Showing posts with label Jhanvi Kapoor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jhanvi Kapoor. Show all posts
Shooting se darr nahin lagta hai, promotion se lagta hai-Sridevi
8:02 AM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; July 2, 2017)
She was a megastar, she
still is. An actress for whom the biggest filmmakers mounted lavish
projects, in an era that was massively male-dominated. Such was the magic
of this matinee queen. While she sensuously swayed in her classic
chiffons, million of hearts went aflutter. Sridevi could slip into being
Chandni or Charlie Chaplin with as much flair and brilliance. Or break
barriers, linguistic ones
too, and make a stellar comeback with a film (English Vinglish) after 15
years. Tell her all this flatteringly, and she looks back at you
casually and says, “I am very simple, all these praises scare me. I feel
like a newcomer.“
Comfortably settled on her couch for a long chat, sans make-up, her large eyes beam through her thick-rimmed glasses, as she talks about her upcoming film, Mom. And of course, she tells stories about how she raised her daughters as a superstar mom. Read on...
Mom is your 300th film, and you also complete fifty years as an actress. Is there anything about your career you would do differently, if you had a chance?
Not at all! I wouldn't want to change anything about my career. I hadn't planned any of this; it fell into my lap and I am grateful to God for it. I just want it to remain like this. My mom and I never thought that I would make my way into Bollywood. I was happy doing films down South. When my first Hindi film Solva Sawan (the 1979 remake of a Tamil film) was being made, I thought... 'Yeh picture toh South main hit ho gaya, so they are making it in a different language'. That's all. Then, I came to know that the film didn't do well and I went back to doing other Southern language films. It was as simple as that. Before Himmatwala (1983) happened, the producers had taken my dates for another Telugu film, and all of a sudden, they said that they weren't doing that movie anymore, instead, they were doing a Hindi film with Jeetendra. My first reaction was that if my Hindi debut was a flop, then why do they want me to do another film? They didn't bother to hear me out and went ahead with it. I kept thinking that these people are mad to be doing this (laughs!). I am glad that I did Himmatwala because after that, one film led to the other. Talking about Mom, the moment I heard it, I was drawn to the subject. It touched my heart. I had a good feeling about it and I always go by my instinct.
Your co-actors say that working with you is an opportunity of a lifetime. You were even called the first female superstar and I am sure many such titles rest on your mantle, and yet, you insist that you are a newcomer...
All these labels and praises scare me. I am very simple and I feel like a newcomer because I never stopped learning. I feel there is so much more to learn about the craft, in fact, this is just the beginning. Times have changed. In the earlier days, sometimes when we were on the set, we would ask the director, 'Sir, dialogues de do'. Meanwhile, the writer is sitting somewhere on the set and penning the dialogues. The team would tell us, 'Garam garam aa raha hai scene', but now, we can't function like that. The bound script is already with you, and you are well aware of the mood of the scene, your look, the clothes and everything else. But I guess, that was the style back then; people still did a great job and it worked in that era. Today, films are made differently and there are so many heroine-oriented movies. Filmmakers are willing to take chances, and explore these subjects. It is the best time to be in the industry and there is so much more I want to learn as an actress. I never went through a phase in my career when I said, 'This is enough; I don't want to do this anymore'. Acting has always been my passion.
You come from an era when stars were super exclusive. Nowadays, they interact directly with the fans, they chat with their fan clubs, et al. How have you coped with this huge change?
It is an amazing change and it is for the better, as fans can communicate with their favourite actors and share their views; we can also know their reactions directly. Earlier, we did maximum two-three interviews and left the rest to the fate of the film. Now, the promotions have become so aggressive, but we have to change with the times. I always say this dialogue (borrowed from Dabangg), 'Shooting se darr nahin lagta hai, promotion se lagta hai'. I had to cope with it, I had no choice. I joined social media during English Vinglish (2012) because I was coming back on screen after 15 years and the team thought that I should be a more happening mom. Yes, earlier, there was a certain beauty in the exclusivity and privacy we had, but now, we are clicked everywhere and anywhere - at airports, restaurants, salons, gyms - and we always have to be on our toes and see who is around us. Today, even if we want to keep our life private, I don't think that it is possible.
Actors who have worked with you say that you take 'being private' to a different level. Are you really so reserved, or do you fiercely guard your private life?
Some people think that I am very arrogant, but I am genuinely a very private and shy person. I open up to people who are close to me, and with them, I am a different person. So, I think that at times, my shyness has been perceived by some people as arrogance.
Boney Kapoor is producing a film with you after long. We heard that your daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi, were also very involved. There must be a lot of excitement at home about Mom...
Boneyji is very excited. Yes, he is doing a film with me after 20 years, the last one was Judaai. He's on top of the world seeing the reactions Mom's trailer has garnered. It was like a home production, where all of us were involved. We were looking for some one fresh and good-looking to play my husband and Jhanvi showed us Adnan Siddiqui's (Pakistani actor) picture. We all liked him right away and reached out to him. The director of the film, Ravi Udyawar, is new and I am often asked why I am working with new directors. I say, 'Why not?' I am lucky that I got a chance to work with Gauri Shinde (English Vinglish) and now, Ravi. He had a great vision for Mom and he was so passionate about it that I couldn't imagine any one else doing justice to the film.
We also heard that Boney and you would barely interact while shooting for the film on outdoor locations. Now, that's a different level of professionalism...
Really? I don't think that it is a big deal. When I am shooting, I don't want to see my husband around or even remember that he is my husband; I just want to focus on my work. Yes, it's true that I barely conversed with him while shooting; we were staying on different floors and just wished each other good morning and good night.
When you are doing an intense role like the one in Mom, or maybe one of your older films like Sadma (1983) - do you feel emotionally sapped? How much of the character and the emotion do you carry back home with you after the shoot is over?
Actually, Sadma wasn't an emotionally draining film for me; it must have been for the audience. I was playing a woman who was like a child; it was Kamal Haasan's character that was intense and very emotional towards the end. Jhanvi saw the movie when she was around six years old and she didn't talk to me for three days. She told me, 'You are a bad mamma. You were so mean to him'. I think Mom was an intense film for me. One of my friends who met me during the shoot and afterwards told me that I was a different person while shooting for the film. She said, 'Even the way you were walking and talking had changed. Now you are back to what you really are'. Interestingly, I didn't even realise that. It is a very emotional character, so I guess somewhere, it must have consumed a lot of my emotional energy. For me, all this lingers while the film is going on. After that, I switch back to normal, or else my children will throw me out (laughs!).
As a superstar mom, did you find yourself struggling to give your daughters a normal upbringing?
I brought up my kids the way my mom raised me. She gave me a normal upbringing, and when I had children, I did just that. When I am on the set, I am an actress, but at home, I am like any other mom. Of course, I tried to guard them as much as I could, but they were clicked everywhere we went and we couldn't help that.
There is so much talk about Jhanvi's launch and she has a huge role model at home to look up to...
I know that there is a lot of curiosity about her launch, but I want to say that it will be very unfair to compare Jhanvi with me. I began as a child artiste, I had done 60-70 films and I knew a lot about shooting, camera and filmmaking by the time I was her age.When Jhanvi does her first film, people should judge her as an individual, instead of comparing her with me. My journey has been long. So, it will be unfair to compare a girl who is just starting out her career with someone who has done 300 films.
The thought that she will be in the same space that you have been in for so many decades... does that make you nervous?
I guess it is a different feeling though it has not started yet. I never thought that she will go through this. I thought that she will study, do something else and then get married. And I will be free (laughs!). Today, children have their own mind and I have seen how my mom supported me, so I will support her in whatever she is willing to do.
Sometime around 2012, you had said that Jhanvi will not be an actress. How did that change?
At that time, she was younger and I thought that I could mould her and tell her what I wanted her to do (smiles!). Then, the shock dropped on me like a bomb. I thought that there is no running away from this and I have to face it. When she told me that she wanted to be an actress, I told her that there will be many problems and it won't be an easy ride. It is a very tough world out there and being an actress comes with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. As a mother, I obviously thought, 'Why should my child go through this? I have worked so hard for so many years... ab sab settle ho gaya. Let them have a peaceful life'. Having said that, I believe that whatever I am today, I owe it to this industry. I have so much respect for it. Stardom has never been easy and even going ahead, it won't be. If Jhanvi has made this choice, I have to be there for her. I will take it up positively and give it my 100% as a mom. My close friends tell me that I have to be strong about it and take care of myself. Well, it looks like I have to prepare myself more than her. With Jhanvi doing films, it feels like I am starting all over again.
