Actor Ishaan Khatter has opened up about his upbringing, speaking about growing up in an interfaith household and how it shaped his worldview. He is the son of actors Rajesh Khattar and Neelima Azeem, and the younger half-brother of Shahid Kapoor.
In a recent conversation with Filmfare, Ishaan spoke about how his early environment shaped his worldview and understanding of identity.
“I come from a mixed-faith household. It was an inter-religious marriage. My father is a Punjabi, my mom is from a Muslim background. That was actually my idea of India and that kind of inclusivity, diversity—it sort of defines who we are as people. It is our strength that we have so many cultures and they mix so seamlessly, and the feeling of being Indian is not shortchanged by any of these faiths, it’s its own beautiful thing. That is my belief and the fabric I come from.”
He also spoke about witnessing both acceptance and prejudice growing up, and how quickly people tend to judge others without understanding their lived experiences.
“I did see instances where I saw both ends of the coin—divisiveness, hate, otherness, a lot of pre-judgement. Even before you know someone, know their life, know their experiences, you’ve already slotted them, put them in a box. That happens a lot of times. It starts with that kind of discrimination and it becomes more aggressive.”
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Ishaan pointed out how intolerance and casual prejudice are often embedded in everyday language and behaviour.
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“In life, you hear people say things you don’t expect sometimes. You see an intolerant nature in people—people immediately judging others. Even when films have a strong point of view, they usually end up becoming a ‘you vs me’ debate. It’s never looked at from a different lens. About my parents, about communities also, one has heard a lot of slangs and slurs. It is embedded in our society. We don’t even realise when we are putting someone down.”
Growing up with his mother
Ishaan shared that he largely grew up with his mother, which shaped a unique and close bond between them.
“I grew up with my mom mostly. She was about 36, 37 when she had me. She was a very young mother to my brother—she was 21. So it was a very different relationship. “My mom was very patient with me, we are friends. I can talk to her about anything—the comfort level I have with her, love life, girlfriends, anything, very openly. She has always given me that space. I am really grateful I have that relationship with her.”
He also spoke about the significant role his grandmother played in his life, especially during his formative years.
“My one grandparent who played a big part in my life is my naani. I think I had my terrible teens with her. I was at an age where hormones were all going wild, and my naani saw the most of it. She passed away five years ago. You don’t realise how much grandparents and parents take in their stride. When you start giving back, then you realise that’s what they do for you when you have childish whims. There is no logic to behaviour, and they just take it.”
His equation with his father
While he grew up primarily with his mother, Ishaan said his father continues to be an important source of guidance.
“For financial advice, I go to my father. He helps me understand a lot of that. He always has this philosophical worldview, a lot to talk about. Now that I am also an adult, in a phase of my life where I am taking a lot of responsibilities, there is a shared understanding. Life keeps teaching you. We are still midway through it—I take a lot of advice from him.”
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‘I have been self-parented’
Ishaan also opened up about developing his own sense of self, independent of his upbringing. “I have also been, to some degree, self-parented. Not to take away anything from my parents, but I think I also have a very independent mind. It is not entirely a borrowed set of beliefs. A lot of it is there, but I also spend a lot of time with myself.”
What Neelima Azeem said about Ishaan
Earlier in a conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Neelima Azeem had opened up about Ishaan.
“Ishaan is very exploratory, adventurous, and has a very curious mind. He’s also soft, but I think definitely stronger in some ways. Ishaan is very independent. He loves to share, he’s very loving, and he’s a very loving son. But his journey is pretty much on his own. He likes to fly alone. He travels alone. He does everything alone. He is a very, very affectionate family boy.”
DISCLAIMER: This article contains personal reflections and opinions on family, identity, and social experiences, which are the author’s and subject’s own. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes and does not constitute professional or financial advice.
