Grazia India’s June cover features Ishaan Khatter, an actor who has steadily carved out a distinctive space in cinema with performances rooted in sincerity, range, and instinctive depth. From indie beginnings to global platforms, Khatter’s career choices are a compelling blend of artistic intuition and thoughtful intent. Whether it’s the raw vulnerability of Beyond the Clouds, the rebellious charm in Dhadak, the nuanced restraint in international projects like The Perfect Couple or his charming portrayal in The Royals, Ishaan brings an unwavering intensity to every role.
At 29, Ishaan exudes a composed self-assurance, balanced by a wide-eyed creative curiosity. Known for celebrating voices that shape culture and spark conversation, Grazia India captures the actor at a defining juncture – one where reflection meets reinvention, and where his growth, evolving artistry, and forward vision take centre stage.
Reflecting on his journey in cinema, Ishaan says, “I know where to put my energy a little better. I think I’ve realized that you’re the consequence of your choices. You could be the most talented person in the world, but if you don’t make the right choices for yourself, no one’s ever going to see it.”
On making it to Cannes with Homebound, Ishaan calls it a dream realised. He shares, “I consider film festivals my education. I watched six films a day at one point. Cannes is the holy grail. My dream was to go there with my own film, and I was with a team I truly love and admire.”
Delving into the making of Homebound, he describes the immersive preparation saying, “It was a special unit to be on and the level of investment of every single person on that set was second to none. In terms of preparing for the role, there was a lot of ground to cover before we could feel one with the characters. We travelled to villages in UP, spent days just interacting with people, sitting with them, reading the script. Some people were kind enough to let us inside their homes. We spent time just researching that world, the environment of the film, and these characters.”
He also sheds light on the lavish, drama-soaked world of The Royals: “There was high entertainment value in the script. I thought it was a fresh world, the characters were interesting, and it was a bingeable script. For me, personally, it was a chance to be presented in a manner that I hadn’t been before.”
Marking his international leap, The Perfect Couple saw Ishaan take on the role of Shooter Dival, with a four-month shoot in Cape Cod. Reflecting on the experience, he shares, “I didn’t have anybody there that I’d worked with previously or that I knew. I didn’t have my team. I was alone for four months in Cape Cod, which is an unusual place to shoot.” Sharing screen space with Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Meghann Fahy, and Dakota Fanning, the project opened new ground for him.
He fondly credits his mother, Neelima Azeem, and brother, Shahid Kapoor, as style icons in their own right: “She always finds a way to express herself through interesting jewelry, or just in the way she’ll combine certain elements, accessories and clothes. It’s very creative and very her.” Growing up watching his brother Shahid Kapoor’s style evolve was equally impactful. “I saw my brother growing up and saw his sense of style evolve in a similar way, so he’s obviously one of the biggest inspirations for me closer home.”
When asked about his own evolving style, Ishaan reflects, “I understand my tastes better. I was very open to experimentation earlier, but my experimentation has become more channelized now – it’s not all over the place. I’ve worked with some people who have helped me see it from a fresh new lens”.
Long term, Ishaan wants to be known for his craft. He says, “I was okay with people discovering me over time because I wanted to own my craft and be worthy of the work, and that was more important to me. And it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon – there’s so much I want to do. I feel like I’m just getting started, but at the same time, I feel like I have some experience under my roster now, and that helps me make better choices.”
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