Comfortably settled on her couch for a long chat, sans make-up, her large eyes beam through her thick-rimmed glasses, as she talks about her upcoming film, Mom. And of course, she tells stories about how she raised her daughters as a superstar mom. Read on...
Mom is your 300th film, and you also complete fifty years as an actress. Is there anything about your career you would do differently, if you had a chance?
Not at all! I wouldn't want to change anything about my career. I hadn't planned any of this; it fell into my lap and I am grateful to God for it. I just want it to remain like this. My mom and I never thought that I would make my way into Bollywood. I was happy doing films down South. When my first Hindi film Solva Sawan (the 1979 remake of a Tamil film) was being made, I thought... 'Yeh picture toh South main hit ho gaya, so they are making it in a different language'. That's all. Then, I came to know that the film didn't do well and I went back to doing other Southern language films. It was as simple as that. Before Himmatwala (1983) happened, the producers had taken my dates for another Telugu film, and all of a sudden, they said that they weren't doing that movie anymore, instead, they were doing a Hindi film with Jeetendra. My first reaction was that if my Hindi debut was a flop, then why do they want me to do another film? They didn't bother to hear me out and went ahead with it. I kept thinking that these people are mad to be doing this (laughs!). I am glad that I did Himmatwala because after that, one film led to the other. Talking about Mom, the moment I heard it, I was drawn to the subject. It touched my heart. I had a good feeling about it and I always go by my instinct.
Your co-actors say that working with you is an opportunity of a lifetime. You were even called the first female superstar and I am sure many such titles rest on your mantle, and yet, you insist that you are a newcomer...
All these labels and praises scare me. I am very simple and I feel like a newcomer because I never stopped learning. I feel there is so much more to learn about the craft, in fact, this is just the beginning. Times have changed. In the earlier days, sometimes when we were on the set, we would ask the director, 'Sir, dialogues de do'. Meanwhile, the writer is sitting somewhere on the set and penning the dialogues. The team would tell us, 'Garam garam aa raha hai scene', but now, we can't function like that. The bound script is already with you, and you are well aware of the mood of the scene, your look, the clothes and everything else. But I guess, that was the style back then; people still did a great job and it worked in that era. Today, films are made differently and there are so many heroine-oriented movies. Filmmakers are willing to take chances, and explore these subjects. It is the best time to be in the industry and there is so much more I want to learn as an actress. I never went through a phase in my career when I said, 'This is enough; I don't want to do this anymore'. Acting has always been my passion.
You come from an era when stars were super exclusive. Nowadays, they interact directly with the fans, they chat with their fan clubs, et al. How have you coped with this huge change?
It is an amazing change and it is for the better, as fans can communicate with their favourite actors and share their views; we can also know their reactions directly. Earlier, we did maximum two-three interviews and left the rest to the fate of the film. Now, the promotions have become so aggressive, but we have to change with the times. I always say this dialogue (borrowed from Dabangg), 'Shooting se darr nahin lagta hai, promotion se lagta hai'. I had to cope with it, I had no choice. I joined social media during English Vinglish (2012) because I was coming back on screen after 15 years and the team thought that I should be a more happening mom. Yes, earlier, there was a certain beauty in the exclusivity and privacy we had, but now, we are clicked everywhere and anywhere - at airports, restaurants, salons, gyms - and we always have to be on our toes and see who is around us. Today, even if we want to keep our life private, I don't think that it is possible.
Actors who have worked with you say that you take 'being private' to a different level. Are you really so reserved, or do you fiercely guard your private life?
Some people think that I am very arrogant, but I am genuinely a very private and shy person. I open up to people who are close to me, and with them, I am a different person. So, I think that at times, my shyness has been perceived by some people as arrogance.
Boney Kapoor is producing a film with you after long. We heard that your daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi, were also very involved. There must be a lot of excitement at home about Mom...
Boneyji is very excited. Yes, he is doing a film with me after 20 years, the last one was Judaai. He's on top of the world seeing the reactions Mom's trailer has garnered. It was like a home production, where all of us were involved. We were looking for some one fresh and good-looking to play my husband and Jhanvi showed us Adnan Siddiqui's (Pakistani actor) picture. We all liked him right away and reached out to him. The director of the film, Ravi Udyawar, is new and I am often asked why I am working with new directors. I say, 'Why not?' I am lucky that I got a chance to work with Gauri Shinde (English Vinglish) and now, Ravi. He had a great vision for Mom and he was so passionate about it that I couldn't imagine any one else doing justice to the film.
We also heard that Boney and you would barely interact while shooting for the film on outdoor locations. Now, that's a different level of professionalism...
Really? I don't think that it is a big deal. When I am shooting, I don't want to see my husband around or even remember that he is my husband; I just want to focus on my work. Yes, it's true that I barely conversed with him while shooting; we were staying on different floors and just wished each other good morning and good night.
When you are doing an intense role like the one in Mom, or maybe one of your older films like Sadma (1983) - do you feel emotionally sapped? How much of the character and the emotion do you carry back home with you after the shoot is over?
Actually, Sadma wasn't an emotionally draining film for me; it must have been for the audience. I was playing a woman who was like a child; it was Kamal Haasan's character that was intense and very emotional towards the end. Jhanvi saw the movie when she was around six years old and she didn't talk to me for three days. She told me, 'You are a bad mamma. You were so mean to him'. I think Mom was an intense film for me. One of my friends who met me during the shoot and afterwards told me that I was a different person while shooting for the film. She said, 'Even the way you were walking and talking had changed. Now you are back to what you really are'. Interestingly, I didn't even realise that. It is a very emotional character, so I guess somewhere, it must have consumed a lot of my emotional energy. For me, all this lingers while the film is going on. After that, I switch back to normal, or else my children will throw me out (laughs!).
As a superstar mom, did you find yourself struggling to give your daughters a normal upbringing?
I brought up my kids the way my mom raised me. She gave me a normal upbringing, and when I had children, I did just that. When I am on the set, I am an actress, but at home, I am like any other mom. Of course, I tried to guard them as much as I could, but they were clicked everywhere we went and we couldn't help that.
There is so much talk about Jhanvi's launch and she has a huge role model at home to look up to...
I know that there is a lot of curiosity about her launch, but I want to say that it will be very unfair to compare Jhanvi with me. I began as a child artiste, I had done 60-70 films and I knew a lot about shooting, camera and filmmaking by the time I was her age.When Jhanvi does her first film, people should judge her as an individual, instead of comparing her with me. My journey has been long. So, it will be unfair to compare a girl who is just starting out her career with someone who has done 300 films.
The thought that she will be in the same space that you have been in for so many decades... does that make you nervous?
I guess it is a different feeling though it has not started yet. I never thought that she will go through this. I thought that she will study, do something else and then get married. And I will be free (laughs!). Today, children have their own mind and I have seen how my mom supported me, so I will support her in whatever she is willing to do.
Sometime around 2012, you had said that Jhanvi will not be an actress. How did that change?
At that time, she was younger and I thought that I could mould her and tell her what I wanted her to do (smiles!). Then, the shock dropped on me like a bomb. I thought that there is no running away from this and I have to face it. When she told me that she wanted to be an actress, I told her that there will be many problems and it won't be an easy ride. It is a very tough world out there and being an actress comes with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. As a mother, I obviously thought, 'Why should my child go through this? I have worked so hard for so many years... ab sab settle ho gaya. Let them have a peaceful life'. Having said that, I believe that whatever I am today, I owe it to this industry. I have so much respect for it. Stardom has never been easy and even going ahead, it won't be. If Jhanvi has made this choice, I have to be there for her. I will take it up positively and give it my 100% as a mom. My close friends tell me that I have to be strong about it and take care of myself. Well, it looks like I have to prepare myself more than her. With Jhanvi doing films, it feels like I am starting all over again.
Sridevi open to the idea of Jhanvi being paired opposite actors whom she once romanced on screen
8:06 AM
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; June 26, 2017)
Sridevi is a level-headed person. Having ruled the film industry for several years, she understands its working and challenges, and now her daughter stands to benefit from the wealth of her incredible work experience.
