There are moments in an actor’s life when momentum feels earned rather than orchestrated—when the world’s attention arrives as a quiet acknowledgement of work done with intention. For Ishaan Khatter, 2025 has been precisely that kind of year. One that didn’t announce itself with spectacle, but unfolded steadily across continents and creative disciplines, confirming what many had sensed for a while now: that he is entering his most assured phase yet.
His phenomenal year
The markers are undeniable. The worldwide success of the Netflix India series The Royals, which travelled far beyond Indian audiences and found resonance across cultures. A spot on Forbes 30 Under 30, affirming his position not just as a performer, but as a cultural force of his generation of actors. Becoming the first Indian male to front a global “Be the Next” Boss campaign for Autumn/Winter 2025—a fashion milestone that quietly rewrote the rules of representation. And then Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, the most personal film of his career, premiering at Cannes, travelling through the Toronto International Film Festival, followed by special screening in Los Angeles hosted by Martin Scorcese (the executive producer on the film), London and Marrakesh and now standing shortlisted in the Best International Feature Film category for the 98th Academy Awards.
Surrender over strategy
Yet, speak to Khatter today and what strikes you isn’t ambition sharpened by success, but a sense of surrender—to process, to patience, to the unknown that still lies ahead. “It’s been surreal and really beautiful,” he says, reflecting on the past twelve months of his life. “I’m really putting in the work, but I’m also surrendering to whatever lies ahead,” he says.
That duality—effort and ease, discipline and instinct—feels central to who Khatter is becoming. At 30, with the world of luxury and global cinema increasingly at his feet, he remains someone who finds pleasure in a good story, a quiet day at the beach with his phone switched off, dark chocolate eaten daily without guilt, and music as his ultimate source of confidence. The scale may have expanded, but the grounding remains deeply personal.
Representation is rewritten
When The Royals found a global audience, it wasn’t validation that altered his instincts so much as affirmation. Ishaan has always been acutely aware of the emotional pulse of his audience, and this year confirmed something he had already sensed—that viewers around the world are ready for a new kind of Indian representation. One that isn’t exoticised or reduced, but rooted in authenticity and complexity. “It definitely reaffirmed my instincts,” he reflects. “People are more than ready for a new kind of global representation for an Indian actor.”
That idea of representation deepens with Homebound, a film that demanded not just performance, but surrender to his character Shoaib’s narrative. When news of its Oscar shortlist came in, Ishaan was doing what many of us might—lying in bed, refreshing the page repeatedly, anticipation building with every second. The reaction, when it finally arrived, was simple and unfiltered. “It was just good old happiness,” he says. “I’m grateful and proud.”
Homebound as a turning point
But the journey of Homebound began long before awards conversations. The film required what Khatter describes as “every inch of my being”—emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. It wasn’t just about inhabiting a character, but becoming a vessel for voices historically stripped of space and dignity. “It required surrender, empathy and interiority,” he explains. “Some stories are bigger than your individual journey, and this was one of them.” The script broke him during the reading stage, but the act of making the film became cathartic—a process of hope unfolding in real time. It’s the kind of work that lingers, not because of acclaim, but because of what it demands from the artist.
Making of a global star
Homebound was, in many ways, the culmination of a steady, deliberate journey Khatter has been on since his earliest choices as an actor—one shaped by curiosity rather than calculation, by his own admission. Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds (2017) and Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy (2020) organically positioned him to a far wider international audience. By the time the Netflix series The Perfect Couple arrived in 2024, Khatter’s presence no longer felt like an experiment or a novelty by the makers. It felt earned. His casting was less about crossover ambition and more about continuity of an actor who had already proven he could inhabit stories around the world.
Running parallel to this cinematic ascent has been Khatter’s growing presence in the global fashion ecosystem. Becoming the first Indian face of Hugo Boss’s AW 2025 campaign wasn’t just a personal milestone—it was a signal of how Indian talent is being perceived today. “There is a global spotlight on India,” he acknowledges, “but something like this doesn’t come easy. You have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone to break new ground.” For him, it’s the result of sustained effort—work that is now paying back beautifully.
Fashion as a form of expression
From Paris to Milan, his appearances at international fashion weeks have been closely watched, but Khatter doesn’t approach fashion as performance. For him, it’s an expression—fluid, instinctive, led by his personal feelings and deeply tied to his identity. “It’s a representation of who you are, who you want to be and how you’re feeling,” he says. Over time, these choices become part of your story, and he’s enjoying that exploration without the pressure of perfection.
Clarity at 30
Luxury, once outside his reality, has also evolved in meaning. Today, he sees it less as surface and more as creative process—the layers of craftsmanship, storytelling and intention behind it. This perspective mirrors how he approaches success itself. Turning 30 has brought not just ambition, but clarity. “I want to double down on what I’ve started building,” he says. “A unique filmography that isn’t limited by borders and adheres to the universal language of cinema. But there is lot more I have to give,” signalling a deep- seated conviction in his craft and his hopes for the future. This, he insists at the same time, is only the beginning.
Staying rooted, always
Amid the acceleration and recognition, Khatter holds onto a simple principle: “never forget your roots”. Everything you are, he believes, ultimately manifests in your art. He remains an eternal learner, “hopelessly in love” with what he does—a sentiment that explains why, even now, the thing that excites him most is receiving a piece of text that ignites his imagination. The journey of realising that vision, he says, has always been the real reward. “Worldly success may matter more today, but it remains a bonus—not the point,” he adds.
Rituals that remain
Away from movie premieres, fashion weeks and gaze of the paparazzi, Khatter like any other young man savours life’s simple pleasures. Fragrance has become a non-negotiable—currently Diptyque. “Not telling you which one,” he grins. For his curly hair, he swears by Davines’ Oi Hair Butter. His workouts lean towards calisthenics with rings, balanced by incline walks that have quietly become a habit. Recovery, for him, is a day at the beach with his phone switched off. Relaxation comes via PlayStation, while hygiene and organisation are areas he is surprisingly particular about (a lesser-known fact about the actor). Food is joy without apology—desserts top the list of cravings, especially a warm bowl of homemade gajar ka halwa. Dark chocolate is part of his daily ritual. “I have it everyday. I don’t care if anyone’s watching” he says. And when asked what makes him feel most confident in his own skin today, the answer is immediate and telling: music.
Music, memories, home
Lately, his playlist offers clues to his inner landscape. Kendrick Lamar’s Peekaboo mirrors a heightened awareness—of visibility, of selfhood, of navigating success without losing edge. Hozier’s Unknown carries the ache of distance and becoming, of evolving without severing one’s emotional roots. And Pale Pale Moon from Sinners feels almost meditative, suspended between motion and stillness—much like this phase of his life. For all the speed his career has gathered, Ishaan remains someone who returns willingly to the comfort of home at the end of the day—the familiar aroma of ghee rotis, matar paneer wafting from the kitchen, and the reassurance of things unchanged. In a world increasingly defined by scale, his luxury lies in intention. In choosing work that asks more of him as an artist. In fashion that reflects who he is rather than expects him to perform. And in a life where global success hasn’t dulled the pleasure of small, sustaining rituals. Perhaps that’s why this success feels not just earned but very well-deserved.
Creative direction: Anjan Das; Styling: Akshay Tyagi; Assistant stylist: Srishti Bhawsingka; Hair: Team Hakim’s Aalim; Make-up: Nalini Ferns; Artist’s reputation management: Jio Creative Labs, Anushree Kirtikar; Artist coordinator: Trisha Ashar; Wardrobe courtesy: BOSS; Location courtesy: JW Marriott, Mumbai, Sahar
