Junaid Khan Isn’t As Introverted As He’d Like You To Believe
The Loveyapa actor on his love for theatre, carving his own path in films and what he’s planning on next
Junaid Khan is a self-proclaimed introvert.
But when you meet him, you might be surprised to find a rather extroverted side to him. Is that him being in character for his big-screen debut, Loveyapa, or another side to him waiting to be discovered? He’s happy to leave that to you to decipher. Then there are his mannerisms, which are quite like that of his father, superstar Aamir Khan. But that’s where the similarities end.
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As he tells us in an exclusive conversation, while films might be where he’s gaining popularity, it’s theatre that remains his true love.
Esquire India: From Maharaj to Loveyapa, what differentiates your two debuts?
Junaid Khan: One was a period drama, the other is a romantic dramedy. They were both great fun to work in and I got an opportunity to explore different kinds of characters.
ESQ: Advait Chandan worked with your father in Laal Singh Chaddha. What was it like working with him?
JK: I don’t know what the jump has been like for him, but he is very good with actors. He runs a very enthusiastic set and loves exploring new things. The entire crew of Loveyapa was very young, and most of us were first-timers. There was a different vibe. Khushi and I also met for the first time on the set, and Advait was fantastic at breaking the ice since we are both introverted personalities.
ESQ: Cinema is in your DNA. The film legacy of Nasir and Tahir Hussain, and your father Aamir Khan. However, you didn’t directly jump into films, as one would have expected.
JK: I studied theatre in America and came back in 2017. I have been doing stage since. I used to go for auditions and readings of films whenever they came my way but wasn’t actively seeking it. Adi sir (Aditya Chopra) and Sid Sir (Sidharth P Malhotra) had seen an audition of mine for another film and thought I would be suitable for Maharaj. That is how it happened. It wasn’t planned out.
ESQ: It has been refreshing to see you embracing the colour and vibe of Gen Next with Loveyapa.
JK: I am genre agnostic, and for me, it is important to connect with the story and the people making it. I would like to be part of films from all genres of storytelling. I don’t think we set out to make a film that has gravitas; it is just that the story was fun and right for the times we are in.
ESQ: What is your take on humility, this construct that the paparazzi, fans and everyone consuming pop culture seems to have thrust upon you?
JK: I believe in practicality. I feel that in a city like Mumbai, for me, at this point, taking a rickshaw is the easiest way of travelling. I don’t know if my publicists and producers are happy about it (laughs). But I would like for my work to speak, because I don’t know how impressive I am as a person.
ESQ: How does one forge one successfully for their unique path in the industry? Especially in your case where there are several reference points and it’s easy to get influenced?
JK: I think everybody's journey is different, and everybody works differently. Everybody's personality is different within a family. Mom and Dad have always encouraged us to do our own thing and follow our path. They have always been there for support when we need them. I think I’m blessed with a very loving family – they let me do my own thing. I always ask Papa (Aamir Khan) for advice, and he always gives his suggestions, but in the end tells me, to do what my heart deems right. That's something I have always done, even when people around me didn’t understand why I was doing.
ESQ: What is the shape you want to give your career going forward? Would you want to try your hand at direction?
JK: Direction, I don’t think so, but then they say never say never. I have a film, Ek Din, co-starring Sai Pallavi, which my father has produced. I am onstage again in March - theatre is my first love, and I want to keep doing it.
ESQ: Between theatre and film, you could do only one thing, what would it be?
JK: Theatre! When you are in a film, you try to achieve perfection, which is not possible. But the stage is always alive, because your next show will be different, and so will be the one after. It’s always evolving!