JUNAID KHAN OPENS UP ABOUT HIS ABSENCE FROM SOCIAL MEDIA: 'NO CONSCIOUS DECISION THERE...'
Aamir Khan’s son, Junaid Khan, is making waves in the film industry with his much-anticipated debut in the YRF and Netflix collaboration, Maharaj. Despite the film being completed in 2021, its release faced a delay due to a legal stay imposed over concerns of offending the Pushtimarg community. The Gujarat High Court recently lifted this stay, allowing Maharaj to premiere on Netflix in 2024.
In an interview with News18 Showsha, Junaid shared insights into his unconventional journey into cinema. At 31, he decided to enter the film industry later than many of his peers. Reflecting on his path, he revealed, “Before Maharaj happened, I had been receiving scripts. I’ve been doing plays in Mumbai since 2017. At that time, I would also be offered film scripts and get calls for auditions and readings, on an on-and-off basis.”
Interestingly, Junaid was selected for Maharaj after the filmmakers saw his screen test for another project. “Siddharth (P. Malhotra; director) sir and Adi (Aditya Chopra; producer) sir saw my test for another film before they called me in for Maharaj. This is my first film because this is the first thing that worked out for everybody,” he remarked. Junaid also has another exciting project in the pipeline—a remake of the Tamil film Love Today, co-starring Khushi Kapoor.
Amidst the buzz around his debut, Junaid has chosen to stay away from social media, a rarity in today’s digital age. He explained, “Not really. People didn’t know what I looked like largely because I never took to social media even when it became a thing. There was no conscious decision there. It’s just how it happened and panned out.”
Despite not being active on social media, Junaid has been warmly received by the film fraternity and his loved ones. “It has been really heartwarming and gratifying. A lot of people from the industry who have liked the film have reached out. I’ve had classmates from college who I haven’t spoken to in ten years and school texting me. I’ve had lots of conversations with Adi sir. He really liked the film and my work in it,” he shared.
One of the notable figures who appreciated Junaid's work was his Ek Din co-star, Sai Pallavi. The duo is set to appear in this love story, tentatively titled Ek Din, which is set in Sapporo, Japan. The first phase of filming has already been completed, with the second phase slated to begin in Mumbai soon. Praising Sai Pallavi, Junaid said, “Sai Pallavi is absolutely fantastic. I’ve my fingers crossed for this one.”
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