Bollywood superstar and Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan's son, Junaid Khan, has stolen everyone's hearts with his impressive performance in the recently released film Maharaj. The film, which ran into trouble initially, was released on Netflix a few days later and was received with lots of love.
Junaid's performance as the journalist Karsandas Mulji has earned him a lot of appreciation. In an exclusive conversation with MoneyControl, Junaid threw light on how he prepped up for the character of the veteran journalist and his father's reaction after watching the film.
On being asked how he decided that the character Karsandas Mulji was right for him and why he chose it for his debut, Junaid said, "That's a question best suited for Siddharth sir; he thought that I was best suited for Karsan Das Mulji. But it was a script that I really liked. I think Vipul Bhai (Mehta) and Sneha (Desai) have done a beautiful job. Siddharth sir's previous films I had really enjoyed, and Yash Raj is one of the biggest producers in the country today. So, for me, it was a no-brainer. I am really thankful to Siddharth sir for considering me."
Maharaj had run into trouble after the Gujarat High Court on June 13 ordered streaming platform Netflix to stop the release of their movie. But the movie was cleared for a premiere soon.
Junaid Khan played the role of Karsandas Mulji, a journalist who was known for his progressive ideas and significant contributions to social reform.
Junaid’s performance has resonated deeply with audiences, and people are already comparing him with his famous father, Aamir Khan.
When asked what his father, Mr. Aamir Khan, had to say about his performance, Junaid shared a hearty laugh and then said, "He liked the film, and he liked the performance as well. He didn't really say specifically. But when he watches something, he watches it as an audience and watches it to enjoy. Unless you ask him something very specifically, he will not necessarily have any comment on the film."
We asked him if Aamir Khan, who is known as a perfectionist in the industry, made him sit through the movie to give him feedback. Junaid said, "No, no, he is not at all like that person. He watched it, and he liked it. Adi sir asked him how he felt, and he gave some suggestions; some of them were taken, some of them were not taken. Unless you ask him, he is not going to go into specifics."
Guidance from Dad
Junaid says he doesn't usually discuss his projects, nor does he 'necessarily check' with his father or any family member before signing any film.
"No, not usually. Maharaj (Aamir) had also heard the script. Adi sir wanted him to, and he liked it as well. I don't necessarily check with him before signing on for the films. He liked it. He is not the kind of person who will give unsolicited advice," said Junaid.
He also said his father, Aamir Khan, has solutions to every problem: "When you ask him something, he will tell you, and he will be very, very helpful. But you have to be very specific; you can't ask him for general things. If you have a specific issue you need help dealing with, then he is actually one of the best. He has been around for 40 years now. He will have solutions to most issues."
Mom is a harsher critic
Junaid also revealed that both his parents, Aamir and Reena (Aamir Khan's first wife), and his grandmothers were there to bless him on the first day of shooting, and it was something he had always wanted.
On being asked how his mother found his performance, Junaid had this to say: "She was very happy; when she watched the film, she really liked it. She is, in fact, a much tougher audience to please than my father. But she really liked the film; she was there on the first day of the shoot with my mom, my father, and my grandparents. My two grandmothers were there; they really wanted to be. It was good fun."
Many actor kids like Suhana Khan and Khushi Kapoor have opted for OTT debuts before their big screen debuts, and we asked Junaid the same, but he said it wasn't something he really thought about, but since he liked the script, he didn't want to let it go.
"I don't think it was so much that I had only thought of OTT; we never really talked about distribution at that time. It is something that I don't know about. Adi Chopra is the most knowledgeable person on things like these. So, we leave that to his better judgment—how to best position the film. How it reaches the widest possible. I never really thought about the fact that it was an OTT release; I liked the story and wanted to be a part of it," says Junaid.
Junaid and the Maharaj team prepped up for the role for one year and did rehearsals before shooting the movie. Maharaj was shot during peak COVID times in 2021.
"We spent a good year rehearsing; we shot the film in 2021, and it was a strange time; COVID was going on. But I think, as a result, we had a lot of time to prepare. We don't know anything about the personality of Karsan, and we do have the writing in the public domain. Sneha was able to create a character based on his writings. Sneha was part of the film; she had written the dialogue. She plays the role of Bhabho (my aunt). We did a lot of readings to build the character and graph for the film," said Junaid.
Not skeptical about the film's release
"We were all a bit on the edge. We had some screenings, and Siddharth sir had some screenings for his close industry friends as well, and everybody was so positive about the film, and I think that gave us a little hope. And generally, everybody called it a lovely time and a positive film, and that gave us a lot of hope. It is a sensitive topic, and Siddharth sir made the film delicately. It is never my intention to hurt people. I am thankful to the judiciary that they saw the film and allowed its release," he said, thanking the judiciary for allowing the film's release.
Not being a part of Lal Singh Chaddha
I mean, there are a lot of reasons. I feel it didn't work out. Everything had to align for things to work out. I think eventually it was a production decision. It is fine, and I think every film has its own journey.
Upcoming movies with Khushi Kapoor and Sai Pallavi
I mean, they are very different films from Maharaj; one is a classical romance, and one is a rom-com. But I am under self-pressure; when these films come out, you will see.
Supportive Family
Actually, I have a very, very supportive, very open family. I never felt any pressure from them.
Do you feel the pressure?
So far, it hasn't been the case; it hasn't come from my family. With Maharaj, they were all very supportive. The cast was very supportive, and I have not felt any pressure yet, but who knows? It is still early days.
Maharaj was directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and produced by Aditya Chopra under YRF Entertainment. The movie also stars Jaideep Ahlawat.
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