At a time when she is playing mother to teenagers, hardly do we see her contemporaries, like Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, essay dads. They are still romancing young heroines on screen. SRK worked with Alia Bhatt in Dear Zindagi, Akshay is working with the 20-plus Bhoomi Pednekar in Toilet - Ek Prem Katha and Salman paired opposite the 29-year-old Anushka Sharma in Sultan. And all these actors have romanced Sridevi on screen in the past.
Sri finds nothing wrong with these older actors pairing with girls in their 20s and early 30s, “Good, na! They are looking good, people are accepting them, so it’s good for them. Aamir did play a father in Dangal. But I understand what you are saying. They have still remained superstars and it’s working for them. So why should I ask them to change?”
‘I did it, too’
Now with Sridevi’s daughter Jhanvi making her big-ticket debut, all eyes are set on her. One can understand that Sri must be anxious and wanting her daughter to get the best and the ultimate in terms of offers, directors and co-stars. It’s natural for her to be offered films with the 50-plus brigade that’s still ruling the industry. Would that be a shock to her? Sridevi says, “Well, I worked with an actor Nageswar Rao, and then I worked with his son, too. It has already happened with me, so if the same happens with Jhanvi and the heroes, why not?”
Sara Ali Khan's loss is Jhanvi Kapoor's gain: Mom Amrita to be blamed?
8:01 AM
Deepali Singh (DNA; June 23, 2017)
Saif Ali Khan’s daughter Sara Ali Khan is lucky, because apart from her dad, she has an actress-mom (who she lives with), and her stepmom Kareena Kapoor Khan, who wants to ensure that she has the best possible Bollywood debut. Unfortunately, Sara’s biggest asset became a liability with both Saif’s wife and ex-wife having different points of view about Sara’s brush with the film world.
Best suited for Sara
While Kareena shares a great rapport with Saif’s children, Amrita, understandably, has never warmed up to the idea of her children’s proximity to Begum Bebo. So, it was hardly surprising when the question about Sara’s million dollar Bollywood foray arose, both her ‘moms’ had their own ideas of what best suited Saif’s daughter’s film interest.
KJo or Ekta?
Kareena, who’s close to filmmaker Karan Johar and has worked with him in many films, was keen that Sara debut under the hallowed Dharma Productions banner. However, mom Amrita was insistent that Sara’s launch should be by someone who’s been there for her through thick and thin — Ekta Kapoor. She and Ekta go back a long way, to 2005, when Amrita forayed into television with Kkavyanjali, and last year starred in her production, A Flying Jatt. Amrita trusts Ekta. So, naturally her choice was Balaji Motion Pictures.
Lost opportunity?
So even though initially it was decided that Sara will debut in Karan’s production, Amrita pulled out of that deal. Sara is finally making her debut in Ekta’s production Kedarnath opposite Sushant Singh Rajput. Amrita is pleased that her daughter is taking baby steps in B-Town under her friend Ekta’s guidance, but trade pundits feel that Sara has lost out on a big chance. While Ekta has launched many actors on the small screen, but her production has never launched a star on the big screen. Karan has the expertise. He has given the industry three top stars — Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan. Industry watchers believe that it would have taken her career ahead by leaps and bounds.
Meanwhile another star kid and prodigy Sridevi’s daughter Jhanvi, who is debuting in Karan Johar’s Hindi remake of Sairat stands to gain by Sara’s ouster as she in now in talks for another role opposite hottie Tiger Shroff in Student Of The Year 2.
Things have to be done according to my convenience-Sridevi
8:01 AM
Sridevi opens up about playing a mother — in real and reel life, and why she is drawn to ‘mom’ characters now
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; June 22, 2017)
She’s a woman of few words. But, she doesn’t need them. She walks into a room and owns it. Sridevi has a royal aura about her. The actress carries herself with dignity and style. She has been missing from the big screen for the last five years — since English Vinglish. Now, she returns with Mom. Ask her about the long gap, and she jokes about her long maternity break, “Pehle 15 saal ka gap tha. Abhi paach saal ka. So I’m improving.” And, we start laughing.
Over the next 30 minutes, Sridevi opens up about playing a mother — in real and reel life, and why she is drawn to ‘mom’ characters now. Read on for excerpts...
Five years from English Vinglish to Mom. Didn’t you get any interesting offers in the interim?
It’s not about the offers. I don’t want to do a film just for the sake of doing it. My first priority is always my children. So, when I did English Vinglish, the schedule was according to my convenience. R Balki (producer of English Vinglish) is a dear friend, so he worked out the schedule in a way that my children could be with me. Bachchon ki holidays chal rahi thi, so we shot in those two months. After that, some offers came but I didn’t end up taking them because of several reasons like being on outdoors and being away from the kids, and sometimes, you are just not happy with the script. I am not keen on taking up these films. It’s not necessary that I have to keep myself busy. I should love the subject, it should touch my heart, I should feel for my character and the other characters around me — then I will do it for sure. All of this matters. But the main thing is it has to be done according to my convenience.
Several actresses your age have made comebacks. But your choices are dramatically different. Comment.
I always go with my instincts. More than anything, the character has to suit me. I can’t do stuff that I did 10 or 20 years ago. I won’t be comfortable doing it anymore. I want my children to feel proud of what I’m doing. So, yes, obviously, I will pick films that have great stories and which don’t require me to be who I was years ago. It won’t seem or look logical anymore.
A lot has changed since you made a comeback. Twenty years ago, there would be no contracts, people did films on face value and for relationships...
(Cuts in) Yes, that used to happen so much. Koi producer problem mein hai toh we used to do his film to help him out. I, too, have done so many films like that. There would be no bound scripts, contracts toh chhod hi do.
But now, it’s become more professional and structured...
I love that. It’s become more professional, there’s a time frame now. The environment is good. Plus, every department is handled by different people. It’s systematic, so that’s really good.
Why did you take up Mom?
Has to be the plot. And the relationship between the mother and daughter, it touched me. And, like I said, I always go by my instincts. I thought Mom would be the right film for me, right now.
In your previous interview with After Hrs, you said you love being called a mom. Does that affect your choices in films?
Yes, absolutely. Because I am a mother, I know exactly what the character is going through. I can relate to that. I could feel for the character in Mom. She is a strong mother, devoted to her children and she goes to any extent for her children’s sake. These are the qualities you like and you would love to show on screen as well.
It is a revenge drama? Avenging her daughter..
(Interrupts) It’s not revenge. I would call it giving punishment.
What is it that scares you as a mother?
There are many things that scare me. There’s an insecurity about my children, when they go out, till they are back I am worried. I call them several times to just find out ki kya ho raha, gaadi kahi ruk gayi hai ya nahi. These are all the basic things that any other mother keeps worrying about when it comes to her children.
Are you protective or possessive as a mother?
No, I am not at all possessive. But, I am extremely protective.
Do you have a curfew time for your daughters?
Yes, rules are same for both Jhanvi and Khushi. They know they have a curfew time and they have to be back home. Else, I will keep calling and inquiring.
How do they react to the calls?
They react by bargaining. They will be like, ‘Mama, half-an-hour more? Mama, 20 minutes more, please?' But they are very obedient children. Touchwood. Both Jhanvi and Khushi are very understanding, and they know their limits really well. So they don’t trouble me much (smiles).
How different are you as a mother from what your mom was to you?
If I was even close to what my mother was to me, they will pack my bags and tell me, ‘You go and live in Chennai’. (Laughs) I cannot expect my children to be how I was with my mother. Times have changed and I have changed with it. Both Jhanvi and Khushi understand where I’m coming from. I am also not a hi-tech modern mom — for whom everything is fine and cool.
What are the do's and dont's for your daughters?
Of course, there are lots of them. And they know where to draw a line. Sometimes, they don’t even come and ask. I only tell them sometimes, ‘There’s a get together’. They will be like, ‘No Mama, it’s too late. I don’t think I will be comfortable.’ Both of them are extremely health conscious and I don’t have to control them. It’s not like everything’s going haywire, it has never reached that level. Sometimes, one late night and the next day they start cribbing saying ‘we can’t handle it’. So it’s good that they know the value of being healthy so I don’t have to push them too much.
Do you put special emphasis on what your daughters eat at home? Do you cook for them?
