‘I told my family I don’t need their advice’

Debutant Aadar Jain, the grandson of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor, isn’t the sort to take acting tips from his family members. He wants to take full responsibility for his success or failure in the industry. And in fact, he says they have very little conversation about cinema at all.

“At home, we don’t discuss films at all. It may sound a bit strange, but we really don’t. We discuss everything else, but films. We talk about food, vacations, culture... And yes, we have great admiration for each other’s work. But we just don’t like to bring that work home,” he adds.

The 23-year-old actor, who’s making his debut with Yash Raj Films’ Qaidi Band, says, "When I started on my journey to become an actor, I told my parents right from the beginning that I just wanted their blessings. I told them I didn’t need their advice, as I wanted to do it all my way."

Aadar, who is the son of the late Raj Kapoor’s daughter Rima Jain, adds that  he decided to give a deaf ear to his family about his work life, as “whatever happens, at the end of the day, I want it to be my decision and my choice.”

The actor is also the cousin of Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karisma Kapoor. Does he see himself starring alongside them?

“It would be amazing, obviously, to be cast in a film together. But then, you know how casting happens. First, you write a script and then cast, and not cast before writing.”

He adds that he would love to work with his family if, “hopefully, one day, someone writes a script which requires any of us—me, Ranbir, Kareena, Karisma or even my brother Armaan— to be cast together. Or it could be a film on our entire family. But then, the script and the screenplay has to call for it.”

Directed by Habib Faisal, Qaidi Band, a musical drama, will also launch Anya Singh, and is slated for release on August 25. A new song Hulchul, sung by Arijit Singh and Yashita Sharma for the film, has been launched. Amit Trivedi and Komail Shayan have scored the music of the film, with the former composing the film score and the latter composing the songs.