EXCLUSIVE: Vivaan On 'Positive Pressure' Of Being Naseeruddin Shah's Son & Why He's Yet To Follow SRK's Advice

Vivaan Shah Exclusive: When you're the son of two Bollywood powerhouses, it's easy to get lost in their shadow. But Vivaan Shah, son of legendary Indian actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, is determined to carve out a space that's uniquely his own-fueled by passion, creativity, and a fearless approach to acting. Over the years, he's embraced a more-than-a-decade-long career marked by risk-taking, dedication, and a deep love for the craft.

As the actor gears up for the OTT premiere of one of his critically-acclaimed film 'Coat' (2023) on Waves, Vivaan sat down for an exclusive chat with us where he talked about his family legacy, working with Shah Rukh Khan, and iconic filmmakers like Vishal Bharadwaj, Farah Khan and Anurag Kashyap early on in his career.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

1) Vivaan, you come from a family with a deep connection to the film industry. Did you always know that you wanted to become an actor or was there a specific moment that made you realize this was your calling?

I didn't want to be an actor when I was a kid. When I was in college, because it was something that was expected of me. So, when I was studying for boards, my batchmates used to tease me saying, 'why are you studying, you will become an actor when you grow up.' Because of that, I had a lot of reverse rebellion. I used to say that I will become an engineer but not an actor. It was like that. Because it was something that was expected of me. At the age of 20, I got the opportunity to act with my favourite filmmaker, Mr. Vishal Bhardwaj, in '7 Khoon Maaf'. I was in my second year of college at that time. When I started doing the film, Vishal ji also told me that you must continue my academic career after finishing the film and that was the plan. But one day, when I was sitting between shots on the sets of 7 Khoon Maaf. I was just observing all the construction around me and all the work around me and I realized how important cinema is to our society, to Indian society and that I am very fortunate to be a part of it. So, I just told myself that you should make the most of this opportunity that God has given you and you should be an actor and since then, I have been an actor.

2) COAT is a socially relevant film that talks about overcoming societal norms and earn respect irrespective of cast and background. It captures the essence of hope, perseverance and struggles. Now that COAT is gearing up for its OTT release on Waves do you feel that the film is reaching to a wider audience and will eventually get the credit that it true deserves?

It's a big, big moment for me. I think it's my finest work as an actor and my parents also feel the same. I'm very proud and happy that the film is finally releasing on OTT and it will reach the audience. This is a very big thing for me. I've been waiting for it for many years. We shot the film in 2018 and it was released in 2023.

3) Being the legendary Naseeruddin Shah's son, comes with both pride and pressure. Do you ever feel the weight of living up to your father's legacy in the industry? How do you navigate these expectations?

It's a positive pressure. It motivates me to work harder and to make them proud. I have always taken it as a positive pressure. It motivates me to work harder, and to try and do my best.

4) You have worked with Vishal Bharadwaj in 7 Khoon Maaf and Farah Khan in Happy New Year pretty early in your career. And both the directors are known for completely different genres. Where were the ambiance on their sets like?

It was very interesting because when I was shooting Happy New Year, I was also shooting Bombay Velvet. And Mr. Kashyap also is like Mr. Bhardwaj. They both come from the similar school of cinema. They are both realistic filmmakers. They have a very different technique of shooting a film compared to your regular Bollywood film. On Farah Khan's sets, before every take there would be thousands of things that had to be done before the camera rolls. Whether it's your confetti blast or blowers or the lighting was very different. It was a different kind of lighting. Meanwhile, Mr. Bhardwaj's set or Mr. Kashyap's set was closer to a theatre. It was almost like a documentary style of filmmaking where they wanted to capture realism on the camera.

5) You've had the privilege of working with Shah Rukh Khan. And it was your 2nd film. And he is widely known for his charm and positive energy off screen. Did you have any memorable moments or conversations with him that helped you feel more at ease while working together?

Working with him was a blessing in my life. It was truly a blessing. It's something I will cherish for the rest of my life. It really was a true blessing to work with Shah Rukh sir. He really took care of me so beautifully. He really taught me so much about the art and craft of acting. I learnt so much from him about comic timing, dance, dialogue delivery, body language, action and other stuffs. He is so hands-on in action scenes. He is truly someone who has one of the greatest minds that I have ever encountered. He is a genius. He is someone that I really cherish the experience of having met with. He treats everybody with respect, whether he is a spot boy or a CEO.

6) Was there any particular piece of advice or feedback from SRK that you have carried with you in your career?

He gave me a very good piece of advice but unfortunately I did not follow it to my own detriment. He told me a very interesting thing once. He said 'you should do roles in films in which your role is smaller than the movie'. That means that the movie should be big and should be seen and be noted even if your role is not necessarily the lead role. And he told me Inshallah one day you will play lead roles hopefully. But he said to do films in which the film is bigger than your role. That it's not just about your role but it's about the film and the film will be noticed and hence your work will be appreciated. Unfortunately the trajectory of my journey did not end up like that. Partly out of my own fault and partly due to the kind of work that came my way. So, I actually ended up doing the opposite of what Mr. Khan advised.

7) Looking back on your career so far, what's the biggest lesson you have learned?

During the difficult times to keep strength and to maintain perseverance and to keep being interested in the craft and in the art of acting. Because if you are truly interested in acting, if you are truly interested in your profession, then the ups and downs, the fallow periods, these will not affect you. Because you have a pursuit. My parents have always told me not to get swayed by the bells and whistles of the industry.