I don’t cook. I go to the kitchen, I supervise and plan menus for my kids. But cooking toh bohut dur ki baat hai. Janvi is very fond of cooking. She is fond of baking cakes, custards, cookies and all. That I enjoy eating! (Laughs) Instead of me cooking and giving them, they do it for me and I eat. (Smiles)
In terms of personality, who is closer to you — Jhanvi or Khushi?
Jhanvi is more like me. She’s very sensitive, naive, obedient... I see so much of myself in her. Khushi is independent, strong and has her own mind.
Jhanvi is entering Bollywood now. Was it a conscious decision to not produce her first film?
Aisa kuch nahi hai.
Recently, Saif said that although Sara is joining films, he is not happy that she chose to act as it is an insecure profession. Do you agree?
I absolutely agree with what Saif said. In the beginning, I didn’t want Jhanvi to become an actress. As a parent, one is naturally protective of their children and you are literally exposing them to the world. Itne saal aapne usko protect kiya and you want them to just happily settle. Bas stress-free ho jao but that doesn’t happen. Today, children too have their own minds and beginning mein, I ignored it and tried to caution her saying that this is a tough job. There’s so much sacrifice, so much to give — no pain, no gain. But it seems she’s ready for it. As parents, we will support her.
Did she dance to your songs while growing up?
No, never. Jhanvi has not seen my films. I have never made my kids sit and watch my movies. I think they haven’t seen most of them, except for Mr India and a few others. The first time Jhanvi confessed that she wanted to become an actress was when someone asked her what she wanted to do in life. She said, ‘I will become a doctor. But not in real life. In a movie, I will play a doctor.’ It was so funny and I was like, ‘Hello, what are you saying?’ (Laughs) Maybe, at the back of her mind, she had decided, but she was too shy to express it to us. Slowly, slowly bomb phoda!
How did you react to it?
I didn’t get angry. (Laughs) But I went up to Boneyji and said this is what she wants. So dono sar pe haath rakh ke baith gaye ki yeh kya ho gaya. (Laughs) Slowly, we psyched ourselves and came to terms with it.
Jhanvi didn’t know Hindi. Has she learnt it now?
Yes, a lot of it now. She can speak Urdu also very well. But of course, she speaks Hindi also very well now.
You are like a friend to your daughters. Do they talk about their personal lives and boyfriends to you as well?
Yes, we do that. Both the kids share everything with me. Even I do the same thing. We are more or less like friends only. So, whatever is going on in their lives, I am one of the first to know about it.
Your daughters will be compared to you. Comment.
We can’t run away from that. She has to face the pressure. When she has decided to enter Bollywood, she has to go through all this. She’s prepared for all that, and I am also preparing myself for it. Sometimes, it scares me. So many thoughts come and you feel why is she doing this? But then, if you feel that is her aim and happiness, as a mother, I will support her like my mom supported me. We weren’t from a film background but it happened and she stood by me, fought for me and made sure I am happy. That’s how I would also like to be with Jhanvi.
Did tears come naturally to you during Mom? Did you think about Janvi and Khushi while shooting those scenes?
No, I never thought about Jhanvi and Khushi at all. Bhagwan kare ki aisa never happens with anybody. The characters in Mom go through hell and I don’t wish that for anyone. I was so involved and in character that I was thinking what that mother would have gone through. Many times, I had tears naturally. I don’t remember using glycerine.
I’d always want to be this Sridevi, Sridevi, the actor-Sridevi
7:56 AM
The ‘Hawa Hawai’ girl on her next, daughters Jhanvi and Khushi’s starry aspirations and her 22-year-old romance
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 22, 2017)
It’s hard to imagine Sridevi away from the arclights. Three hundred films in a career spanning four decades, she has seamlessly made the transition from glitzy mainstream Bollywood to more off-beat films rooted in reality, like English Vinglish and the upcoming Mom. The once larger-than-life diva is happy being a home-maker today and casual in a sweatsuit, this bespectacled Sridevi is a far cry from the tooty-fruity Seema of Mr India. “Can you imagine me doing a 'Hawa Hawai' now?” she lets out a faint laugh, adding that she’s careful about choosing characters that suit her age and comfort level. “The performance should come naturally. I don’t want to do something that is not me. I know age is just a number and as an actor one should be ready to experiment, but being a mother, I want my daughters (Jhanvi and Khushi) to appreciate me on screen.”
So, which of her films are her daughters’ favourite? She springs another surprise by admitting that she has never shown them any of her films. “It’s only now that Jhanvi, urged by outsiders, has started seeing some, but Khushi so far has seen only Mr India, that too because it’s her father’s (Boney Kapoor) film. Whenever any of my films come on, I always switch off the TV, not because I’m embarrassed or ashamed but because I feel odd. That makes Boneyji angry because he loves watching all my films. He will order me out of the room and watch it alone,” she laughs.
It’s cute to see her blush when she talks about her producer-husband, who has always been extremely protective of her. Even now, he is just across the landing, a solid, comforting presence, as his actress-wife fields queries in the living room. “I am lucky I have him. After my parents passed away, Boneyji has been my father, mother and husband. We’ve been married for 22 years but even today, people tell me his eyes light up when he talks about me. I take credit for that, I’ve worked really hard,” she smiles.
She can’t pinpoint the little things they are constantly doing for each other, reasoning that a husband and wife will always love, respect and stand up for each other. For her romance is dressing up to go out, gazing into the mirror and telling herself that her husband will like the way she is looking. “And the next morning he’s sending me pictures from the event, telling me, ‘Dekho, how beautiful you are looking.’ When I ask him where he got the pictures from, he says mysteriously that he has his sources. It’s so cute to see him show off,” she giggles, imitating Boney.
She agrees that even her kids are charmed to see them joke with and bully each other. “Yes, I bully him and so does he, but all in jest,” she asserts. “Jhanvi says she doesn’t find such happiness in her friends’ homes and wants a man just like her dad.”
While Sridevi would be happy to get her daughter married, she’s had to reluctantly surrender to her starry ambitions. She remembers how growing up, Jhanvi wanted to be a doctor, a teacher and wasn’t prepared when told she now wanted to follow in her mamma’s footsteps. “While we may slog, we’re protective of our children and don’t want to expose them to stress and toil. But a friend’s daughter, who was pushed into marriage early, still complains, even after six years of a happy marriage. I didn’t want Jhanvi to blame me so I gave my consent even though I wish she’d stayed away from this industry, because I didn’t want my child to go through all the pain, sacrifices and heartache,” she sighs, going on to say that recently her daughter was really low after it was reported that she’d been chasing an actor at a party. “'But mummy, I was with Gauri aunty' (Gauri Shinde, director of English Vinglish) Jhanvi protested and I told her, ‘Welcome to my world, if you want to be a part of it, you have to be prepared for all this,’” the world-weary actor narrates, adding with a sigh that she is now waiting for Khushi to give her a shock one day soon. “She has already started modelling and it will end up with her saying, ‘Mujhe bhi acting karni hai'.”
In this era of remakes, is there any film of hers she’d like Jhanvi to take forward. “Abhi tak to aage bhi nahin badi hai woh, let’s see how she does in her first film,” Sridevi shoots back. Is her daughter being launched by Karan Johar in the Student of the Year sequel opposite Tiger Shroff as reported? “Wait for the announcement, it’ll come soon enough and aapko khud pata chal jayega,” she sounds like the perfect producer’s wife.
Which brings us to the subject of their home production, Mom, a thriller revolving around a frantic mother, whose daughter is in trouble. Sridevi confides that like the comedy-drama, English Vinglish, which fell into her lap and wooed her with the relatable Shashi, Mom too just came her way two years after her comeback film. “Boneyji came to me with just one line saying if I liked the idea, they’d develop it. It took them a year to lock the script, another year to finalise the cast. I never thought I’d come back to the studio again, I was happy in my own world with my husband and children,” says the woman for whom the word ‘mom’ epitomises devotion, giving and selflessness and brings back memories of her own mother who was very religious and taught her to respect elders and always be punctual and professional, qualities she wants to pass on to her children. “Whatever I am today is because of my mom,” she says emotionally.
Given a chance to relive her life, would she choose another profession? “My family wasn’t in films and destiny brought me into this film industry at the age of four, and I’d always want to be this Sridevi, Sridevi, the actor,” she signs off with another smile.
