Ishaan Khatter Biography: Age, Family, Movies and Latest News
Ishaan Khatter (sometimes spelled Ishaan Khattar) is an Indian actor born on 1 November 1995 in Mumbai. The son of actors Rajesh Khattar and Neelima Azeem and the younger half-brother of Shahid Kapoor, he debuted in Majid Majidi’s Beyond the Clouds (2017) and broke through with Dhadak (2018). He has built a rare international profile with the BBC’s A Suitable Boy and Netflix’s The Perfect Couple opposite Nicole Kidman. In 2025 he led Netflix’s The Royals and Neeraj Ghaywan’s acclaimed Homebound, India’s official Oscar entry. In May 2026 he announced his return to comedy with Jugaadu.
This page covers Ishaan Khatter’s age, family, career, international work, awards buzz and latest news.
Ishaan Khatter Quick Facts
| Name | Ishaan Khatter |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 November 1995 |
| Age (Oct 2026) | 30 years (turns 31 on 1 November 2026) |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Parents | Rajesh Khattar and Neelima Azeem |
| Half-brother | Shahid Kapoor (actor) |
| Child role | Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi (2005) |
| Lead debut | Beyond the Clouds (2017) |
| Breakthrough | Dhadak (2018) |
| International work | A Suitable Boy (BBC), The Perfect Couple (Netflix) |
| 2025 highlights | The Royals (Netflix), Homebound (India’s Oscar entry) |
| Next film | Jugaadu (comedy) |
Ishaan Khatter Latest News (October 2026)
- Jugaadu announced. In May 2026, Ishaan announced the comedy Jugaadu, directed by Palash Vaswani, with newcomer Tania making her Hindi debut opposite him. The cast includes Abhishek Banerjee, Jameel Khan, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Yamini Dass, Sukhwinder Chahal and Nirmal Rishi. It is planned as a theatrical release.
- Biarritz Film Festival. In June 2026, Ishaan was featured alongside Kristen Stewart and other international names at the Biarritz Film Festival in France, reflecting his growing global profile.
- “Fire in his belly”. Entering 2026, he wrote on social media that he was “ready” and had “lots lots lots more to give”, after a breakthrough 2025.
- Homebound’s Oscar run. Homebound, executive-produced by Martin Scorsese, was India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Oscar. It did not progress to the final nominations, but the campaign brought him international recognition.
Family Background
Ishaan was born in Mumbai to actor Rajesh Khattar and actress-dancer Neelima Azeem. His mother was earlier married to actor Pankaj Kapur, and their son is Shahid Kapoor, making Shahid Ishaan’s elder half-brother. The brothers are close and often post playful videos together. Ishaan grew up around dance and theatre, as his mother is a trained Kathak dancer.
Early Career
Ishaan made a brief appearance as a child in Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi (2005), which starred Shahid Kapoor. He later worked as an assistant director on Udta Punjab (2016), learning filmmaking from behind the camera before his lead debut.
Film and Series Career
Beyond the Clouds (2017)
Iranian master filmmaker Majid Majidi cast Ishaan as Amir, a young drug runner in Mumbai, in Beyond the Clouds. The film premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and earned him praise for a raw, physical performance.
Dhadak (2018)
Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions launched him opposite Janhvi Kapoor in Dhadak, the Hindi adaptation of the Marathi blockbuster Sairat. The film was a commercial success and made Ishaan a familiar face to mainstream audiences.
A Suitable Boy (2020)
Mira Nair cast him as the charming, reckless Maan Kapoor in the BBC adaptation of Vikram Seth’s novel A Suitable Boy, opposite Tabu. It was his first major international project and showed his ease with period drama and English-language work.
Mainstream Hindi Films (2020–2023)
He followed with the road comedy Khaali Peeli (2020) opposite Ananya Panday, the horror comedy Phone Bhoot (2022) with Katrina Kaif and Siddhant Chaturvedi, and the war drama Pippa (2023), in which he played Captain Balram Singh Mehta in a story set during the 1971 war.
The Perfect Couple (2024)
Ishaan made his Hollywood series debut in Netflix’s mystery drama The Perfect Couple (2024), starring Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber and Dakota Fanning. His role as Shooter Dival, a friend of the groom, drew attention from international audiences.
The Royals and Homebound (2025)
In 2025 Ishaan led Netflix’s romantic drama series The Royals, playing Yuvraj Aviraaj Singh opposite Bhumi Pednekar. Later that year came Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, a moving drama about two friends from marginalised backgrounds chasing police jobs, co-starring Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor. It premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and was selected as India’s official entry for the Academy Awards. Critics called it the finest work of his career.
