Ishaan Khatter on his Hollywood debut: It was not about picking, I auditioned for it

Having done films and web projects in India, Ishaan Khatter is now set to explore a new avenue – Hollywood. The actor marks his international OTT debut with The Perfect Couple, an official adaptation of writer Elin Hilderbrand’s eponymous novel by the same name.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity and excited to explore whatever good work comes my way. It’s certainly a unique time for artistic and cultural cross-pollination with the world becoming a smaller place and I’m excited for people to see what’s to come,” says Khatter, who will be seen alongside actors Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber and Dakota fanning in the series.

The story revolves around Kidman who plays the role of a mother planning a wedding for her son, which gets halted because of a murder. Khatter will be seen in the role of the groom’s best friend.

Sharing how he bagged the project, the 27-year-old adds, “It was certainly not up for picking! I went through the whole process and auditioned for it. I also don’t think there’s enough information out there to label it as conventional or otherwise yet.”

Currently busy shooting the project at the moment, the actor also feels his character in the series will help wipe off stereotypes around Indians in the West. “Layered representation is important to reduce stereotyping but that’s not only the responsibility of the writer or creator but also an actor who chooses to represent the written material. I, for one, was pleasantly surprised to read the part in The Perfect Couple,” he explains.

He further adds the role is also pushing him as a performer. “I’ve always aspired to explore myself through my characters while (hopefully) infusing life into them. It’s a symbiotic relationship. This part gives me a chance to explore a distinctly different side of myself as both a performer and a professional,” says the actor, who entered the industry with Majid Majidi’s Beyond the Clouds.

Khatter, who has projects such as Dhadak (2018), A Suitable Boy (2020) and Phone Bhoot (2022) to his credit, is excited about featuring alongside big names from Hollywood. Opening up about the experience, he gushes, “It feels great, it’s always wonderful to play with an exciting cast and it’s keeping me on my toes in the best way. They certainly are very talented and experienced artistes on the show, not only in the cast but also behind the scenes and I’m also very glad to be working with a director as assured and creative as Susanne Bier.”