Hansal Mehta says ‘harsh’ Nadaaniyan backlash ‘traumatising’ for Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor, blames stars' advisors

Hansal Mehta blamed filmmakers, actors' advisors as he defended Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor amid Nadaaniyan backlash.

Ibrahim Ali Khan made his Bollywood debut with the Karan Johar-backed Nadaaniyan alongside Khushi Kapoor. However, their acting skills and dialogue delivery in the film made them a target for trolls. In an interview with ETimes, filmmaker Hansal Mehta defended the star kids and described the comments about them as being "in terrible taste."

Hansal Mehta defends Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor after Nadaaniyan bashing.

Hansal Mehta defends Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor

When asked about his views on criticism of Nadaaniyan and the audience's perception of the star kids, the filmmaker 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."

He emphasised that those responsible for commissioning, producing, and directing films should ensure that actors and their crew are adequately prepared before launching them. The filmmaker also pointed out that it is unfair to assume someone will excel in acting solely because of their lineage.

Hansal Mehta slams actors' advisors

Hansal recalled how he had approached one of these children for a film, that was an unusual film for a newcomer. But their advisors felt that he/she should be doing something conventional, should be making a high-speed entry, and get the same 'mounting' that Kumar Gaurav or Sunny Deol or Hrithik Roshan or Tiger Shroff got.

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."

About Nadaaniyan

The teen romantic comedy, directed by Shauna Gautam and starring Ibrahim Ali Khan and Khushi Kapoor in the lead roles alongside Mahima Choudhary, Suniel Shetty, Jugal Hansraj, and Dia Mirza in key roles, failed to impress audiences. The film was criticised for its cringe-worthy dialogues, weak storytelling, and underwhelming performances. Nadaaniyan is available to watch on Netflix.