Actor Khaqan Shahnawaz recently sparked outrage after suggesting he could play Indian actor Kareena Kapoor's son, not her lover, in a drama due to her age. This comment has been widely criticized by fans of the Bollywood star.
During his appearance on a talk show with Tabish Hashmi on December 14, Shahnawaz responded to an audience member who expressed a desire to see him collaborate with Kapoor. Shahnawaz replied that he could play her son since "Kareena was 'quite old'".
Was it justified? Absolutely not. Was it random? Very much so.
What prompted him to say this? We may never know!
A better approach would have been to smile and nod. Instead, his comment drew sharp criticism from Kapoor’s loyal fanbase across both Pakistan and India, many of whom called his statement “ageist”. Others pointed out that Shahnawaz’s fame paled in comparison to Kapoor’s massive celebrity status.
One user remarked, “Bro thinks he cracked a funny joke, you don’t exist for her,” while another Pakistani fan admitted to having no clue who Shahnawaz was. Someone else added that Shahnawaz was a “nobody here in Pakistan,” while Kapoor is a legend in Bollywood—harsh but not entirely inaccurate.
Some even speculated that Shahnawaz was merely seeking to ride Kapoor’s coattails for attention, with one person claiming he mentioned her name just to gain some of her fame, while another suggested he would eventually rise to fame because of her, pointing out that everyone who talks about aging will eventually age themselves.
Another social media user called Shahnawaz “craving publicity” and noted that he “chose the queen of Bollywood” for this very reason. However, we must clarify that it was an audience member who first brought up the idea of Shahnawaz working alongside Kapoor. His outlandish response, though, was all on him.
One user defended Kapoor, emphasizing that “age is just a number and Kareena has beautifully proved it.”
“Before passing such remarks that so-called actor should know that Kareena is the only female actress in the entire Bollywood who has worked as a lead actress in her entire career… Meanwhile, hamaray insta and YouTube influencer us per baat karhy hai [meanwhile, our Instagram and YouTube influencers are commenting on her].” Another user reminded Shahnawaz that “everyone on this earth will age” and urged him to “stop passing such kind of comments.”
A Pakistani fan mentioned that even Pakistanis were criticizing Shahnawaz, pointing out his childish behavior and lack of acting skills.
On the other hand, a few people sided with Shahnawaz, agreeing with the notion that Kapoor had indeed aged—though it's unclear what they were actually agreeing with.
What’s certain is that this entire episode brought together social media users from both Pakistan and India, with many Pakistani commenters giving Shahnawaz a “reality check”.
Shahnawaz’s comment was clearly rooted in ageism. A quick Google search revealed that Kapoor is 44 years old, while Shahnawaz is 27. That means, by his logic, she would have to be an underage mother if he were indeed her son.
If they ever starred as mother and son, it might end up being a film about teen pregnancy—but we highly doubt Kapoor would consider working with Shahnawaz anytime soon.
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