ELLE Digital Cover Star: Ibrahim Ali Khan – No Bad Angles

Some people the camera simply refuses to betray. Our cover star, Ibrahim Ali Khan, is one of them. Not a single bad angle all shoot long. Safe to say the camera loves him, and frankly, it’s hard not to. With a jawline that could cut through doubt and an effortless, breezy charm, Khan is eager to explore, learn, and grow, while embracing the grind behind the glamour. When I entered the shoot location, the set was alive with energy, Bollywood music echoing through the space, a playlist handpicked by him (he carries his own speakers, fyi). A mix of old school and new-age hits, it kind of mirrored the cover star himself: a little bit retro, a little bit now.

As he shares in this conversation with me, being born into cinema royalty doesn’t automatically mean you know your mark from your start. With a film lineage that includes a cricketing icon for a grandfather, a beloved leading man for a father, a new-age star for his sister, and a country that’s been watching him grow up from the sidelines–coasting? That’s not really his story.

Growing up in a family where last names come with a legacy and film sets feel like second homes, you’d expect Khan to either be jaded or overly calculated. But when asked if that proximity to stardom felt more like a safety net or a pressure cooker, he answers simply, "It is a safety net in the sense that there are such great people around me to guide me, but in the end, to get anywhere in life, there’s only so much a person can help you. And the pressure to achieve what they have is definitely there, but I’m taking it one day at a time. I want to forge my own path without feeling too comfortable or too much pressure. I’m confident in what I bring to the table."

He speaks about his grandfather, the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, his voice tinged with genuine admiration. "He stamped his legacy on cricket as the captain of our country, and continued playing even after losing an eye. He still batted better than me or Abba." He adds, "It’s not something I’d want to replicate, because honestly, it would be impossible to."

While the scrutiny is inevitable for anyone who is under the spotlight of Bollywood, Khan is clear about the one assumption he wishes people would stop making. "I’d wish they wouldn’t perceive me as arrogant or brash. I don’t think I am. I live with gratitude and kindness." The actor doesn’t shy away from the fact that it can be daunting and disturbing. “Yeah, not going to lie, it can be, and sometimes maybe it gets to my head,” he admits. “But if I feel beaten and low, I’ll ride through it. I’m young and hungry, and I wrapped three films before my first film came out. That helps me keep perspective. I need to give myself that time and patience as an actor, so that there will hopefully be better days.”

He’s also realistic about the background noise that comes with the spotlight. “I believe I am good, so that’s also why I manage,” he adds, matter-of-factly. “There’s constructive criticism, criticising something where maybe I genuinely fell short, and then there’s just aimless criticism. In my case, a lot of it is aimless. I don’t give in to it much. You have to be aware of how it sometimes comes from a place of envy or jealousy, which means you’re doing something right, something people want.”

At 16, he saw himself becoming an actor. Today, he’s grateful to have taken those first steps. But his path to acting wasn’t always preordained. The star shares that when the university he planned to attend in LA moved to online classes, it gave him the time and direction he needed. "I dropped out of college during COVID, after a lot of thinking," he says. "I started assisting on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, and that pulled me into the world of cinema. That’s when I knew I wanted to give this a shot."

His first film, the romantic comedy Naadaniyan, may have been light in tone, but his conviction didn’t come instantly. It wasn’t watching himself on the monitor that gave him confidence; it was the feeling mid-scene, when everything clicks. "Maybe when you feel it during a shot? That moment when everything aligns. I’m still in the ‘you got this’ phase, but yes, I believe I can actually do this."

He’s quickly learning that behind the gloss of stardom lies a mountain of unpredictability. "The waiting, the uncertainty, the last-minute changes, titles, casting, even entire projects. You can’t map it out. You just have to keep your head down and focus on the craft."

When he’s not facing the camera or shooting a scene, you’ll probably find him crushing it at paddleball, vibing to his current musical obsession, German by EO or indulging in a rewatch of Kal Ho Naa Ho. “It’s weird watching your dad over and over again and tearing up like a softie,” he laughs. And sometimes, you’ll find him in the most unexpected places, like the Formula 1 paddock, just casually hanging with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. “Meeting Charles was fun. He’s super down-to-earth. Honestly, it just felt like two people vibing and talking cars. I even made him try a bit of Hindi. It didn’t go too well, as you can see in the videos, but we had a good laugh.”

His recent film is raising eyebrows for all the right reasons. He is ready to jump from a romantic comedy to play an intense role as an army officer in Sarzameen, a film he considers his true debut. "I prepped for eight months, grew a long beard, and did workshops with [acting coach] Atul Mongia. Kayoze [the director of Sarzameen] made sure I was ready. People expect me to do a Hum Tum 2—be my dad’s replica. I want to give them a different version of me."

On set with seasoned actors like Kajol and Prithviraj Sukumaran, it was day one that left the biggest mark. "It was a dinner room scene. Watching them act was something else. They’re effortlessly fluid—it’s intimidating and inspiring."

He has a vision board filled with dream collaborations, including Dinesh Vijan’s horror-comedy universe, Rohit Shetty’s cop world, and Imtiaz Ali and Zoya Akhtar. "And so many actors—Rasha [Thadani], Suhana [Khan], Agastya [Nanda], they’re doing exciting work. I’d love to share screen space with them."

But at the heart of all the ambition is something deeply personal for him. When asked what scares him more, failing or being misunderstood, he doesn’t hesitate: "Being misunderstood — there's no feeling more frustrating. Come what may, I hope people can see me for who I am."

At 24, Ibrahim Ali Khan is a young actor caught between expectation and evolution. But he’s showing up, doing the work, and proving that no matter the surname, his story is just getting started.

ELLE India Editor: Ainee Nizami Ahmedi; Photographer: Rohan Shrestha; Fashion Editor: Shaeroy Chinoy; Asst. Art Director: Alekha Chugani; Makeup: Jagabandhu Dash; Hair: Darshan Yewalekar; Junior Bookings Editor: Anushka Patil (@anushkapatil21); Words by: Ekta Sinha; Assisted by: Idris Nidham, Ridhima Shetty, Divya Sacheti, Kaira Bhaskar(styling), Khushi Nagpal(bookings); Production: CutLoose Productions; Location Courtesy: Istituto Marangoni Mumbai; Artist Reputation Management: Spice PR @spicesocial