Be well-prepared and have fun with it: Shahid Kapoor’s advice to brother Ishaan Khatter on Dhadak

Ishaan Khatter made his film debut with Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds earlier this year, but he will perhaps be introduced to most Indian moviegoers with his first mainstream Hindi film Dhadak, directed by Shashank Khaitan.

The film is a remake of Nagraj Popatrao Manjule’s hugely successful Marathi film Sairat (2016) and everyone is waiting to see if the director and the young artistes, Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor, do justice to the love story set against the backdrop of caste divide.

So when Khatter informed his step-brother, actor Shahid Kapoor, that he was going to work in this Hindi adaptation, Kapoor had a few words of advice. “He only said one thing. He said that ‘get really good with the language, be well-prepared and have fun with it',” says Khatter. “I discuss everything with him,” he adds.

Now, Khatter can’t wait to show off his work to his elder brother, especially because Kapoor didn’t say much about the trailer when it came out. “His reaction to the Dhadak trailer was very generic. I am still waiting for him to see the film. He said ‘good only ya, everything good. I have nothing bad to say, chal I’ll call you later,’” he says.  

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Khatter, says that 'Sasha bhai' isn’t really the kind to advice him on his script and work: “He chooses to stay out of my work. Ever since I have started working on these two films he has not given me any advice directly related to them. He likes to see [the work on screen] before saying anything.”

Kapoor, in fact, left Khatter to do his own thing once he signed Beyond The Clouds. “With Beyond The Clouds he said nothing. He left me on my own. And he didn’t say anything till he saw the film. I think he was quite nervous because he told somebody that 'If he [Khatter] is really good that I would be emotional and if he is bad then I’ll get depressed.' He was quite on the edge that day and when he saw the film... he didn’t say much but he was just so happy. He went home and said some very kind things. Yeah, he likes to first see what I have to offer,” the young actor explains.   

On the obvious comparisons between the two, starting from their looks to their voice and acting, Khatter says, “I can’t compare in any way to my brother. He has taught me so much.”

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For those who have already watched Khatter in Beyond The Clouds, there is no doubt that he is a confident young man in front of the camera. The 22-year-old attributes it to his early love and passion for acting, and practise. His father Rajesh Khatter and mother Neelima Azeem are also artistes.

“I have always loved this and been passionate about it [acting]. I have kind of always manifested this for myself. Always tried to learn. Watching films has been my university. I have always put myself out there in any way I possibly could. I didn’t want to formally train as an actor, but I did a theatre course, trained formally as a dancer, I assisted on two films.

"Basically any opportunity I got I would like to explore. Slowly and steadily I got rid of my inhibitions. But I was always geared up and charged to perform. I don’t feel scared or nervous about going on set. I just feel excited," he said.