Meet the star kid who made his debut with Priyanka Chopra, acted with Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone – then vanished from the spotlight

In the world of Bollywood, where stardom often runs in the family, it’s surprising when someone with strong filmy roots decides to take a quieter path. One such story is that of Vivaan Shah, the son of celebrated actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah. Despite debuting with big names like Priyanka Chopra and working alongside the King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, Vivaan has slowly distanced himself from the spotlight.
From a family of legends of Indian cinema and theatre
Vivaan comes from one of Bollywood’s most respected families. His father, Naseeruddin Shah, and mother, Ratna Pathak Shah, are both known for their work in the film and theatre industries. His brother Imaad Shah is a musician and actor, and sister Heeba Shah is also an actress. But while Vivaan had acting in his blood, he didn’t grow up dreaming of the silver screen. In fact, his early life was far removed from the glitz and glamour of the industry.

Acting was never the plan
Unlike many star kids, Vivaan didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming an actor. He spent most of his school years far away from the film world. In a past interview with Indian Express he said, “I stumbled into acting as a profession, it was never planned.” He went on to state that he assumed his career would be based in academics, stating that “there, it was not fashionable to say you wanted to be an actor.”

A mind for academics
Vivaan is also a keen learner. He finished school at The Doon School in 2009 and applied to St. Stephen’s College at Delhi University. Sadly, he missed getting into the History Honours course by just one mark. Not happy with settling for a regular degree, he left after his first year and returned to Mumbai to study at Jai Hind College.

His acting break
According to Vivaan, acting wasn’t even a consideration as a career choice until director Vishal Bhardwaj invited him to audition for his film ‘7 Khoon Maaf’. “Being a huge fan of his, I agreed. It was on set, witnessing the filmmaking process, that I had an epiphany—cinema plays a crucial role in Indian society, and I was lucky to be part of it.” He went on to admit that it was that very moment that set him on the path to become a professional actor.
Big debut with Priyanka Chopra
Vivaan went on to make his acting debut in 2011 in Vishal Bhardwaj’s film ‘7 Khoon Maaf’, starring Priyanka Chopra. The film was a bold and dark story, and Vivaan got his first real experience of acting on a film set. This chance set him on the path to more roles, and just a few years later, he bagged a part in one of the biggest films of 2014.
Sharing the screen with Shah Rukh Khan
In Farah Khan’s colourful and star-studded film ‘Happy New Year’, Vivaan played a key role alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani, and Jackie Shroff. His performance was noticed, and he spoke openly about how special the experience was for him. He told DNA, “My father is Farah’s biggest fan in the film industry. It’s a blessing that I got the opportunity to work with her. I consider myself extremely lucky and fortunate. I will cherish this moment for the rest of my life. I believe my father will be very proud and happy with my performance in the film.”

Stepping away from the spotlight
Despite the promising start, Vivaan didn’t chase fame or stardom. After ‘Happy New Year’, he took on more roles, but in smaller films. He was seen in ‘Bombay Velvet’ (2015) as Tony, ‘Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana’ (2017) as Laaddoo, and later in ‘Kabaad The Coin’ (2020), ‘Ae Kaash Ke Hum’ (2020) and in ‘Coat’ (2023). While these films didn’t make big waves at the box office, they showed Vivaan’s choice to follow his own creative path, one that felt true to him.
A family of creatives
In a chat with Hindustan Times, Vivaan spoke warmly about the strong creative connection in his family. Their bond goes beyond just being family—they’re each other’s cheerleaders and collaborators. He said,“My parents and brother are my strongest supporters. We are best friends first and even better art collaborators.” Vivaan may not have made big waves on the screen these days as he was last seen in the film ‘Inn Galiyon Mein’ alongside Jaaved Jaaferi and Avantika Dasani.