It’s hard to imagine Sridevi away from the arclights. Three hundred films in a career spanning four decades, she has seamlessly made the transition from glitzy mainstream Bollywood to more off-beat films rooted in reality, like English Vinglish and the upcoming Mom. The once larger-than-life diva is happy being a home-maker today and casual in a sweatsuit, this bespectacled Sridevi is a far cry from the tooty-fruity Seema of Mr India. “Can you imagine me doing a 'Hawa Hawai' now?” she lets out a faint laugh, adding that she’s careful about choosing characters that suit her age and comfort level. “The performance should come naturally. I don’t want to do something that is not me. I know age is just a number and as an actor one should be ready to experiment, but being a mother, I want my daughters (Jhanvi and Khushi) to appreciate me on screen.”
So, which of her films are her daughters’ favourite? She springs another surprise by admitting that she has never shown them any of her films. “It’s only now that Jhanvi, urged by outsiders, has started seeing some, but Khushi so far has seen only Mr India, that too because it’s her father’s (Boney Kapoor) film. Whenever any of my films come on, I always switch off the TV, not because I’m embarrassed or ashamed but because I feel odd. That makes Boneyji angry because he loves watching all my films. He will order me out of the room and watch it alone,” she laughs.
It’s cute to see her blush when she talks about her producer-husband, who has always been extremely protective of her. Even now, he is just across the landing, a solid, comforting presence, as his actress-wife fields queries in the living room. “I am lucky I have him. After my parents passed away, Boneyji has been my father, mother and husband. We’ve been married for 22 years but even today, people tell me his eyes light up when he talks about me. I take credit for that, I’ve worked really hard,” she smiles.
She can’t pinpoint the little things they are constantly doing for each other, reasoning that a husband and wife will always love, respect and stand up for each other. For her romance is dressing up to go out, gazing into the mirror and telling herself that her husband will like the way she is looking. “And the next morning he’s sending me pictures from the event, telling me, ‘Dekho, how beautiful you are looking.’ When I ask him where he got the pictures from, he says mysteriously that he has his sources. It’s so cute to see him show off,” she giggles, imitating Boney.
She agrees that even her kids are charmed to see them joke with and bully each other. “Yes, I bully him and so does he, but all in jest,” she asserts. “Jhanvi says she doesn’t find such happiness in her friends’ homes and wants a man just like her dad.”
While Sridevi would be happy to get her daughter married, she’s had to reluctantly surrender to her starry ambitions. She remembers how growing up, Jhanvi wanted to be a doctor, a teacher and wasn’t prepared when told she now wanted to follow in her mamma’s footsteps. “While we may slog, we’re protective of our children and don’t want to expose them to stress and toil. But a friend’s daughter, who was pushed into marriage early, still complains, even after six years of a happy marriage. I didn’t want Jhanvi to blame me so I gave my consent even though I wish she’d stayed away from this industry, because I didn’t want my child to go through all the pain, sacrifices and heartache,” she sighs, going on to say that recently her daughter was really low after it was reported that she’d been chasing an actor at a party. “'But mummy, I was with Gauri aunty' (Gauri Shinde, director of English Vinglish) Jhanvi protested and I told her, ‘Welcome to my world, if you want to be a part of it, you have to be prepared for all this,’” the world-weary actor narrates, adding with a sigh that she is now waiting for Khushi to give her a shock one day soon. “She has already started modelling and it will end up with her saying, ‘Mujhe bhi acting karni hai'.”
In this era of remakes, is there any film of hers she’d like Jhanvi to take forward. “Abhi tak to aage bhi nahin badi hai woh, let’s see how she does in her first film,” Sridevi shoots back. Is her daughter being launched by Karan Johar in the Student of the Year sequel opposite Tiger Shroff as reported? “Wait for the announcement, it’ll come soon enough and aapko khud pata chal jayega,” she sounds like the perfect producer’s wife.
Which brings us to the subject of their home production, Mom, a thriller revolving around a frantic mother, whose daughter is in trouble. Sridevi confides that like the comedy-drama, English Vinglish, which fell into her lap and wooed her with the relatable Shashi, Mom too just came her way two years after her comeback film. “Boneyji came to me with just one line saying if I liked the idea, they’d develop it. It took them a year to lock the script, another year to finalise the cast. I never thought I’d come back to the studio again, I was happy in my own world with my husband and children,” says the woman for whom the word ‘mom’ epitomises devotion, giving and selflessness and brings back memories of her own mother who was very religious and taught her to respect elders and always be punctual and professional, qualities she wants to pass on to her children. “Whatever I am today is because of my mom,” she says emotionally.
Given a chance to relive her life, would she choose another profession? “My family wasn’t in films and destiny brought me into this film industry at the age of four, and I’d always want to be this Sridevi, Sridevi, the actor,” she signs off with another smile.
Sridevi would be happier to see Jhanvi Kapoor married than act in Bollywood
7:56 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 20, 2017)
It's a coincidence that Sridevi's 300th film is called Mom, especially when her first critics were her daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi, who fell short of words after watching the first cut. When mid-day met the otherwise elusive Sridevi for a chat, she opened up about her relationship with her daughters. "We are like friends. We spend a lot of time together. Our routine is always centered around each other. I have been coming home late these days because I'm busy dubbing and promoting the film. But no matter how late I get, Khushi, always welcomes me with a smile. She comes to my room as soon as I get back and we snuggle up in a quilt to watch a film together."
Though not much is known about her and Boney Kapoor's daughters, the yesteryear diva describes the girls as feisty. "For me, they will always be kids. But they seem to have taken less after me and more after my bold screen image. Last year, when Khushi wrote a post about body shaming on Instagram, I was pleasantly surprised to see my kid turn into a strong, opinionated and sharp young woman," says Sridevi.
Preferring not to discuss Jhanvi Kapoor's Bollywood debut, Student Of The Year 2 (SOTY 2), the 53-year-old shares how her intentions were misunderstood when her daughters accompanied her to film events. "Earlier, I would take them to social gatherings and premieres that I attended. But they (people) thought I was promoting Jhanvi. Walking with my girls made me feel like a proud mother. But to the world, it became a reason to misunderstand me," she says, adding that she discouraged overexposure when SOTY 2 came Jhanvi's way.
"She wanted to do the film and initially, I wasn't in favour. I don't think it's a bad industry. I am a creation of this world. But, as a parent, it would give me greater joy to see her married. But her happiness matters more, and if she does well as an actress, I will be a proud mother," says the actress.
Jhanvi consults her parents for career-related matters, says Sridevi. "She is a wise girl, but she insists on our help for everything. Boneyji and I are aware of every detail of her career."
Khushi and Jhanvi Kapoor
Ishaan Khattar & Jhanvi Kapoor instructed to get comfortable with each other before they shoot for Sairat remake?
7:56 AM
Upala KBR (DNA; June 3, 2017)
Shahid Kapoor’s brother Ishaan Khattar and Sridevi and Boney Kapoor’s daughter Jhanvi Kapoor have been signed by Karan Johar for his production — the remake of the Marathi film Sairat. The film is being directed by Shashank Khaitan and shooting begins in December.
The young actors have been told to spend time with each other and get to know each other well as they have to play lovers in the film. The makers want the newbies to get comfortable with each other as they want that to translate on the screen.
The source adds that Sridevi wanted her daughter to make her debut with an established actor and a successful director, but she is not protesting as they are keen that Jhanvi is launched by Dharma Productions. “It was Sridevi who called Karan last year and said she wanted him to give as big a launch to Janvi as he had given Alia Bhatt.”
A Bollywood insider informs, “Jhanvi is reserved like her mom and has not opened up to Ishaan, who has a fun vibe. The duo have been told to go out in public together and gain visibility as a pair. On the few occasions that they went out, Jhanvi did not make an effort to interact with Ishaan.
At the movie screening that they attended together — a special trial of Baywatch — friends of the two newbies say, Jhanvi didn’t even say hello to Ishaan. One feels bad for Ishaan as he comes with his friends and she with hers and both stick to separate corners at the movie halls and parties. He has tried to break ice, but Jhanvi is taking time to open up.”
Sridevi might sing in Mom but nothing is final yet-Ravi Udyawar
8:10 AM
Ravi Udyawar on his directorial debut, Sridevi's comeback film
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 23, 2017)
Adman Ravi Udyawar, who makes his feature film debut with Sridevi’s
comeback project, Mom, had met her producer-husband Boney Kapoor back in
2014 to discuss the film. He had been asked to develop the idea. “It’s a
mother-daughter story, a relationship I’d always wanted to explore.
