In her first ever interview, Janhvi Kapoor speaks about growing up with bedtime stories of Sridevi's 'whacked-out experiences' instead of fairy tales, about her upcoming debut under Karan Johar's banner and competing with Sara Ali Khan
MID-DAY (May 30, 2018)

While the nation is still reeling under the shock of Sridevi's sudden demise, the past few months have been life-altering for debutant Janhvi Kapoor. As she turned cover girl for Vogue India's June issue, she knew that her mother is looking out for her, in spirit. Considering Karan Johar is launching her in Bollywood with Dhadak later this year, it was only fitting that the mentor also take on a new role for his protégé — "that of an interviewer."

Karan Johar says, "As I interview her for her first-ever cover, I realise she's a pro, handling herself with a maturity that belies her age. It's both, heart-breaking and endearing that she talks about her mother constantly. Kapoor is not what you expect. And this is just the beginning of her story."

Hoping to follow in her mother's footsteps since childhood, Janhvi Kapoor reveals that her bedtime stories, too, would revolve around films — she happily swapped fairy tales for stories about Sridevi's "whacked-out experiences" in the industry. "In the '80s and '90s, actors would do multiple shifts working simultaneously on different films. So, mum was doing three movies with the same director, who was also the actor. They were in Ooty and he decided to shoot songs for all the three films together. He'd shoot a sequence, then cut and walk to the next location, and the entire cast and crew would follow him. At one point, he completed a shot, started walking and, next thing you know, he's behind a tree taking a piss — with the entire cast and crew behind him, watching. So he went to take a piss, and everyone assumed they were going to the next location! Mum was part of all three films. She would figure out which movie they were shooting for, by his wigs, which would change for each role," she laughs.

Inevitably, Kapoor comes to describing life post her mother's untimely demise in February. "The family has come together. It's made us feel safe and secure. Even for papa [Boney Kapoor], it's a source of comfort. It has definitely tied us together. We've lost mum, and I don't think that's a loss any of us will ever get over."

Though Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Pandey and Tara Sutaria are also being launched this year, she hopes hers will be the most talked-about debut. "I'm so proud of my parents. I need to make them as proud of me. That has always been my motivation. I want mine to be 'the debut'. But it comes from an honest and sincere place. Mum always told me, it's not about the kind of role or movie you do; you need to make an impression — that's an actor's job. She never encouraged emotions like jealousy or frustration. We're capable of being happy for others."