Actors Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora’s breakup earlier this year made headlines, with Arora remaining mostly silent on the matter while Kapoor occasionally confirmed their separation. So, it came as a surprise when he was spotted by her side following the death of her father, Anil Arora, in September (see right).

In a recent appearance on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Kapoor explained why he chose to be there for his ex during such a difficult time, despite the common belief that exes usually avoid one another. “Without going into one instance... when what happened with dad (filmmaker Boney Kapoor’s wife, Sridevi, died suddenly in 2018) and Khushi-Janhvi (Kapoor, actors-sisters), there was an impulse. And in this case, also, there was an instinct and impulse,” he shared.

“If I’ve formed an emotional bond with somebody, I would always like to believe that I will be there, regardless of the good or the bad. If I’m invited for the good, I’ll be there. And if I’m needed for the bad, I’ll be there. I’m not somebody who has a lot of friends; I’m not doing this for all and sundry. If that person doesn’t want me there, I’ll maintain a distance, as I have in the past with other relationships.”

Kapoor, 39, also reflected on how the media and the industry have evolved over time. “When I made my debut, and when I was growing up, there were a lot of things that were clandestine, and for the right reasons. It’s one thing to have gossip, but the moment you confirm things now, there’s a culture of wanting to know everything. Nowadays, you can’t just go to a restaurant without being ‘spotted’. Everyone has a phone, forget the paps.”

Losing his mother, Mona, at a young age has also shaped his perspective on life and relationships. “There’s a fear of loss,” he said and added: “My mom left me, my father made a choice. So, there’s a feeling that eventually, everyone will leave.”