Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan is receiving widespread appreciation for his directorial debut series The Bds of Bollywood, and the praise is coming from those who worked closely with him. Actor Gautami Kapoor, who plays a key role in the show, recently opened up about Aryan’s remarkable clarity, confidence, and maturity — qualities that, she says, set him apart from the very first day.
Speaking with Siddharth Kannan, Gautami recalled her initial meeting with Aryan during the script reading session. Surrounded by nearly 25 experienced actors, Aryan stepped in to conduct the reading with quiet authority. Gautami admitted she observed him closely, curious to see how the young debutant would handle a room full of seasoned performers.
“During the reading, that was the first time I met Aryan. We were 25 actors in a room. He came in, started the reading, and the clarity he had for each and every character — big or small — was staggering. My mouth was open. I thought, ‘Oh my God, at 24–25, he has this kind of clarity and maturity about a project he has written and is going to direct,’” she shared. According to her, Aryan’s sharp understanding of the script and characters left no doubt about his command over the project.
Addressing rumours suggesting that Aryan may have had a ghost director assisting him, Gautami firmly dismissed the speculation. She insisted that Aryan was personally involved in every creative and technical aspect of the show.
“A lot of people asked if someone else ghost-directed it. But we shot for nearly 20 hours. The way he directed — hats off to him. Let me be clear, every single thing done in the show is done by Aryan,” she stated.
She added that Aryan often went beyond verbal instructions. When scenes required action or movement, he would perform the stunts himself to demonstrate exactly what he wanted from the actors.
Gautami also revealed that Aryan is a perfectionist on set. Multiple takes were routine, even for senior actors. “It was never one or two takes. It was always 10 to 15 takes. Whether it was Bobby Deol, Manoj Bawa, or anyone else — we all had to give our best,” she said, adding that the demanding environment ultimately brought out strong performances.
Drawing a connection to Aryan’s upbringing, Gautami spoke fondly of Shah Rukh Khan’s humility and warmth. She recalled how Aryan always greeted her with hugs at the Red Chillies office and personally walked her to the lift. She also shared a memorable moment when Shah Rukh himself escorted her daughter to the lift during a screening, speaking kindly with her about her studies.
“There is so much to learn from this family,” Gautami said — a sentiment now echoed by many impressed with Aryan Khan’s promising start behind the camera.
