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Zareen Khan defends Ibrahim Ali Khan after his debut film Nadaaniyaan flopped, calling it “frivolous” and insisting the young actor needs stronger scripts to prove his talent.
Zareen Khan has come out in support of Ibrahim Ali Khan after his debut in Nadaaniyaan received harsh reviews. She said the film itself was too frivolous, limiting his scope as an actor.
Actor Zareen Khan, who made her Bollywood debut opposite Salman Khan in Veer, has never shied away from speaking her mind. Though her filmography may be limited, Zareen has seen enough of the industry to have strong views on its inner workings. In a new interview with Faridoon Shahyar, she opened up about the latest generation of so-called “nepo kids,” why many continue to get opportunities despite audience rejection, and which young actors she feels actually have the talent to succeed.
On Ibrahim Ali Khan and His Efforts
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Zareen singled out Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s son, Ibrahim Ali Khan, as someone who she believes is trying hard to carve a space for himself in Bollywood despite obvious challenges.
“I like Rasha (Thadani) a lot, honestly. I even like Ibrahim, because I think he has a good physique and has worked hard. He also has his drawbacks—you could say he seems to have some issue with hearing or maybe with speech—but he is someone who is working on himself, and I can see his efforts. But very few from the current lot are like that, very few,” she said.
Ibrahim made his debut in Nadaaniyaan opposite Khushi Kapoor, but the film was a commercial and critical disappointment. Zareen defended him, suggesting that sometimes a poor project can bury even a sincere performance.
“Like in Ibrahim’s case—Nadaaniyaan was, I’m sorry, but I think it was a very frivolous film. What could anyone even do in that? How much acting can you really showcase in such a film? So it depends on the film as well. I’ve seen Sarzameen and it looks like a slightly more intense film, and if you’re saying he is better in this, maybe he needs a director who can guide him,” she explained.
Despite her optimism, Ibrahim’s second outing, Sarzameen, also failed to impress critics.
On Alaya F and Missed Opportunities
Zareen also praised Pooja Bedi’s daughter, Alaya F, who she feels has the skill but not the privilege of being consistently backed by a powerful production house.
“Even Alaya—I think Alaya is so good. Unfortunately, maybe because she doesn’t have a powerful person backing her the way others do, she hasn’t received that many opportunities. But she is very talented, she is very good. Even the way she speaks—her speech, her conversations—are so good,” Zareen said.
On Junaid Khan and the Importance of Casting
The actress went on to cite Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan as another example of how the right film matters more than the surname. “He was perfect for a period drama like Maharaj and not for a romcom like Loveyaapa,” she remarked.
Drawing From Her Own Journey
Zareen reflected on her own experiences of being launched with a superstar but left without institutional support afterward.
“In Veer I debuted with one of the biggest superstars of the country (Salman Khan) and everything, but all the criticism that I faced that time… it was so difficult for me to get work ahead. I did not have a Karan Johar backing me up and making films for me irrespective of whether the audience liked me or not. I think that matters a lot,” she shared.
The Larger Question of Nepotism
For Zareen, the conversation circles back to nepotism and how Bollywood’s system allows certain actors to fail upwards while others must work twice as hard for half the recognition. She acknowledges that some star kids are genuinely committed, but maintains that for many, success is more about privilege than talent.
About the Author
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun…Read More
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun… Read More
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