Actor Babil Khan reflects on his journey in the film industry, acknowledging the privilege he comes from while recognising the realities of navigating the business. “I come from a family, a privileged family. People have to work a lot to feel this way, and I understand that’s the struggle of the industry. That’s why you have to be extremely passionate,” says Babil, 28, who made his debut with Qala in 2022.
For Babil, a lack of opportunities should not become a reason to complain. “If you’re complaining about, ‘Oh, good things are not being offered to me’, then you’re in denial with your entitlement. You have to really, really work on yourself before you even start thinking about these questions,” he says. Adding that he prefers to focus on self-improvement rather than dwell on what isn’t coming his way, he explains, “I don’t wait around and feel sad that things are not being offered to me. I spend that time, that day, trying to be the best version of myself and just having a connection with God or whatever it is that you connect to. And knowing that the joy is in when you are a better version of yourself. That’s where true joy is.”
Speaking about how his approach to acting has evolved, Babil says the need to prove himself has gradually taken a backseat. “The biggest thing is that as your journey goes on, you try to prove yourself lesser and lesser. And once you start doing that, you open up to the honesty of yourself and you open up to the honesty of your character. I think that’s changed the most.” However, he believes the process of proving oneself is never entirely over. “No matter how much you work, no matter how many projects you do, you have to keep proving yourself. And I guess that’s a journey where you’re not doing it to try to prove yourself, you’re doing it for the work and through the work, you’re proving yourself,” he adds.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking about how his approach to acting has evolved, Babil says the need to prove himself has gradually taken a backseat. “The biggest thing is that as your journey goes on, you try to prove yourself lesser and lesser. And once you start doing that, you open up to the honesty of yourself and you open up to the honesty of your character. I think that’s changed the most.” However, he believes the process of proving oneself is never entirely over. “No matter how much you work, no matter how many projects you do, you have to keep proving yourself. And I guess that’s a journey where you’re not doing it to try to prove yourself, you’re doing it for the work and through the work, you’re proving yourself,” he adds.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking about the thought that goes into his career choices, Babil says, “There are so many factors that affect your decision in that process. You have to really just meditate your way through it and make the choice that your heart wants to make and not what your wants and needs want to make.” He admits to having turned down several projects and subsequently wondered what it would have been like to be part of them. “It’s not about whether it did well or not, but when you see the vision come to life, of course, a part of you screams, ‘Wish I did it.’ It’s always going to be the case. Your parameters for what success and failure are have to evolve through time. Otherwise, you’re not going to consistently make right choices,” he says.
For Babil, staying true to himself and his roots is equally important, especially while navigating an industry that can change one’s perspective. “I’ve always shown my true self, whether it be a scared self, whether it be an anxious self, whether it be a happy self. It was always me,” he says. Interestingly, the actor had put up social media posts in May 2025, speaking about an emotional breakdown and calling the industry fake. Looking back at the importance of retaining one’s individuality, he says, “A very important thing about this industry is you have to keep going back to reminding yourself not to detach from your roots. Otherwise, it will change you, man.”