Junaid: Mom made sure Ira and I stayed away from limelight

Aamir Khan

‘s son

Junaid Khan

, who has been receiving much appreciation for his role in his debut OTT film ‘Maharaj’, talked about growing up with his mom

Reena Dutta

. He along with

Maharaj

‘s director

Malhotra P Siddharth

also spoke about the uncertainty in the release due to a case filed against the movie.
During a conversation with The Quint, Junaid talked about how while growing up, his mother Reena Dutta ensured that he and his sister

Ira Khan

were kept away from the spotlight.

He shared, “Ira and I are also a little older, and the presence of social media wasn’t that aggressive as it is today. Growing up, access to information was a lot and our mom ensured that we had our heads on our shoulders.”
In the same interview, when Malhotra P Siddharth and Junaid Khan were questioned about how they felt when the members of the Vaishnavite sect Pushtimarg moved to the Gujarat High Court and alleged that the film contains “scandalous and defamatory language, which affects the Pustimargi sect as a whole” and it is “likely to incite feelings of hatred and violence against the sect”. To which, the director replied, “We shot the film three years back, but the wait to release it was never-ending. Also, the film is about one man’s ideology and not the entire community. We knew we had a good film and we never made it with the intention of hurting anyone.”
Junaid further added by stating, “People who saw the film also felt that there was nothing that could hurt anyone.”

Directed by Sidharth and produced by YRF Entertainment, ‘Maharaj’ stars Junaid Khan in his debut role, along with Jaideep Ahlawat, Shalini Pandey and Sharvari Wagh. Based on true events from pre-independence India, the film showcases the bravery of social reformer Karsandas Mulji, who challenged the status quo in a landmark legal battle. It was released on June 14, 2024.