In recent years, Bollywood has seen a wave of star kids, including Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Ahaan Panday, Agastya Nanda, Suhana Khan, and others, make their debuts, with varying degrees of success. Some have thrived and impressed critics and audiences, while others have received a more lukewarm reception for their initial projects. No matter what kind of movies or series these actors opt for as their first, they remain at the centre of fan interest. Besides the already debuted star kids, netizens are eagerly looking forward to seeing new faces like Aarav Bhatia and Naomika Saran. Here’s what veteran Indian designers, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla said about the new talents.
The designers call Ibrahim Ali Khan ‘new-age Salman Khan’
Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, who jointly run the popular brand Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, are among the most sought-after celebrity stylists in India. They have styled numerous Indian actors from their debut days to their peak, and have also done the same for their children. From costume designing for movies to preparing grand ensembles for Bollywood’s private parties, these designers have gotten close to the B-town stars. Recently, in the premiere episode of The Namrata Zakaria Show, they opened up about their viewpoint on star kids and who they think will shine in the industry and why.
They mentioned Ibrahim Ali Khan as a ‘born star’, who has an unmatched, distinct charisma. They predicted Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s son to be one of the finest among the Gen Z stars, even when Nadaniyaan, his debut OTT film alongside Khushi Kapoor, had an underwhelming response. Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla’s confidence in the actor might stem from his noticeable performance improvement in Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Sarzameen. The designer duo hailed Ibrahim as ‘new-age Salman Khan’ and said:
“He is a born star. He is the superstar. He is a new-age Salman Khan. He has got this little…he has a pizzazz which nobody else has.”
The designers praise Aarav Bhatia and share his future plans
Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla have publicly praised Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna’s son, Aarav Bhatia and commented on his career path in the same interview. They discussed his decision to pursue a career in fashion and shared that he was attending a college that was perfect for Aarav’s creative growth. They reiterated Akshay and Twinkle’s previous statements that Aarav has no interest in joining Bollywood at present; he wants to focus on fashion instead. Sandeep Khosla also mentioned that the most difficult career path for a star kid to pursue was acting, as a lot of ‘luck’ factor is involved in whether or not someone will succeed. He said:
“He [Aarav] is studying design, in the best college to be creative. He has a fashion ambition. I just feel that film is the most difficult ambition to have. Even if you are a star kid, it’s so difficult for you. It’s a luck by chance, too much of a risk. You can never get out of it.”
The designers root for Agastya Nanda and praise Naomika Saran’s manners
Regarding Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson, Agastya Nanda‘s second project, Ikkis, Sandeep Khosla remarked that he is ‘in very good hands’ with director Sriram Raghavan and thus has higher chances of performing well. Abu Jani added, “We also wish him the best because he has got the talent and he will do well,” indicating their belief in his abilities.
The designers also spoke warmly of Naomika Saran, the granddaughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia. Abu Jani praised her upbringing, noting that when they meet her, she greets and wishes them first. Sandeep Khosla described her as “very attractive girl, very polite and very well brought up,” adding that she is also like a ‘normal’ girl of her age. He also commented on the independence of young people today, saying that, unlike in previous generations, Naomika makes her own decisions.
What are your thoughts on Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla’s comments on Ibrahim Ali Khan, Aarav Bhatia and more? Let us know.
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