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Saif Ali Khan talks about nepotism and son Ibrahim’s struggles in Bollywood. Despite Ibrahim’s debut failures, Saif offers limited support due to privilege.
Saif Ali Khan addressed nepotism and his son Ibrahim’s struggles.
Saif Ali Khan has always been candid about life in the movies, and this time the actor got real about something close to home… his son’s journey in Bollywood. In a recent podcast chat with his sister Soha Ali Khan, Saif spoke openly about nepotism, privilege and why he believes his son Ibrahim Ali Khan must carve his own path in the industry, even if that means facing tough criticism along the way.
Ibrahim recently stepped into Bollywood with Nadaaniyan, produced by Karan Johar. However, both the film and his performance were met with mixed reactions from audiences and critics. His next outing, Sarzameen, also struggled to leave a strong impact.
During the conversation, Saif acknowledged the complicated debate around nepotism and admitted that having a famous surname does create an uneven playing field. As the son of veteran actor Sharmila Tagore himself, Saif said he understands the difference between those who enter the industry with connections and those who struggle without support.
Reflecting on this reality, Saif explained that audiences often feel inspired when someone succeeds without backing or privilege. At the same time, he believes viewers are quick to question repeated opportunities given to those who fail to prove themselves.
“Once you are great at what you do, the audience feels vindicated, but the problem is when you get repeated opportunities, and you are pretty c**p at what you do, and people are like, ‘C’mon what is happening? Somebody is not getting a chance here, and this person is getting chance after chance’. That, I think, is very unfair.”
The actor also spoke about his role as a father and the kind of support he wants to offer Ibrahim. While he said he will always stand by his children, he believes there must be limits, especially when someone already begins their career with significant advantages.
“I, of course, will support all my children, but there’s also a limit to how… I tell Ibrahim also… I mean, I don’t know if I should stand next to you and hold your hand at this time because you have already got so much because of who you are. So you need to do this on your own.”
Meanwhile, Saif has a busy slate ahead. He will next be seen in the investigative drama Kartavya, directed by Pulkit and produced by Red Chillies Entertainment. The project also stars Rasika Duggal and Saurabh Dwivedi and is expected to premiere on Netflix later this year. He also has Haiwaan in the pipeline, directed by Priyadarshan, which will reunite him with Akshay Kumar after nearly 17 years.
Ibrahim, meanwhile, is gearing up for his next film, Diler, directed by Kunal Deshmukh. Reports suggest that Sreeleela will star opposite him, although the makers are yet to make an official announcement. The film is expected to mark Ibrahim’s theatrical debut following his earlier OTT releases.
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March 07, 2026, 10:04 IST
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