Jaaved Jaaferi's Son Meezaan Jafri Says Being A Star Kid Is 'Not Easy': ‘That Baggage And Burden…'

Jaaved Jaaferi’s son Meezaan Jafri isn’t pretending that the industry is fair. Fresh off the success of De De Pyaar De 2, the actor is finally getting the attention he’s waited years for — but he says the climb has been slow, complicated and far from the “star kid shortcut” people assume he had.

Finding His Own Way

Meezaan has grown up hearing the word “nepotism” trail behind him long before he had even faced the camera. But he doesn’t dodge the conversation or soften it. “One misconception is that we have it easy,” he said, in a chat with India Today. The 30-year-old, son of actor Jaaved Jaaferi, says he never denies the privileges that come with the surname — he simply points out the part that people often overlook.

He said, “Someone who says

that is quite stupid. Yes, of course, we have it easy in a very different perspective, but then we have it difficult also in a different perspective, because that baggage and burden is also there on that star kid. It’s easier to come in with a clean slate than to come up with so much baggage.”

The Reality of Bollywood Circles

When asked why he’s worked less since his 2019 debut, Meezaan said, “Everyone has their own set of actors or people in their own groups and a lot of people have plugged in their talent management agencies with their production houses.” He went on to add, “Everyone is just working within that circle, and I get that.”

Rather than fighting the structure, he’s learned how to move through it with patience and clarity. For him, the only thing that matters is choosing wisely. “Only the artiste knows what they have been offered. I’ve taken the best decisions according to whatever was on my plate, and I’ll continue doing so. It’s better to take the right decision than, for the sake of doing work, just do anything,” he said.

Keeping His Head Down

Meezaan admits he’s spent six years simply working, waiting and believing the right moment would come. “You just have to keep quiet and keep working,” he said. “I didn’t want to unnecessarily make noise or do PR. I wanted my work to speak for me. When the time is right, when I’ve brought that kind of work, then I will put myself out there.”

Ajay Devgn, R. Madhavan, Rakul Preet Singh and Gautami Kapoor returned to the big screen with De De Pyaar De 2, which released in theatres on Friday, November 14.