When the script was ready, I narrated it to Sridevi ma’am who was keen
to pick the right project as a follow-up to the successful English
Vinglish. She loved it!” Ravi exults.Buzz is, he has also convinced her to sing. “There is a song about mothers which will be used in the background. She might sing that but nothing is final yet,” he says evasively.
The film had inadvertently landed in trouble for featuring two Pakistani artistes. In the aftermath of the Uri attacks last September, Pakistani artistes were banned from working in Indian projects. Two of his central characters — Sridevi’s daughter and husband — are played by Sajal Ali and Adnan Siddiqui, actors from across the border.
The debutant is understandably uncomfortable when you broach the subject, pointing out that they kicked off in March, 2016, and 90 per cent of the film was completed when the attacks happened. “For the remaining portions, we had to recreate Delhi in Bangkok. All I can say on this subject is that I respect the new laws that have been made in this context,” Ravi says cautiously. The impromptu international schedule must have overshot the film’s budget? “Obviously it did. The entire crew travels along,” he retorts.
Mirror had reported recently that it was Sridevi and Boney’s elder daughter Jhanvi, who first spotted Adnan in the Angelina Jolie-starrer A Mighty Heart and insisted that he be roped in to play the husband in their home production. Which makes one wonder — was there ever any discussion about getting either Jhanvi or her younger sister Khushi to play Sridevi’s onscreen daughter? “Everyone knows Khushi and Jhanvi as Sridevi ma’am’s daughters. We were looking for a new face as it’s a very different character, so there was no discussion.”
On his film's antagonist, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Ravi points out that the character isn’t exactly negative and that Nawaz would so effortlessly slip into the role that people would forget it's him. “We waited for nearly six months to get him on-board. Boney sir made it happen,” he says gratefully, recalling how once, when they were shooting on a street in Delhi, two men came on a bike and asked Nawaz about the shooting. “They failed to recognise him as he was completely in character. Even Sridevi ma’am once didn’t recognise Nawaz on the set,” he laughs.
Revealed: Casting Adnan Siddiqui in Mom was Sridevi daughter's Jhanvi Kapoor's idea?
9:09 AM
After spotting Pakistani actor Adnan Siddiqui in a Michael Winterbottom film, the teen insisted that he be cast in the actress comeback film as her husband
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 18, 2017)
It was two years ago when Sridevi’s 19-year-old daughter, Jhanvi Kapoor, had first watched Michael Winterbottom’s critically acclaimed 2007 film, A Mighty Heart.
Featuring Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman and Will Patton in lead roles,
the Brad Pitt co-production was an official adaptation of Mariane
Pearl’s memoir of the same name, which followed the kidnapping and
murder of her journalist-husband Daniel Pearl by the Al Qaeda. In the
star-studded film, Jhanvi was awestruck by Irrfan Khan and Pakistani
actor Adnan Siddiqui’s cameos. A year ago, when her filmmaker dad Boney Kapoor was on the lookout for an actor to play Sridevi’s husband in his upcoming home production, Mom, Jhanvi pointed in Adnan’s direction.
“Boney was considering other options but Jhanvi, who has followed Adnan’s work in Pakistani cinema extensively, showed her dad A Mighty Heart and made sure he agreed to do a look test. Boney was impressed and had his team get in touch with Adnan, who immediately agreed to come on-board,” a source informed.
Sridevi, last seen in Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish in 2012, is returning to the big screen with the woman-centric thriller directed by Ravi Udyawar which also features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pakistani actress Sajal Ali as her 18-year-old stepdaughter.
Adnan and Sajal had already got their visas to film in Delhi, where the first schedule was to kick off. But it was rescheduled in the wake of Uri attacks of September 18 and India’s ban on Pakistani artistes. A two-month schedule in freezing North Georgia, wrapped up in January. Jhanvi was present on the sets along with sister Khushi. Shooting resumed again in March with the last leg being wrapped up in Bangkok.
“Jhanvi got to interact with Adnan and Sajal. The unit enjoyed long lunches and dinners, bonding like a big happy family,” the source added.
Presently, the film is being dubbed in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam with Sridevi dubbing for all of them. “The film will be promoted widely, globally and in India. The Pakistani cast’s visas are in place. Sajal is expected to be in Mumbai soon. We’re hoping Adnan will be present too,” the source added.
Jhanvi is closer to me, Khushi is closer to Boney Kapoor-Sridevi
8:24 AM
Sridevi shares her parenting experiences, says her elder child is obedient like her, while the younger one is more independent...
Upala KBR (DNA; May 14, 2017)
I have known (if you can call it that) the reclusive Sridevi for decades. In all those years, the conversations have been very few. But it’s very clear. She is committed to whatever she does, a 100 per cent, from acting to motherhood. She has done some wonderful roles, but the one she loves most of being a mom — which is also the title of her next film produced by her husband Boney Kapoor.
On Mother’s Day, the actress talks about motherhood, her daughters Jhanvi (who is ready to be launched as an actress, soon) and Khushi and shares some memories with her own mother... read on.
What was your relationship with your mom and how different is it with your daughters?
My mom used to say that I was a shy and obedient child. She would decide for me — be it my clothes and jewellery for any occasion or anything else — and I would follow her blindly as I believed and trusted her choices. I knew she would choose what suited me best. My children, too, trust my choice. Times have changed and they have their own mindsets, but they definitely take my opinion on everything. Being a part of current generation, they have always something good and interesting to suggest. And I love to follow them.
Are your children more independent?
Yes, they are very independent, but they obviously need me around time to time. More than Khushi, Jhanvi needs me around.
Are you more of a friend to them or is Boney? Whom do they confide in?
They are friendly with both of us. Khushi is closer to Boneyji and Jhanvi is closer to me. Jhanvi, I feel is more like me — absolutely obedient. I remember... once my mom narrated an incident about me to her friends. She had asked me to sit on the compound wall of our building as she was talking to the neighbours. Suddenly, she realised she had left something in the kitchen, so she told me, ‘Sit here. I will just come.’ She went and got busy with other things and after two hours, she remembered that she left her daughter sitting on the wall. She came running out to meet me and found me sitting quietly in the same position she had left me! My mother asked me, ‘Why didn’t you call out to me?’ I said, ‘But you told me to sit here…’ She told everybody this story about what an obedient child I was. At the same time, Khushi is also obedient, but will not sit on the wall for two hours, but I think Jaanu will... Both my children are extremely attached to us. Jhanvi seeks more attention from me while Khushi can manage things on her own. Though Janvi’s grown up now, sometimes I still have to feed her. She won’t eat properly at certain times so I have to make sure that she eats properly. Sometimes she tells me to put her to sleep so all these nakhras she does. Khushi has always been a very independent person right since childhood.
Between you and your husband who is stricter?
We balance it out. Sometimes I am strict and he says, okay, fine, you can’t just be so strict or the other way around. But the bottom line is our children know their limits.
Are you net savvy or did your daughters help you to come on Twitter?
My Twitter account got activated during English Vinglish for promotional reasons as the marketing team thought it would be good to go digital. I am on Twitter and Instagram, but not on Facebook. Though my daughters are not on Twitter, they are only on Instagram. They have a private account. There are too many fake accounts of them going around on Insta and some people think that it’s their account when it’s not. They put up pictures on these fake accounts and make it look like as if Jhanvi and Khushi are putting it out when they are not. And of course, they both help me with my digital activities that is Insta and Twitter account.
Being public figures, you and Boney are used to handling the media spotlight on you. How do your daughters handle it and how do you guide them?
Earlier, I used to get a bit rattled and worried because I didn’t want them to get into the spotlight. But in today’s time you can’t help this. You are clicked at every event and everywhere. Now, I believe that we have learnt to live with it and they have learnt to cope with it.
Between Boney and you, who is ultra protective about your children?
We both are equally protective and keep track of all the activities. All four of you are often seen doing many things together as a close-knit family, though today’s children prefer spending time with their friends. Our children are happy being with us and doing things with us. But at the same time, we give them enough space to spend time with their friends whenever they want to. They are happy to come with us and love doing things together —whether it is shopping or watching movies or just sitting at the dining table and chatting.
Both your daughters are beautiful, well-brought up kids and very dignified like you. What advice have you given them to be what they are?
Thank you for saying that. I think children learn through their parents. They have grown up with the same values we have. And we made sure that they value good things and respect everybody, especially elders.
