Reflecting on his personal life, Mohammed Nagaman Lateef revealed that he has never believed in maintaining a large social circle. Instead, he prefers nurturing a few meaningful relationships built on trust and understanding. “No, I don’t have a large circle of friends. I have very few selected friends in my life. No matter what, I don’t want too many people in my life. Rather than that, I’d rather have a handful of friends who know me inside out, and whom I know inside out,” he shared.
Speaking about the people who have stood by him through every phase of his journey, Lateef expressed immense gratitude towards those he considers family. “The one person who has always stood by me is Aditya Khurana. He is a part of my life. Then there are my sisters from the industry—Shiny Doshi and Rupali Di. These two women have always been there whenever I needed them. Rupali Di has been there for a very long time, and Shiny Doshi is like my sister. She ties me Rakhi everyear, and she’s one of the best people in my life.”
Having spent years in the entertainment industry, Lateef admits that finding authentic friendships isn’t easy, especially as one’s professional stature grows. “You don’t get genuine friendships these days. Ever since I joined Balaji, a lot of people who never spoke to me suddenly started texting and approaching me. But I know whom to entertain and whom not to. I like to keep things calm. There is no need to be overly sweet when that’s not your true nature. I don’t like fakeness.”
When asked about his oldest friendships in the industry, Lateef smiled while naming people who know him beyond his public persona. “One of my longest-standing friendships is with Shiny Doshi. She knows everything about me. Urvashi Dholakia is my friend—she knows all my secrets. Charu Mehra is my friend too. They all know me for who I really am.”
Despite juggling demanding professional commitments, Lateef firmly believes that relationships deserve time and effort. “I make time. It doesn’t matter how hectic life gets. When you have to meet your loved ones, you make time. It’s different when people pretend to be busy even when they’re not. For the people who truly matter, you always find time.”
