A Maharaj of a debut

The things that strike you first about Junaid Khan are his easy laughter and easy-going nature.

With accolades pouring in for his acting debut in Siddharth P. Malhotra’s Maharaj on Netflix, Junaid modestly confesses, “It has been quite overwhelming. I had never really thought about the response we would get, since we had shot the film two years ago. I don't think it has properly registered. Now that people by and large are liking it, yes it has been quite overwhelming.”

Controversies galore  

The movie is based on the ‘Maharaj libel case’ about journalist and social reformer Karsandas Mulji (played by Junaid Khan) who had claimed in an article that godman Jadunath Maharaj (Jaideep Alhawat) had sexually exploited his female devotees. This had sparked a sensational trial in 1862, which Mulji won.

The film itself had its share of controversy. The Pustimargi group, a Vaishnavite sect, had alleged that it misrepresented its religious beliefs. The Gujarat High Court had halted the release of the film a day before the scheduled date of June 14, but soon gave it the green signal, holding that the facts were not misreported.

Like Papa, like son

The 31-year-old’s mannerisms and voice are reminiscent of his father, Aamir Khan. One can’t resist asking him, “Papa kya kehte hain?”

“He likes everything. When he watches something, he wants to enjoy it. Since he is an artiste, he critiques his film and likes most films, barring his own because that’s the only time he is not an audience,” Junaid says with a laugh.

The director adds that Aamir was very objective and forthright with his feedback, and even gave them suggestions.

But Junaid reveals he is not a perfectionist like his dad. “Everyone has their way of doing things, as life pans out differently for everyone. Let’s see how things pan out for me. I have just begun my journey, and cannot wait to see where it takes me. As of now I am enjoying myself and keeping busy with work.”

A suitable debut

“I have been doing theatre since 2017, and have a little experience with acting, but I guess there was a perception issue that I wanted to be a director since I have assisted on films too. The fact is, I am a terrible dancer, so this was a suitable debut for me,” says Junaid. “This story appealed to me, and I like Siddharth’s work and admire Jaideep. Also, with Yash Raj as producer, I knew this film would be handled with the sensitivity it required. We didn’t want to offend anyone, and I knew this was a great team to work with.”

Junaid acknowledges that tapping into the personality of Karsandas Mulji was a challenge, due to the lack of information on the scribe's personal life. “Siddharth helped and I tried to understand Mulji’s personality from his beliefs and writings, which gave me an insight into the kind of man he was,” he shares.

Is he anything like his screen character? “Well, I hope everyone is like Karsandas, someone who is determined and stands by his convictions,” says Junaid.

Low-key start

The debutant actor, who is Aamir’s son from his first marriage to Reena Dutta, has always kept a low profile. At his sister Ira’s wedding in January, netizens went gaga over his resemblance to British actor Henry Cavill. The debut of nepo-kids is usually accompanied by fanfare, much promotional hype and shoutouts from the industry, but all this was missing in Junaid’s case. Neither were there any headlines or chatter about his acting aspirations.

He is currently shooting for his latest untitled film opposite Sai Pallavi.