Esquire India’s Digital Cover Star Ishaan Khatter Isn’t The Next Big Thing, He is Now

Among the new crop of young men reimagining what it means to be a Bollywood hero, Ishaan Khatter is the name you’ll find on every list. And usually right at the top. It might be the floppy hair that comes to your mind when you think of the Homebound actor. Or the smile that flickers between mischief and introspection. The kind of smile that makes you feel like you’re in on the secret, even when you're definitely not.

Maybe it’s the dancer’s ease that he shares with his brother-another commercially successful Bollywood star, Shahid Kapoor- or his quiet confidence that feels just as comfortable without a shirt on as it does in a sharply cut Dior suit at Cannes dinner party. But one thing’s truer for Ishaan than anything else- the camera loves him as much he loves it.

The reason cannot simply be attested to the pedigree. What makes him interesting beyond his surname is the restlessness- the refusal to stick to one lane and intrigue to play the many faces-Madhukar, Shooter Dival, Mann Kapoor.

His appeal lies in how difficult he is to categorise. So he finds himself working with Majid Majidi before a mass commercial success with Shashank Khaitan in Dhadak, with Mira Nair before he plays a cameo in Nichole Kidman’s The Perfect Couple, and even before the trailer hits the Indian theatres of Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound; we know Ishaan moves with purpose- even when he’s goofing around on social media.

He’s simply present. Not performatively, not in a “look at me being grounded” kind of way. There’s something he does when he’s listening. He tilts his head just slightly, one eyebrow raised, like he’s not just hearing you; he’s scanning the spaces between your words. He does this mid-conversation, mid-photo shoot, mid-moment. Like he’s storing details for later, for a role, for a scene, or maybe just for himself.

In fact, it is more of a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it way that makes you want to pay attention. To the way he talks, the way he moves, the way he picks his next move is like someone who’s playing the long game.

For one who could have easily taken the fast lane, Ishaan is into the kind of career that grows beneath the surface until one day it’s towering over the noise.

At 28, the actor is not only one of the most fashion-forward actors with his tailored silhouettes and modern cuts, bohemian aesthetic and chic streetwear swagger but as an actor also stands poised at the most exciting kind of edge—the one between rising and rise.

Now, as Esquire India’s digital cover star for July 2025, Ishaan is hitting a new kind of stride. Still curious, still unpredictable, still charming. And he’s just getting warmed up.

We hope you enjoy the cover shoot and images – it’ll all be unveiled soon.

Credits

Chairperson: Avarna Jain

COO: Jamal Shaikh

Editor: Rahul Gangwani

Styling and Creative Direction: Vijendra Bhardwaj

Photography: Bikramjit Bose

Words: Prannay Pathak

Fashion Team: Komal Shetty , Assisted by: Ifrah Kadir

Hair: Aditya Shah

Grooming: Nalini Ferns

Location: Manhattan at St Regis Mumbai

Bookings Editor: Varun Shah

Artist Reputation Management: Jio Creative Labs

Esquire India Editorial: Sonal Nerurkar, Mayukh Majumdar, Saurav Bhanot, Nitin Sreedhar, Abhya Adlakha , Rudra Mulmule, Riti Ghai, Kashish Mishra

Editorial Mentor: Saira Menezes

To read more stories from Esquire India's July 2025 issue, pick up a copy of the magazine from your nearest newspaper stand or bookstore. Or click here to subscribe to the magazine.