Aamir Khan says he was ‘unsure’ about Junaid Khan’s acting capabilities before Maharaj released: “Aapko mujhse compare kiya jayega”

Aamir Khan recently opened up about his initial concerns regarding his son, Junaid Khan's foray into acting. Despite the latter's successful debut in Netflix's Maharaj, Aamir admitted to harbouring doubts about his son's abilities.Speaking to Rhea Chakraborty on her podcast, Aamir candidly expressed his fears about the inevitable comparisons that would arise between him and Junaid. “Main actor hoon aur jab aapki pehli film aayegi to aapko mujhse compare kiya jayega aur yeh jo tag hai ‘Aamir Khan ka beta’ yeh aapse kabhi chhootega nahin to aap khamkha iss bojh ko utha ke chaloge (Being an actor myself, I knew that when Junaid's first film came out, he would be compared to me),” Aamir explained. The 'Aamir Khan's son' tag, he believed, would be a constant presence, potentially weighing down Junaid's journey.Aamir's concerns were further fueled by Junaid's shy demeanor. “He was very shy, and I wasn't sure if he had the qualities it takes to be a good actor,” Aamir revealed. Drawing from his own experiences, where his shyness often led to doubts about his acting abilities, Aamir feared that Junaid might face similar challenges.To ensure that Junaid was fully prepared for the industry, Aamir set clear expectations. “I told him that if he wasn't a good actor, I wouldn't produce a film for him,” Aamir stated firmly. He explained that he couldn't compromise on the quality of his productions and that he wouldn't want to disappoint his audience.However, Aamir's fears were allayed after watching Maharaj. “Junaid has shown a lot of promise,” Aamir said.Maharaj, helmed by Siddharth P Malhotra, was released on Netflix. It also starred Jaideep Ahlawat, Shalini Pandey and Sharvari Wagh.ALSO READ: Aamir Khan had a ‘mental breakdown’; Ira and Junaid urged him to find balance in his career instead of quitting acting: “You are such an extreme man”