Did you want Jhanvi to do something else and not become an actress or are you happy with whatever careers they want for themselves?
I always believe in destiny. She wanted to have a career in acting and we are supportive. And I will be as supportive as my mother was to me when I started my career. Obviously in her happiness is our happiness and we are happy to support her in all her endeavours.
How involved are your daughters in your films?
Very involved. Right from reading the scripts and discussing those with me. They are always very anxious to see the rushes. I can see the glow in their eyes whenever they see me on the screen. I am happy that they enjoy being part of the whole process.
Do they give advice on your clothes and styling?
Yes, and that’s great fun! We discuss what we are wearing and what we need to wear for any occasion, but kabhi kabhi Boneyji bhi beech mein aa jaate hai aur bolte hai aap logo ne apna decide karr liya, but what about me? Then Jhanvi and Khushi try to convince him and they enjoy helping him with the new and interesting styles.
Any message for your daughters today?
Well, be happy and stay happy always. And above all keep us happy.
Star kids gear up for Justin Bieber's concert in Mumbai on May 10?
7:54 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 24, 2017)
Buzz is, many B-townies,
including Sonakshi Sinha, Sidharth Malhotra, Tiger Shroff and Disha
Patani, Malaika Arora Khan and Sunny Leone are expected to be at
Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium on May 10 for Justin Bieber's first concert in
India. Now, Mirror has learnt that many star kids will also be queu
ing up to listen to the “Baby“ singer live. A source close to the
organisers informed that along with Shah Rukh Khan's children, Aryan and
Suhana, and Akshay Kumar's son Aarav, Suniel Shetty's daughter Athiya
with son Ahan, Shweta Bachchan Nanda's daughter Navya Naveli Nanda,
Sridevi and Boney Kapoor's daughter Jhanvi and Saif Alia Khan's daughter
Sara with brother Ibrahim have all picked up their tickets and are
excited to be at the concert. “In fact, AR Rahman's
kids, Khatija, Rahima and Ameen, and Salman Khan's nephews are also
expected,“ adds the source.
Justin's set list will include chartbusters like “Where Are U Now“, “Boyfriend“, “Love Yourself“, “Company“, “As Long As You Love Me“ and the still popular “Baby“. The hitmaker will perform at Estadio Nacional stadium in San José, Costa Rica, today, followed by a concert in Israel on May 3 and another in Dubai on May 6, before he sings for India.
Justin's set list will include chartbusters like “Where Are U Now“, “Boyfriend“, “Love Yourself“, “Company“, “As Long As You Love Me“ and the still popular “Baby“. The hitmaker will perform at Estadio Nacional stadium in San José, Costa Rica, today, followed by a concert in Israel on May 3 and another in Dubai on May 6, before he sings for India.
Bollywood stars rock the show at Coldplay pre-concert bash
8:01 AM
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 19, 2016)
While gates for 75,000 Coldplay fans will open today at 10:30 am for the
first ever Global Citizen India concert, to be headlined by the Brit
band, a party for Bollywood’s finest with the quartet on Thursday night
at Colaba’s Taj Mahal hotel preceded the main event.Frontman Chris Martin who arrived in the city earlier that day checked into the suite with his band mates – Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion – and interacted with A R Rahman, Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Arijit Singh. “He was curious to know which Coldplay song they liked the most, eager to add them to his set at the concert,” reveals a guest from the bash, adding that the paparazzi were not allowed to even wait outside the gates of the hotel, with only the official Global Citizen photographer tailing Chris through the night.
The lawns of the hotel were abuzz with banter and lined with lavish Indian spreads for over six hundred guests. Sridevi’s daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi, were spotted clicking pictures with the 39-yearold musician. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s daughter Aaliyah also posed with the Kapoor sisters and Chris, captioning her post: “I literally cried after taking this picture”.
Sussanne Khan had her own fan moment with Chris when she profusely thanked the event organiser Andre Timmins for also hosting the all-nighter bash. “Epic moments of a lifetime with my Chris Martin… Amazing heart, your love has made me shine!” she squealed on Instagram.
An eight-and-a-half hour show is in order today, with performances by Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra, Riteish Deshmukh, Ayushmann Khurrana and Malaika Arora Khan. A heavily pregnant Kareena Kapoor who is due on December 4 has promised to not miss the event and will make an appearance on stage too.
Ananya Birla, Karsh Kale with Midival Punditz, DJ Lost Stories, DJ Clement, Electroverts and Monali Thakur will also perform sets. A special sequence with Sumeet Vyas and Arunabh Kumar’s The Viral Fever is also a part of the evening’s line-up. Other international artists include Jay Z and Demi Lovato.
Meanwhile, using the platform to promote healthcare, hygiene, education and global policies will be Vidya Balan, Dia Mirza, Vivek Oberoi and Muhammad Yunus.
Representing the sports fraternity will be Sachin Tendulkar, Leander Paes, Sakshi Malik and Vijender Singh.
GEARING UP FOR A THUMPING PERFORMANCE
Known for his popularity with the youth, the flamboyant Ranveer Singh has been pegged to deliver a high voltage, thumping performance as he grooves to two chartbusters – “Ude Dil Befikre” and “Nashe Di Chadh Gayi Hain” – from his December release, Befikre, and will also shake a leg to “Malhari” from Bajirao Mastani. The 31-year-old actor has been juggling rehearsals with shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus, Padmavati.
SHRADDHA’S PARADISE
While B-townies are gearing up for one of the most awaited events of the year, Shraddha Kapoor has been diligently rehearsing for her solo act for the gala where she will be singing hit tracks from her films, including “Teri Galiyan”, “Tere Mere Dil” and “Udja Re”. The actress even met up with Chris Martin late on Thursday night while rehearsing for her performance.
“Shraddha is a big Coldplay fan and was extremely excited to meet Chris in person. They jammed on her favourite tracks including “Paradise” and “Fix You”,” informs a source, adding, “Shraddha loves performing to a live audience and is working very hard on her stage turn. The fact that she will be performing on the same stage as her favourite band seems surreal to her.” — Avinash Lohana
Confirmed: Jhanvi Kapoor to be launched by Karan Johar, but it might not be Sairat remake
8:05 AM
Boney Kapoor tells us that daughter Jhanvi will be launched by Karan Johar
Subhash K Jha (DNA; November 18, 2016)
It’s known by now that Sridevi’s daughter Jhanvi Kapoor is keen on a career in Bollywood.
An acting debut is imminent and that too, in a Karan Johar production. According to some reports, the launch vehicle is the proposed Hindi remake of the Marathi blockbuster Sairat.
Confirming this development, her father, producer Boney Kapoor says, “Yes, Karan has been talking to us about a film for Jhanvi and we’ve given consent. But we don’t know which project it would be. Since Karan has recently acquired the remake rights of Sairat it is being presumed that our daughter would be launched in this project.”
Speculation about the Kapoor girl’s career has been building up over the last three years. When asked in the past, Sridevi had said, “It’s too early for her to decide a career. Let her study, enjoy life. I missed out on the fun side of growing because I was busy in the studios. I want my children to enjoy every phase of their life.”
Now proud father Boney says Jhanvi is ready for a film career. “I see in my daughter the same focus and concentration on her chosen career as her mother. It’s never easy for star kids to make a place for themselves as they are invariably compared with their legendary parents. I hope Jhanvi won’t be compared with her mother, though.”
Sara Ali Khan & Jhanvi Kapoor to feature opp Tiger Shroff in Student Of The Year 2?
8:05 AM
SOTY had two heroes and one leading lady, the sequel will have two leading ladies and one hero
Upala KBR (DNA; August 17, 2016)
Karan Johar has just announced Student Of The Year 2
with Tiger Shroff. Punit Malhotra will direct the sequel. While the
film’s leading ladies have not been announced yet, a source from the
industry says that it will have two leading ladies.
Says our source, “In the sequel, two girls will woo Tiger. In all possibility, it will be Sara Ali Khan (Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s daughter) and Jhanvi Kapoor (Boney Kapoor and Sridevi’s daughter).”
A trade analyst explains the choice, “It is more profitable and a safer bet for a production house to launch a newcomer than to make a film with stars these days. Films may or may not run, but if you cast a new actor who gets accepted, then the production house makes money for five years without any investment, apart from making one film.”
