Hansal Mehta blasts 'traumatizing' trolls targeting Ibrahim Ali Khan for Nadaaniyan, accuses advisors of misguiding star kids

Hansal Mehta on Ibrahim Ali Khan

Director Hansal Mehta has stepped forward to defend newcomer Ibrahim Ali Khan amidst the intense backlash surrounding his debut film, "Nadaaniyan," on Netflix. The film, also starring Khushi Kapoor, has faced widespread criticism, triggering a wave of memes and harsh critiques of the young actors' performances.

Hansal Mehta, however, said that the public reaction was "harsh and unfair," and placed the blame squarely on the filmmakers and the advisors surrounding the star kids.

In a recent interview with ETimes, Hansal Mehta expressed his concern for the young actors, stating, "The kind of comments that people are passing are in terrible taste. I’m sure it must be traumatising for the young people."

He highlighted the inherent pressure faced by star kids, reminding audiences that even their parents had "awkward beginnings," but were spared the intense scrutiny of today's social media landscape.

Mehta didn't shy away from addressing the "lack of basic manners in the way people have reacted to the debut," but he also pointed out the systemic issues within the industry that contribute to such situations. He criticized directors and producers who "commission films with star kids" without ensuring they are adequately prepared.

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"You cannot just assume that somebody will be good because they come from a certain lineage. So, in that sense, it is even unfair to launch them by giving them a false sense of entitlement. That entitlement should come from, I think, preparedness," Mehta explained.

Beyond the filmmakers, Mehta also targeted the advisors who influence the script selection of these young actors. He shared an anecdote about approaching a star kid for a film, only to be met with resistance from their advisors who insisted on a "conventional" launch. "I had approached one of these children for a film. And it was a slightly unusual film for a newcomer. But the people around them, their advisors, felt that he/she should be doing something conventional, that he should be making a high-speed entry, he should have all these ‘hit’ songs, he should get the same ‘mounting’ that, say, Kumar Gaurav, Sunny Deol, Hrithik Roshan, or Tiger Shroff got. The problem is that they have advisors who are not living in the times that we are in."

He argued that these advisors are pushing young actors towards outdated formulas, hindering their growth and potential. Mehta believes that the focus should be on building a foundation of respect through solid work, rather than chasing fleeting fame. "My only plea to them is to keep their head down, focus on their work. The moment they perform well in something, no matter how well or badly it does at the box office, they will be respected. Their first target should be to get respect with their work."