Hansal Mehta says people are harsh towards star-kids like Ibrahim, Khushi: ‘They are trained to perform for paps, not movie cameras; want a big banner, big daddy’- EXCLUSIVE | Hindi Movie News

After the release of ‘Nadaaniyan’, the internet is filled with trolling towards Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor for their performances. While this is Ibrahim’s debut, it is Khushi’s third film. ETimes recently did a big story if people are extra harsh towards these Gen Z actors because they are star-kids; or is there actually a problem in the way they are being launched and their training. Film-maker Hansal Mehta shared his deep insights about this to ETimes.
He said, “I do feel that people are being very harsh and unfair. What is sad is that, have we checked for the preparedness of these children before they have got their break? The kind of comments that people are passing are in terrible taste. I’m sure it must be traumatising for the young people. But we forget that their parents at one time, a lot of their parents at one time made very awkward beginnings too. They also had awkward debuts. It’s just that they were just not so much in the public eye then, as people are now, due to social media.”
The ‘Shahid’ director added, “So there’s a lack of basic manners in the way people have reacted to the debut. But having said that, I also feel that people who ultimately are commissioning a film, producing, directing a film, should check for the preparedness of your actors and their crew. 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 also slammed the advisors of these Gen Z actors and said that they are more into the trappings of stardom than the craft itself. He added, “I think the important thing is that these kids have to be allowed to try what is relevant to their times. They have to be allowed to experiment with what they find a relatability and comfort with. They have to be allowed the possibility of failing. You watch international cinema, you travel around the world, you are exposed to the arts. But when you make a choice for yourself, it is the most dumbed down piece of work. Your artistic choices are disconnect from your artistic sensibilities. I’ve spent time with some of these kids who have been launched. I really enjoyed speaking to them. Unfortunately, it does not translate in the choices they make. Unfortunately, they are taught to be attracted to the trappings of this business than the craft itself. They are trained to perform for paps more than movie cameras.”’
Mehta revealed he had once approached one of these star-kids but the people around them refused as it was an unconventional film to begin with. He said, “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 or Sunny Deol or Hrithik Roshan or Tiger Shroff got. Question to ask is are they really ready for that? Are these ideas in tune with current times? The problem is that they have advisors who are not living in the times that we are in.”
He added, “They want to be launched by a big banner, irrespective of whether they have the big idea. They want that big banner, they want a big daddy to be advising them all the time. I feel sad when I see them being ridiculed by people. And 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 done at the box office, they will be respected. Their first target should be to get respect with their work.”