Jul 31, 2026 10:00pm IST
Fahmaan Khan on Launching His Production House: ‘I Wanted to Do Something Different’ (Exclusive)
“Imlie” actor Fahmaan Khan is all set to begin a new chapter in his showbiz journey. The actor has signed a new show and has launched his production house with the short film “Goonj.” In an exclusive conversation with Variety India, Khan opens up about balancing acting with producing, taking on new challenges and his vision for creating original content.
You have turned producer with the short film ‘Goonj.’ What drove you to get into production?
The motivation was to do something apart from what I am doing now, which is TV. Mayur (Mehta), who has directed “Goonj,” and I would discuss ideas on this. We felt this was a feasible project with the kind of budget we had and in terms of logistics. We have two more stories, but those will take time. Even when I produced music videos, I tried to tell a story within three to four minutes.
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Being an independent filmmaker in India is not easy. How do you plan to navigate the future?
Mayur and I did not invest our funds thinking the movie would bring us returns. In fact, an OTT platform was ready to take it up on a revenue-sharing basis but did not confirm the agreement for five to six months. We were very clear that we wanted to release it on time irrespective of whether the platform was streaming or a YouTube channel. Mayur and I wanted to establish the studio as our creative sensibilities are quite aligned. He did a great job without compromising on any aspect of the short film, though our budget was limited.
While ‘Imlie’ was a big success, your subsequent shows did not garner high TRPs. Does that bother you?
I don’t think much about it. I know I am working hard for over 12 hours a day for my shows. At the same time, every actor hopes that a show is in the top category as far as TRPs are concerned. I might not be directly affected, but the producer feels it. I hope the makers make a lot of money, but nothing is concrete in this industry. It would be tough to continue your career as an actor if you worry about these things.
Why have you stayed away from reality TV?
The fact is that reality is not real anymore (laughs). I am not very comfortable with the idea of random people sitting at home and judging me. I would love to be a part of “Khatron Ke Khiladi,” but I haven’t been offered the show yet. I had time last year, but the season was canceled. Maybe this is a sign to avoid reality TV, but I may change my mind later.
There is a huge pay disparity between senior Indian TV stars and younger actors. Do you feel this is something that needs to be addressed?
I succeeded at a time when TV was doing well, so I am glad to be among the people who are paid well (laughs). I feel a little bad for newcomers who do mock shoots with very little budget. The TRPs have dropped and shows are not holding up well. I guess makers need to cut down somewhere. However, I feel this is cyclic and brighter days are ahead of us.
What are your thoughts on the microdrama genre?
I have refused a lot of microdramas because I am not keen to work in that format.
How has your love for theatre helped you in your showbiz career?
Being on stage is amazing. I recently did a workshop with acting coach Saurabh Sachdeva, and it was a rejuvenating experience. It deepens your understanding of the craft. It reminds me that it was love for the craft that brought me here in the first place, and not the name, fame or glory. It is like going back to ground zero. Doing theatre still makes me feel like an actor who is craving to perform. Nothing rejuvenates me more than doing theatre.
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