Vikram Bhatt defends Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor amid criticism

Ibrahim Ali Khan, the son of Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, recently made his acting debut alongside Khushi Kapoor in the Netflix original film "Nadaaniyan."

However, the young actors faced significant backlash from audiences and critics alike for their performances in the film.

Renowned filmmaker Vikram Bhatt has stepped up to defend Ibrahim and Khushi amidst the wave of criticism. Speaking with Galatta India, Bhatt expressed his confusion over the harsh trolling the film and its leads have received online.

"I like both Khushi and Ibrahim," he stated, emphasizing his appreciation for the young talent. "I liked Ibrahim. Whether the film itself is good or not is a different matter, but the pressure of the nepotism debate means newcomers are expected to be exceptional right out of the gate, which isn't fair."

Bhatt highlighted that Ibrahim is just embarking on his cinematic journey. "It's his first film. Who delivers a superb performance in their first endeavor?" he questioned, asserting that Ibrahim has a commendable screen presence and evident acting skills. "The film wasn't exactly my taste, as I'm not the target audience. It's designed for Gen Z and teenagers, but as a director, I saw potential in both Ibrahim and Khushi."

Addressing inevitable comparisons between Ibrahim and his father, Saif Ali Khan, Bhatt remarked, "That's bound to happen. Ibrahim has a striking resemblance to Saif, so comparisons are natural. But I believe Ibrahim is at par with Saif, perhaps even surpassing his father's debut performances. I'm confident that Ibrahim will rise to become a significant star."

For context, Saif Ali Khan began his Bollywood career with the film "Parampara" in 1993, directed by Yash Chopra. The film featured an impressive cast, including Sunil Dutt, Vinod Khanna, Aamir Khan, and others. "Parampara" was a debut for both Saif and actress Ramya Krishna.

Directed by Shauna Gautam, "Nadaaniyan" debuted on Netflix on March 7, 2025, produced by Karan Johar's Dharmatic Entertainment. Despite the mixed reception, the film marks an important milestone for its young stars, poised at the beginning of their careers.