Ishaan Khatter Remembers His 'Filmi' High School Romance That Began With Fight, 'My First Love'

Ishaan Khatter has been making headlines for his glamorous role as a young prince, ‘Aviraaj Singh’, in his latest project, Netflix’s The Royals. The actor has rarely been open regarding his love life, but recently, he gave his fans a sneak peek into the first time he fell in love with someone in high school. Ishaan, who has been dating Malaysian model, Chandni Bainz, since 2023, just shared some anecdotes from his ‘sweet sixteen’ romance, a love story that resembles his fictional love story in The Royals.

Ishaan Khatter remembers his sweet sixteen romance

First loves are always unforgettable, no matter where life leads you later. It’s the first time you feel those butterflies, the thrill of stolen glances, and the comfort of shared smiles. But when it ends, the heartbreak feels just as real. For Ishaan Khatter, his high school romance had it all — the magic, the hope, and the ache of believing he’d found ‘the one’ too soon.

In a conversation with News18 Showsha, Ishaan recalled how love found him most unexpectedly. Much like the central romance in The Royals, Ishaan Khatter’s first love story was laced with passion, conflict, and undeniable chemistry. In the Netflix series, we see a classic "opposites attract" dynamic between characters who begin on rocky terms, often clashing before discovering a deeper emotional connection. Ishaan’s first love was also something like this. He shared:

“I definitely believe that opposites attract. We’ve evidence of it in the form of plus and minus. I, in my life, have experienced it when it comes to love. I was in a relationship that started with a fight. It was totally filmi! It was a high school romance. It was my first love, and after it ended, I felt like everything was over. It was a sweet sixteen romance that started with us literally insulting each other (laughs)! We had the fight in front of the whole classroom. We then had a debate after which, I told myself, ‘She’s cute though!’ And then Cupid struck."

While Ishaan’s first relationship wasn’t love at first sight, it was not hate either. The actor mentions the fine line that separates hate from love. According to him, hate is a “strong emotion, but it’s a very thin line”.

Ishaan Khatter’s views on having strong-willed women as partners

In the same conversation, Ishaan shared his views on dating strong-willed women, saying he’s never been intimidated by a woman with a voice. In fact, he believes many men still struggle to accept powerful partners. Being raised by a strong, independent mother like Neliima Azeem shaped his perspective. 

As the younger half-brother of Shahid Kapoor, Ishaan saw firsthand how his mother balanced being the breadwinner and a nurturing parent with unwavering strength and grace. Talking about how The Royals shows this dynamic, Ishaan shares:

“I was raised by a single mother. So, all I’ve known is a woman with agency. I’ve seen her balance life. She single-handedly not just brought the bread home but also raised two boys. Even our show, The Royals, thankfully, isn’t a pseudo-feministic notion where a woman feels the need to overpower. It’s about seeing a man and a woman as equals and as flesh-and-blood human beings beyond the exterior.”

On the work front, Ishaan will be next seen in Homebound, which will compete at the Cannes International Film Festival under the ‘Un Certain Regard’ category.

What do you think about Ishaan Khatter’s high school romance?

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