Latest news with #Zahan
News18
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan Review: Shanaya Kapoor Shines In Her Debut, But Film Falls Short On Execution
Shanaya Kapoor impresses in her debut Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, a romantic drama with heartfelt performances and soulful music, but flawed execution holds it back. Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, the much-anticipated debut vehicle for Shanaya Kapoor, has finally arrived. And without diving straight into the technicalities of the script, music, or narrative structure, let's get the first thing out of the way: Shanaya has done well. Her effort is visible in every frame, and it's safe to say she cries better than half of the current lot trying to pull off emotional breakdowns in films. While debut performances often get a sympathetic cushion, hers doesn't need one; her sincerity is hard to miss. Now, let's start from where the story begins. Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan is the story of two adults, Saba (Shanaya) and Zahan (Vikrant Massey), who meet on a train journey. More than a coincidence, it was their destiny. The movie marks Santosh Singh's directorial debut in films, as he returns to the romantic genre after the success of his series Broken But Beautiful. It also reunites him with Vikrant Massey after nearly seven years. Zahan is a blind man, while Saba has blindfolded herself to prepare for an audition. The two are heading to Mussoorie, and Saba's manager has left her alone. Now, unaware of Zahan's condition, Saba assumes he will help her out because she's alone. Amazed by the idea that, for once, someone will not sympathise with him, Zahan decides to play along without revealing his blindness. What follows is a familiar tale: hero and heroine fall in love, one leaves, years later they meet again, and then comes the forever after. This interesting premise sets the stage for what could have been a nuanced, layered love story. Instead, what unfolds is a more formulaic Bollywood narrative- boy meets girl, they fall in love, circumstances tear them apart, they reunite years later, and the story ends with the promise of forever. Shanaya Kapoor, the debutant actress, and her character share one similarity: both are delicately, passionately, and wholeheartedly in love with their work, and it shows in the film. Unlike many, Shanaya's debut didn't feel like a favour done to her. She seems to have genuinely worked hard, and her performance, though far from perfect, is not half-hearted. Vikrant Massey doesn't need an introduction. He has been delivering it, and it seems like he will continue to do so. What's different this time is his look, and, to be honest, he's serving and looking quite attractive throughout the film. This movie finally gives the audience a chance to see Vikrant in a full-on lover-boy role, which was long overdue. Watching him lip-sync and dance was a delight. There's another character in the film, Zain Khan Durrani plays Abhinav, the man Saba is dating post her fallout with Zahan. Looking at Abhinav, I just had one question: Where do we find a man this green-flag? Abhinav is the guy who only exists in every girl's dream. A guy who lets you go and get closure from your ex, a guy who makes you feel like a princess, a guy who plans the best proposal for you. Basically, he's the blueprint for what every woman wishes for, and what most men fear being compared to. Zain plays him with restraint and quiet strength, making Abhinav more than a placeholder in the love triangle. So, with a decent plot, sincere performances, and a soulful soundtrack by Vishal Mishra, where does Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan falter? In one word: execution. There are so many flaws that you can't overlook them all. Some dialogues had the audience chuckling, for all the wrong reasons. While there were a few hilarious, well-written scenes, the flawed execution has turned this into a half-baked cake: it looks tempting but isn't palatable. The situations in the film very conveniently turn to suit the leads. In one scene, Zahan orders the same pair of drinks that were spiked by a guy, and this leads to a kiss between Saba and Zahan. How convenient? In all entire Europe, Zahan gets a gig in a band where Saba is the lead dancer, how convenient? It feels like if this 2-hour-20-minute film were trimmed down to 1 hour 30 minutes, it would have earned more cheer. Vishal Mishra's music still carries that trademark innocence, which suits the film's plot. To sum up, it's the kind of film you want to like, and sometimes you almost do. But 'almost" doesn't always make the cut. First Published: July 11, 2025, 12:28 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India.com
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet Kapoor family member who never used his surname to get movies, worked hard to became a star, his name is...
The Kapoor family in Bollywood is one of the oldest in Indian cinema. From Prithviraj Kapoor to Ranbir Kapoor, five generations of the family have been in the industry. While many members of the family have associated themselves with Bollywood and taken advantage of their surname, there is one actor who worked hard without referring to himself as one of the 'Kapoors.' This actor worked in a series that made him a superstar overnight. Now, he is set to feature in the second part of the series. If you are wondering which actor we are talking about, then he is none other than Zahan Kapoor. Zahan, who featured in Black Warrant, is set to return in the second season. Zahan is Shashi Kapoor's grandson and Kunal Kapoor's son. Despite being a star kid, Zahan did not take advantage of his name and worked hard. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in) Zahan started his career with the film Faraaz, which was released in 2022. However, the movie did not work as expected and did not bring Zahan the desired recognition. Despite that, he continued to work hard. Later, the actor got an opportunity in the series Black Warrant, which turned out to be a decent hit and earned Zahan recognition. Black Warrant Season 2 is set to hit OTT giant Netflix, and fans are eagerly waiting to witness Zahan reprise his role as cop Sunil Gupta.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Daddy's not gonna get you a job': Ranbir Kapoor's cousin and Black Warrant star Zahan Kapoor breaks down nepotism
The Kapoor Khandaan is one of the oldest and most adored filmy families of Indian cinema. While Ranbir Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan are well-known names who have been a part of the industry for a pretty long time, in 2023 a new Kapoor entered Bollywood — their cousin Zahan Kapoor began his journey. Son of Kunal Kapoor and grandson of Shashi Kapoor, Zahan began his career as a theatre actor before making his Bollywood debut with the film Faraaz in 2023. But it was earlier this year that he rose to fame with his incredible performance as a Tihar jailer in Vikramaditya Motwane's series Black Warrant. Today, Zahan is winning hearts with his take on nepotism. A post shared by Zahan (@zahankapoor) In a recent chat with Filmfare, Zahan Kapoor got candid and broke down the meaning of the word 'nepotism'. The young actor shared, 'What does nepotism mean? It's an undeserving, a non-meritorial advantage that someone gets given because of some personal equation. Right? That's what it is. So irrespective of the word or not, I think I was told always to never take that idea for granted that nobody's gonna, daddy's not gonna pick up the phone and get you a job. And in fact, the name and the baggage scared me to the point where I said 'if I don't make the most of an opportunity, if a door opens for me and if I don't make the most of it, if I'm not ready, if I'm not prepared, if I don't have the wherewithal to actually stand on my own feet and confidently walk into that room, then I'm the biggest loser, matlab laanat hai mujhpe'.' A post shared by Zahan (@zahankapoor) He went on to explain, 'Why shouldn't I take complete advantage and also complete kind of preparation? So for me, that is my outlook. And it's not been like there's been handouts at all. So I have managed to kind of, like I said, it's taken, you think that it's easy, you have a name. It took me 12 years.' Lauding Zahan and his craft in the comment section below, one social media user gushed, '12 years??? and what do we audience see??? A brilliant actor..👏👏👏👏,' whereas another claimed, 'Bro doesnt look kapoor also he literally had to struggle except for money part literally a good actor comes in category of method actor and theatre actor.' We wish Zahan all the best as we wait for his next project!
