From growing up in the shadow of his father, actor Pankaj Kapur’s stardom, to parenting his daughter Misha (6) and son Zain (4) amid public gaze, life has come full circle, of sorts, for actor Shahid Kapoor. How does he shield his kids from the attention and scrutiny that accompany his stardom? “I can’t keep them away from my fame,” he explains, adding, “But, they need to have enough of a life and their own individual realities.” 

The actor shares that he firmly believes in nurturing a sense of pride within his family. He encourages his children to acknowledge their father’s achievements while also recognising that there is more to their lives than just their “famous parents”.

“We’re all proud of each other in the family,” he shares, highlighting the importance of mutual respect and support. The actor and his wife, Mira, make conscious efforts to normalize their children’s upbringing. Rather than solely focusing on their celebrity status, they encourage Misha and Zain to explore various aspects of life. “Otherwise, children grow up thinking that’s all that matters,” he says.

When it comes to introducing his kids to the actor side of his life, Kapoor has left it to Mira to decide what their kids should watch. “I don’t want them to start perceiving me as something else,” he says, adding that he believes as they grow older, they will naturally develop a deeper understanding of his work.

Despite his reservations, Kapoor recently shared a special moment with his children when they watched his iconic film, Jab We Met (2007) for the first time: “I don’t even know if they recognised me; I looked so different in it.” Ask when he plans on showing them something like a Bloody Daddy and he quips: “Never!”