Actor Ishaan Khatter may have grown up in a family of performers—he is the son of Neelima Azeem and Rajesh Khattar, and the half-brother of Shahid Kapoor—but his journey hasn’t been without its share of challenges. In a recent interview with Mid-Day, Ishaan reflected on his early years, revealing that his childhood was far removed from the glamour often associated with filmy backgrounds.

“By the time I was 16, I had lived in 17 different houses,” Ishaan shared, describing what he called the typical “Bombay struggling lifestyle.” He said that his family moved frequently, staying in rented homes throughout his childhood. “So, I was changing more houses than my age,” he added with a laugh.

The actor also admitted to having struggled academically. “I failed in school,” he said candidly. “All my schooling was in Juhu. I was in Jamnabai for 10 years, then went to Billabong High. For two years, I tried to make sense of life. I had studied in one school till the 8th grade and was used to my friends. When I changed schools, the social circle I was familiar with was gone. I was also trying to make peace with that.”

He recalled that the shift in schools marked a turning point. “That’s when I started dancing. I told my mom that after I left Jamnabai, my academics started slipping,” he said, crediting the arts for helping him navigate a difficult period.

Ishaan’s work front

Most recently, Ishaan appeared in Netflix’s The Royals alongside Bhumi Pednekar. Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, the series follows a royal family dealing with financial trouble in modern-day India. The ensemble cast also includes Nora Fatehi, Zeenat Aman, Vihaan Samat, and Sakshi Tanwar.

While the series drew mixed reviews, Ishaan also earned praise for his performance in Homebound, which premiered at Cannes this year. The film, co-starring Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa, received a 9-minute standing ovation at its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section. Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and backed by Karan Johar, the film marked another milestone in Ishaan’s growing career.