Unfiltered, Unhurried, Unafraid: The Many Sides Of Meezaan Jafri

In a world of faultlessly manicured social media feeds and perfectly engineered PR drives, Meezaan Jafri is a man of refreshing candour. It’s his day off today, and he’s just returned from a vocal training class. It’s a ritual he has been following for years—every morning, when he’s not working, Meezaan sets out at 9 am, cruising from Bandra to Andheri [in Mumbai] on a Scooty, headphones plugged in, the world tuned out. “I could go by car, but then it would take me all day in Mumbai’s traffic,” he jokes. As we settle in for a chat, he’s already clocked in his workout and had his cup of coffee— “I’ll have my first meal at 4 pm now, it keeps me sharp,” he adds.

Meezaan’s latest release, De De Pyaar De 2 [2025], has had a great run at the box office. This is also the first time he shared screen time with his father, actor Jaaved Jaaferi. “This movie was extra special. I got to work with icons such as Ajay Devgn, [R] Madhavan, and my father. It’s also my first theatrical release, which has blown up like this, you know. The first-time people saw my work on such a scale. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

On the love front, too, things have been simmering. “My father’s been asking me to get me married. Just yesterday, my mom came to me and said, ‘You’re 30, don’t you think you should be looking to get married now?’ I said, ‘Mom, if you can find someone for me, I’ll do it!’, he laughs. “Work is my priority right now, but I’m reaching a stage where I want a stable relationship. And I’d definitely like to be married someday,” he adds. While finding ‘the one’ is on his bucket list for 2026, Meezaan’s cognizant that there may be no such thing as the perfect partner. “It’s a very relative concept. To me, it’d be someone I can feel that connection with…the piece that comes the closest to fitting with me in the puzzle.”

By now, we’ve talked for over an hour—and the conversation has steered from work, life, home to love, relationships, and his dream wedding. There have been some revelations, too. Do you know, he runs a fruits and vegetable business on the side—his company, Agrifire International Private Limited, procures produce from farmers in Nashik. And that he’s also a writer—and has just completed a sitcom script which he will begin pitching soon.

Or, that he’s a voracious reader—but falls asleep within five minutes of starting a new book! Here’s more of all that the actor shared with Manifest for this special story.

Manifest: Congratulations on De De Pyaar De 2. From an assistant director—and a body double— to an ace actor now, it must have been quite the journey.

Meezaan Jafri: “Thank you! There’s a lot more work to be done, but I am enjoying the process. The journey has been full of surprises—first getting the opportunity of assisting Sanjay [Leela Bhansali] sir, then to be launched by him. And now, getting to work on all these films. It has been amazing.

M: What has been your biggest takeaway?

MJ: “That there are constant highs and lows. Even when you’re doing well, there will be lows. And even when you’re down, there will be some highs. In this line of work, it is pure luck and destiny. Everyone is trying their best—and we are all talented. But not everyone gets such opportunities. And even if you do, there’s no guarantee it’ll work out. Nothing’s in your control. All you can do is keep improving your craft. You’ve got to be patient, and you must have faith in yourself.”

M: With age and experience, has your take on love and relationships changed, too?

MJ: “A lot. When you’re younger, there are fewer responsibilities. You’re carefree—and you live in the moment. There’s not much that you’re thinking about, really. So if you’re attracted to someone, you just go for it. When I was in college, I would hardly deliberate over what I was getting into. But now, I’ll think 100 times...”

M: What does love mean to you now?

MJ: “It’s something that lies more in actions than words. Just because you tell me you love me doesn’t really mean that you do. You have to show me that you love me. And that showing happens over the course of time. You have to give the relationship that time to truly understand if there’s love.

M: What kind of traits?

MJ: If she stands up for you behind your back. If she’s there for you, not just when you need her, but even in those small moments that may mean a lot to you. Those kinds of things go a long way in building a strong relationship.

M: Are you a romantic?

MJ: “I am! If I get into a relationship, I’m all in. Once, I flew halfway across the world to surprise my then-girlfriend for our one-year anniversary. I was assisting Sanjay sir at the time. We got a small break, and I decided to make the most of it.”

M: Have you ever thought about the kind of wedding you’d like to have?

MJ: “I want to have an intimate nikah at home, with just close family members and friends. No speeches, no performances, no flashy functions that last for days and cost a fortune. It’ll be simple. But we will have an after-party, where there will be a DJ, and we’ll invite everyone, we know—come, eat, drink, dance, and have a great time! Over-the top proposals, inviting mega artistes, elaborate pre-wedding/post-wedding shoots, etc., aren’t for me—I find them cringeworthy.

M: And what are some qualities you’d like in your partner?

MJ: “Someone who feels ‘right’. Who can get along with my family, respect my cultural values, and understand my work and its demands? Someone grounded, who treats everyone equally, whether it is a CEO or a staff member. And is respectful towards the elders—that’s a big one for me. The most important: we cannot fight in public! Whatever it is, we’ll sort it out together, in private.”

M: What would your ideal date encompass?

MJ: “I’m very non-complicated that way. As long as I’m able to spend time with my partner, I’m happy. You know, where we can enjoy being together, without any disruption. It can be meeting for dinner at home and having a conversation for a couple of hours, or going for a drive, just us...or a leisurely walk. Small but wholesome stuff.”

M: What has been your best date so far?

MJ: “It was three years ago, around this time. I had just moved into this new building, and it had the most beautiful terrace. You could see the entire city in 360-degree panoramic views. The building was still under construction, so nobody ever went up there. I decided to have a nice dinner there—a home-cooked meal. It was supposed to be a candle-lit scene, but the wind made it impossible. Nevertheless, we dined under the stars, the weather was fabulous...it was lovely."

M: Lastly, what are you looking forward to in 2026?

MJ: “In career, I’m excited about the projects I’ll be doing. I want to do at least one role where I amaze myself at how polar opposite it is to the real me, where I can’t see an ounce of myself in it. In life, I want to be content. I want to be able to take a step back and appreciate all that I have. I’m already working on it, but I want to cement it further. In love, I look forward to finding ‘the one’.”

Photographs by Sarang Gupta; Styling by Who Wore What When; Hair: Team Aalim Hakim; Make-up: Rahul Nikam; Fashion Assistants: Shubham Jawanjal and Chaitanyaa Balwant; Bookings Editor: Varun Shah; Production: Akanksha Productions