his character. It has finally been decided that the actor will conduct a look test this weekend, during which he will flaunt a Maharashtrian avatar and a north Indian get-up, and accordingly zero in on his final look," reveals a trade source.

The crime drama will see Khan team up with brother-in-law Aayush Sharma. "The mahurat will happen at Mehboob Studios on Diwali, followed by a two-month schedule at N D Studios in Karjat. Salman will play a no-nonsense cop. Styled by Ashley Rebello and sister Alvira Agnihotri, the actor is likely to sport a French beard," adds the source.

Manjrekar, who has previously collaborated with Khan as an actor, is excited to reunite with him. "We plan to start shoot in the next 15 days. Salman and Aayush will have never-seen-before looks in the movie," he says.