Karisma and Kareena Kapoor, Saif and Soha Ali Khan, Kajol and Tanishaa, Shilpa and Shamita Shetty — all of them actors and siblings — made a mark in recent years. Cut to 2019, a new generation of siblings is raring to go in Bollywood.
The difference is, the new breed is not necessarily eyeing Bollywood as film actors, because getting the perfect launch pad is not always a possibility. Rather, they are first trying to grab public attention by appearing in music videos, magazine covers and advertisements.
Actress Kriti Sanon’s sister Nupur Sanon has just made her acting debut. Unlike her sister, however, Nupur didn’t choose a film but a music video to introduce the audience to her skills.
Nupur featured in B Praak’s new music video, ‘Filhall’, along with actor Akshay Kumar.
While promoting the song, she was asked if she would debut as a Bollywood actress.
“Hopefully soon. I am glad that I took my time to do my first music video because I never ever dreamt that I would work with superstar Akshay Kumar in my very first project,” she said. “I am going to wait for right opportunities. I am in talks with a few people but I haven’t signed anything as of now. A lot of people approached me after seeing the music video but I want to take things easy. This career for me is about longevity. I am in no hurry but I just want to be there for the longest time.”
Nupur might be waiting for the right acting opportunity, but actor Neil Nitin Mukesh’s brother Naman Nitin Mukesh has no interest in facing the camera. The suspense drama ‘Bypass Road’ marked Naman’s directorial debut.
“There’s never a hard-and-fast rule that a singer’s son must be a singer or an actor’s brother must only be an actor. For us, we take pride in the fact that the Mukesh family has been entertaining the audience since three generations — whether it is singing, acting or, now, directing. Creativity doesn’t come with parameters,” Naman, grandson of legendary singer Mukesh, said.
“As for me choosing direction ... after my ninth grade my father and brother would watch old films with me. It was then that I realised I was always fascinated and in awe of the actual execution of films. It’s one thing to sit and watch a film for two or three hours, but the years of work that it takes to make it happen is what drew me,” Naman added.
Newcomer Sara Ali Khan’s brother ibrahim Ali Khan was also one of the debutants of 2019.
Ebrahim broke the internet was his magazine cover debut that also featured sister Sara a few weeks ago. The photos from the shoot caught the attention of many, including actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who commented on Instagram: “Damn dem genes!”
There has been buzz about Ibrahim taking the acting route, though it is yet to be confirmed.
Their father, actor Saif Ali Khan, was once asked about Ibrahim making his acting debut.
“He should. He is looking good, better than I am! He is a charming guy,” he told Hindustan Times. “I definitely think all of my children would be interested in acting. We are an acting family — the whole bunch of us are in the industry. He’s still young and I’m keener that he does university first. Then, of course, we’ll support him in whatever he wants to do.”
The news of actress Katrina Kaif’s sister Isabelle making her Bollywood debut had been doing the rounds for quite a while now, and earlier this year it was confirmed that she will be making her debut opposite superstar Salman Khan’s brother-in-law Aayush Sharma in the film ‘Kwatha’. Isabelle isn’t a stranger to the public. Two years ago, she was announced as the face of a cosmetic brand and since then has been featuring in advertisements.
“Keep your head down and work hard,” Isabelle had said when asked what advice her sister Katrina had given her before starting her career in films.
These youngsters might have opted for a path slightly different from their more experienced siblings, but there are a few star siblings who are going directly to Bollywood.
Actress Athiya Shetty’s brother Ahan Shetty is one of them. He will be making his Hindi film debut next year in Milan Luthria’s ‘Tadap’, a remake of the Telugu film ‘RX 100’.
Athiya earlier said: “Ahan is younger than me but I treat him as an elder brother. I actually take advice from him. He is very calm and I admire that about him. I learn a lot from him. He is the most hard working person I know.”
