Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Ishaan Khatter Says Men Are Taught 'Not to Be Women' in Candid Roundtable Remarks

He links his softer screen persona to a single-parent upbringing shaped by frequent work under a female gaze.

Overview

  • Speaking at the Yuvaa All Stars Roundtable 2025, the actor said, “Men are not taught to be men; they’re just taught not to be women.”
  • He said his idea of being a man was defined by growing up with his mother, actor Neelima Azim, after his parents separated.
  • Khatter said roughly half of his collaborators over eight years have been women, citing directors such as Mira Nair, Nupur Asthana and Priyanka Ghose.
  • He described exposure to the female gaze as key to building empathy in his performances.
  • Recent credits include Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, reported as India’s official Oscar entry this year, and the Netflix series The Royals.