“The Perfect Couple” star Ishaan Khatter causes a stir in the Netflix show

Indian actor Ishaan Khatter is making waves in his second major English-language role, starring alongside Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber in Netflix's hit thriller “The Perfect Couple.” As Shooter Dival, the outsider in a nest of Nantucket's elite, Khatter brings a fresh face to the crime thriller that has captivated audiences around the world.

Adapted from Elin Hilderbrand's best-seller, The Perfect Pair centers on Amelia Sacks (Eve Hewson), a bride set to join Nantucket's elite. Nicole Kidman plays Greer Garrison Winbury, the groom's mother and a renowned author who organizes a lavish wedding. The festivities take a dark turn when a body turns up on the beach and the lavish affair becomes a breeding ground for suspicion. As the investigation progresses, hidden truths emerge that mirror plot twists in Winbury's own literary works.

Khatter plays Dival, the best man and boarding school friend of the groom Benji. Dival is portrayed as an honorary member of the Winbury family, adding another layer to the series' complex web of relationships. Directed by Susanne Bier (Emmy winner for “The Night Manager”), the show spins a complex story full of high society secrets and intrigue.

The character Dival fascinated Khatter from the beginning. “When I read it, there was a veil of mystery in the way the character was treated,” says Khatter diversity“I think it was very clear. And he's kind of an animal that goes his own way.”

Khatter made his acting debut in 2017 with the critically acclaimed film Beyond the Clouds, directed by Iranian auteur Majid Majidi. He then went on to star in Bollywood films such as Dhadak (2018) and Khaali Peeli (2020). Khatter also received praise for his performance as one of the leads in Mira Nair's BBC/Netflix series A Suitable Boy (2020).

“There are revelations and I really enjoyed the story arc. I also found it interesting because I couldn't identify with the character on many other levels, except maybe emotionally,” Khatter says of the role of Dival. “So it was a new kind of character for me. He walks a very fine line between being an outsider and an insider in the bigger picture.”

The source material originally called for a white cast, but the casting of Dival represents a significant shift toward colorblind casting in international productions. “I think they decided to ignore ethnic differences when casting,” says Khatter. “Bravo to Netflix and the studios and the producers and creators who made this decision in the truest sense of the word and not just as a token casting.”

This approach to casting opened up new possibilities for Khatter as an actor. “For me personally, as an actor and as someone who is used to having a global cinema audience, I think that was the most exciting thing because I thought, 'Oh, it's just a role. I can really get into it, I don't have to go against the grain in any way,'” he says.

The actor faced physical challenges during filming, sustaining a hip injury and having to adjust to a new cultural environment. “It was physically demanding. And of course it was also a completely new cultural environment that I had to get used to,” he says. Despite these obstacles, Khatter found support from his fellow cast and crew. “It could have been very overwhelming, but I was well supported. I had great people around me and very capable actors and technicians.”

Staying with his fellow actors and an unforgettable day trip to Provincetown with Hewson, Dakota Fanning (and her sister Elle, who was visiting), Jack Reynor, Billy Howle, Sam Nivola and their friends helped him with his adjustment process.

Khatter also decided to use an American accent for Dival. “I said I think it should be an American accent because that makes sense to me since he went to boarding school with Benji and everyone in that environment is extremely American,” he explains. The actor added, “It was a new kind of muscle for me as an actor.”

One of the highlights of the production for Khatter was an unexpected dance sequence that Bier added. “It was a bit of a nightmare for all the actors because it was a surprise attack on us by Susanne,” Khatter recalls. The sequence, which was not originally in the script, was presented to the cast during the Christmas break. “Over Christmas, over the holidays, she sent us all an email saying, 'Hey guys, Merry Christmas. Here's a dance you have to do when you come back in the New Year.'”

Filming began a week later and the cast thought it was a joke because they didn't know where the sequence would appear in the show. “But that's the genius of Susanne's vision. I mean, she managed to almost confuse the audience and put them in a position where they don't know what to expect from the tone of the show, even though it's a crime thriller, and so we all ended up doing the dance. We were forced to do it,” says Khatter.

The dance sequence was initially met with reservations, but ultimately became a bonding experience for the cast. “I think everyone who went into it with reservations ended up having so much fun that it was the last thing we shot together for the show,” says Khatter. “It was a great ending to the show and a great send-off.”

Next up for Khatter is another Netflix series, the modern Indian rom-com series “The Royals,” in which he plays Prince Charming opposite Bhumi Pednekar’s startup ace.