Ibrahim Ali Khan, son of Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan, recently made headlines for his honest assessment of his acting debut, Nadaaniyan. Despite his striking resemblance to his father and promising good looks that had already garnered him a significant fan following, the film itself faced considerable backlash and trolling upon its release. Critics and audiences alike were unimpressed with Ibrahim’s performance, his chemistry with co-star Khushi Kapoor, and the overall storyline of the college romance.
During a recent interview, Ibrahim did not hold back, calling Nadaaniyan “a really bad film.” This blunt statement has reportedly left his mentor and the film’s co-producer, Karan Johar, feeling hurt, according to sources close to the filmmaker.
In his interview with Esquire India, Ibrahim Ali Khan frankly stated, “I’m just gonna go on record and say that it was a really bad film.” He also touched upon his upcoming projects, mentioning his next film Diler and its director Kunal Deshmukh. He expressed his aspirations, saying, “Dharma, obviously, is my home. I just want to do well, and after I have done well, go back to Karan sir and say, ‘Okay, Karan sir, let’s do it again’. I want to do him proud.”
While Karan Johar has not issued any public statement regarding Ibrahim’s comments, insiders suggest he is displeased. A close friend of Johar’s was quoted in a Deccan Chronicle report, remarking on Karan’s history with ungrateful proteges and highlighting that Johar had kept his promise to launch Ibrahim, even backing his second film, Sarzameen, despite advice to the contrary. The friend questioned Ibrahim’s sentiment, asking, “If Ibrahim feels Nadaaniyan was ‘a really bad film,’ why didn’t Sarzameen work?”
Another source drew a parallel to Ibrahim’s father, Saif Ali Khan, who faced a similar situation with his debut film Bekhudi but never spoke negatively about it. This perspective emphasizes the importance of loyalty and professionalism within the industry.
For now, the industry awaits a clarification from either Karan Johar or Ibrahim Ali Khan on this matter.