Ishaan Khatter Movies and Series List
| Year | Title | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi | Film | Child role |
| 2017 | Beyond the Clouds | Film | Lead debut (Majid Majidi) |
| 2018 | Dhadak | Film | With Janhvi Kapoor |
| 2020 | A Suitable Boy | Series (BBC) | As Maan Kapoor |
| 2020 | Khaali Peeli | Film | With Ananya Panday |
| 2022 | Phone Bhoot | Film | Horror comedy |
| 2023 | Pippa | Film | War drama |
| 2024 | The Perfect Couple | Series (Netflix) | With Nicole Kidman |
| 2025 | The Royals | Series (Netflix) | With Bhumi Pednekar |
| 2025 | Homebound | Film | India’s Oscar entry |
| 2026 | Jugaadu | Film | Comedy (announced) |
Homebound: The Film That Changed His Career
Homebound is directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, whose debut Masaan also premiered at Cannes. Produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions with Martin Scorsese as executive producer, the film follows two childhood friends — played by Ishaan and Vishal Jethwa — from a North Indian village who dream of becoming police officers as a route to dignity and respect. Janhvi Kapoor plays a key supporting role. The film explores caste, religion and friendship with restraint, and its world premiere in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section drew a long standing ovation.
Ishaan’s performance as Mohammed Shoaib Ali was widely singled out by critics, many of whom called it a career-defining turn. Being selected as India’s Oscar entry gave the film international screenings and placed Ishaan on global awards circuits, where he met leading filmmakers and actors.
The Royals: A Streaming Hit
Netflix’s The Royals was a glossy romantic drama about a cash-strapped royal family and a self-made start-up founder, played by Bhumi Pednekar, who teams up with them to save their palace. Ishaan’s charming, flirtatious prince became popular with streaming audiences, especially younger viewers, and the show trended in Netflix India’s top charts after release. Coming in the same year as Homebound, it showed his range from commercial romance to serious drama.
Why Ishaan Khatter Stands Out
Ishaan’s career is unusually global for a young Hindi actor. He has worked with an Iranian auteur, a celebrated Indian-American director, a Hollywood streaming ensemble and a Cannes-selected Indian filmmaker, while still doing mainstream Hindi films. His dance training gives him physical expressiveness, and his willingness to take on raw, unglamorous roles — like in Beyond the Clouds and Homebound — sets him apart from many peers.
2025 proved he can lead both a popular streaming romance and an award-season drama in the same year. With Jugaadu, he is now returning to comedy, which could broaden his audience further and show yet another side of his range as a performer.
Personal Life
Ishaan is unmarried. He was previously linked to his Khaali Peeli co-star Ananya Panday, but he generally keeps his relationships private. He is passionate about dance, football and fitness, and often shares clips of dance practice and workouts on Instagram. He has met international figures such as David Beckham and Martin Scorsese through his work on global projects.
Key Takeaways
- Ishaan Khatter, born 1 November 1995, is 30 and turns 31 on 1 November 2026.
- He is Shahid Kapoor’s younger half-brother.
- He debuted in Beyond the Clouds (2017) and broke through with Dhadak (2018).
- His international work includes A Suitable Boy and The Perfect Couple.
- Homebound (2025) was India’s Oscar entry; his next film is the comedy Jugaadu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Ishaan Khatter?
Ishaan Khatter was born on 1 November 1995, so he is 30 years old and turns 31 on 1 November 2026.
Is Ishaan Khatter Shahid Kapoor’s brother?
Yes. Ishaan Khatter and Shahid Kapoor are half-brothers; they share the same mother, Neelima Azeem.
What was Ishaan Khatter’s first movie?
His first lead film was Majid Majidi’s Beyond the Clouds (2017). As a child he appeared briefly in Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi (2005).
Was Homebound India’s Oscar entry?
Yes. Homebound, starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, was India’s official entry for the Academy Awards.
Which Hollywood series did Ishaan Khatter act in?
He starred in Netflix’s The Perfect Couple (2024) alongside Nicole Kidman.
What is Ishaan Khatter’s next movie?
His next film is the comedy Jugaadu, directed by Palash Vaswani, announced in May 2026.
What is Ishaan Khatter’s role in The Royals?
He plays Yuvraj Aviraaj Singh, a royal heir, opposite Bhumi Pednekar in Netflix’s The Royals.
Related Biographies
- Janhvi Kapoor Biography (Dhadak, Homebound co-star)
- Mrunal Thakur Biography (Pippa co-star)
- Ibrahim Ali Khan Biography