Aamir Khan praises son Junaid Khan: `He’s a fighter, and won’t give up`

Being a superstar in the Hindi film industry, box office success has always mattered to Aamir Khan. But since his son, Junaid Khan, stepped into the movie business with the Netflix film, Maharaj (2024), it has been taken over by another gnawing concern. “I would have never imagined that anyone else’s success or failure would matter to me more than my own. In Junaid’s case, it matters more. That’s a father’s emotion, and I can’t help it. It’s too strong,” Aamir smiles.

His debut film opened to a mixed response. He then followed it up with his theatrical debut, Loveyapa, earlier this year. Unfortunately, the film also didn’t manage to rake in the moolah at the box office. However, Aamir looks at it as a learning curve for Junaid. “Success has not reached him yet in the way he deserves it. It’s part of his learning that in this field you may be doing great work, but it doesn’t necessarily translate to success,” he says.

Aamir doesn’t see commercial failure as a marker of Junaid’s talent. In fact, he believes if there were ever a competition between Junaid and his own debut works, his son would come out on top. “His work stands up to mine when you compare Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak [1988] to his first two films. I was very raw. He has a rare [talent] that a lot of skilled actors also don’t possess. Junaid becomes the character, and that goes beyond skill,” Aamir proudly grins. The superstar also sees several similarities between them. He compliments his son saying, “He is unafraid, a little like me in that sense. He takes his own decisions and has never used my help. I have full confidence in him. He’s a fighter, and won’t give up.”

While he heaps praise on Junaid, Aamir also has critical feedback for him. For starters, he feels his son needs to work hard on his media relations and interview skills. And with practice, there’s scope for improvement. “He’s so sincere that he says the wrong thing,” Aamir laughs, before adding, “People are not used to this kind of honesty. So they misunderstand him. When he said, ‘I am very privileged.’ It was not to show off. He meant that others didn’t have the advantage he had. That’s a fact.”

Junaid’s upcoming film, Ek Din, a romance opposite South star Sai Pallavi, marks his maiden collaboration with his father’s production house. Aamir emphasises that he doesn’t let his emotions as a father interfere with his decisions as a filmmaker. “As a father, I wasn’t allowed to interfere in his career. Whatever he got was through auditions. Now it’s my turn. However, I didn’t cast him because he is my son. When I am doing a film, I can’t be a father because my integrity towards my film is way beyond my religion,” he shares.