Adds the analyst, “When a banner launches an actor, they are contract-bound and the producer gets 20 per cent of whatever the actor makes for five years. This includes film fees, endorsements, shows, live performances, wedding appearances, etc. At the end of five years, KJo would have made at least Rs 300 crore from Alia, Sidharth and Varun. That’s how much a Khan film makes! Aditya Chopra started this model and has launched maximum newcomers. In Karan’s case, all film kids want to be launched in his films, so it’s win-win.”
Wonder if Sidharth, Alia and Varun will make an appearance in SOTY 2... after all, it is their brand, too!
Check out Jhanvi Kapoor kissing Shikhar Pahariya
8:05 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (August 3, 2016)
Sridevi and Boney Kapoor's
daughter Jhanvi may still be waiting in the wings to make her acting
debut but the 17-year-old star daughter is already making a splash on
the social media. A few days ago, it was reported that the teenager had
turned down A R Murugadoss's offer to launch her opposite Telugu
superstar Mahesh Babu with her parents' approval. Now, pictures of her
sharing a kiss with her rumoured steady date, Shikhar Pahariya, have
become the talk of the digital town. The youngster is the grandson of
former Union Minister, Sushilkumar Shinde. Interestingly, Shikhar's
brother, Veer, is said to be dating Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh's
daughter, Sara Ali Khan. Could this be the next gen of power couples?
Jhanvi Kapoor dodges the paparazzi
11:36 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (May 31, 2016)
When Sridevi's daughter
Jhanvi Kapoor shushed haters on social media who body shamed her, she
made it clear that she isn't the kind of star kid who would take nasty
comments lying low. And the fiery girl has done it again. Recently, she
was on her way back from a vacation when the paparazzi tried to get her
photos at the Mumbai airport. One would assume that a kid so active on
her photo-blogging site wouldn't mind getting snapped. Well, seems
consent is a big deal for her. The Kapoor girl got her bodyguards to
stop the shutterbugs from clicking her. The paps had to give away their
cameras for a bit and only after she sat inside her car and sped away
were the cameras returned to the owners. Clearly, Jhanvi wants to remain
elusive from the glam world till it is time to chase her big Bollywood
dreams
Jhanvi Kapoor enrols at Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in Los Angeles?
7:40 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (February 17, 2016)
While Sridevi has consistently denied reports of her daughters gearing up for Bollywood over the years, it has now emerged that her firstborn, Jhanvi Kapoor, is currently ensconced at the famed Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in Los Angeles.
The teen, who was reportedly gravitating towards a career in fashion designing till a while ago, is now prepping up to follow in her mother's footsteps which explains enrolling for the acting course across the seven seas. While it remains to be seen if the star daughter will go on to chart a successful path in the Hindi film industry like the other Kapoors, it's interesting to note that Lee Strasberg has served as a rite of passage for a string of preceding star kids, including Ranbir Kapoor and Rahul Khanna, and former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's son, Riteish Deshmukh.
Star kids are enjoying a popularity that even rivals that of their parents
2:24 PM
With Instagram accounts that are attracting thousands of followers, star kids are enjoying a popularity that even rivals that of their parents.
Mohini Chaudhuri (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 8, 2015)
On one of her recent visits to Mumbai, Aalia Furniturewala, daughter of film and TV personality Pooja Bedi, invited a handful of her social media followers for a meet and greet at a coffee shop. Her mother wasn't in town at the time, but a video of what transpired that day took her by surprise. "There were screaming fans, and people crying and asking for autographs. She was really taken aback. It was quite insane," says Bedi. Such hysteria is indeed jaw-dropping. Aalia is a few weeks away from her 18th birthday and still a student at New York University. Her fans are her over 60,000 Instagram followers who are in awe of her seemingly perfect life, and who also seem partly envious. Pictures of her partying with college friends and hanging out with other celebrity kids are often met with comments like 'F*** man. Look at my life', followed by a sad emoticon. "She's gathered a lot of popularity for her attitude and for the kind of thought processes she has. Youngsters love the advice she gives and how she views life," explains Bedi.
Aalia is one of the many adolescents who has
drummed up a robust social media fan following, one that can rival that
of a bona fide celebrity. Other junior stars riding high on the
popularity scale are Ibrahim Khan (Saif Ali Khan's son), Khushi and
Jhanvi Kapoor (Sridevi's daughters), Aaliyah Kashyap (Anurag Kashyap's
daughter) and Ahaan Panday (Deanne Panday's son). Even those who don't
have personal accounts have a wide presence through fan pages and sites.
Aryan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan's 18-year-old son, has numerous fan clubs
that run unofficial Twitter and Instagram accounts, some with as many as
70,000 followers. Each time a private photo of Aryan with his siblings
or his close friends like Navya Naveli (Shweta Bachchan's daughter) is
leaked, his female admirers are sent into a tizzy. In August, popular film website bollywoodlife. com carried a post headlined, 'Sorry Shah Rukh Khan, but we can't help drooling over your son!' The story had a photo of a bare-chested Aryan at a beach, which was pasted adjacent to a similar picture of his superstar father flaunting his 6-pack abs. "It got so many shares and likes that we ourselves were stunned. Aryan had done even better than a SRK story," says Tushar Joshi, editor of bollywoodlife.com, adding that Aryan has since been on their radar. The story got further traction after it was retweeted by Shah Rukh Khan, who seemed to have taken the comparison in good humour.
The premature stardom thrust on these kids is no doubt a byproduct of being born to famous parents. Yet, it wouldn't be inaccurate to say some of them are stars in their own right. At just 14, Khushi Kapoor has everything a girl her age longs for — branded clothes, selfies with Ed Sheeran, and other star kids as friends. She has around 48,900 followers on Instagram and 2,000 followers on Twitter. She's also immensely popular on the social networking site ask. fm where her young admirers gush about her enviable long legs and slim waist, and quiz her for fashion and make-up advice.
In a recent interview, actor Saif Ali Khan admitted he was wary of his son's strong social media presence. With 30.8 lakh followers, Ibrahim is quite a prolific Instagram and Dubsmash user. "People are interested in him today also because of his family and who his parents are. It's something he should be careful about. He now understands that he needs to be a bit reserved and be seen less," admitted Saif. A celebrity mother, who didn't want to be named, says she too was quite perplexed by the unwarranted fan following her young son has amassed on ask.fm. She recently discovered that young girls were writing him letters requesting a meeting. "I'm quite disturbed with all this attention he's getting. I want him to concentrate on his studies. I don't want all of this to go to his head," she says.
"In the West you have younger stars like Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber or One Direction who have an entire generation that tracks them. Even with the Kardashian sisters, the focus has shifted from Kim to the younger sisters — Kylie and Kendall Jenner. Over the past year, the same thing has been happening in India," explains Joshi. "Every youngster with a phone is on Instagram and Twitter and they are hungry for news on these star children, because they relate to them. They want to know what they are wearing, the food they eat and where they go. If one of them posts a picture with a hover board, every kid suddenly wants that," he adds.
With so much curiosity about them, the media too has trained its sights on these next gen stars. That's probably what led them to recently stumble upon a few risque photos of Krishna Shroff, daughter of actor Jackie Shroff. The images, which were a part of a photo shoot Krishna had done for a photographer friend, were discovered on her Instagram page a good month after she posted them, and promptly splashed across every website and publication. "If I was just some random girl who uploaded the picture I did, it wouldn't have gotten the same amount of attention," she confesses. The 22-year-old has a staggering 100K followers on Instagram, most of whom she suspects are fans of her brother Tiger Shroff.
One of the photos in question received as many as 9,537 likes and over 500 comments that went 'sexy hot baby' and 'killer cleavage'. The attention, she says, doesn't bother her, and it will not stop her from continuing to post pictures of her choice. As for her parents, they had a good laugh about the brouhaha made over the pictures. Actor Sanjay Kapoor, whose 16-year-old daughter Shanaya is a regular on social media, says he has ensured she exercises restraint on the Web. "I believe posting general pictures is fine, but at the same time both the kid and the parents should be careful of what exactly is being posted. The media too should be more responsible with them. Almost 90 per cent of international magazines would cover the face of a kid when spotted with the celebrity parents," says Kapoor.
Bedi says there have been a few upsetting incidents where she's had to get fake accounts of her daughter pulled down. But having said that, she doesn't see the sense in shielding her from the attention she's getting — good or bad. "If you're an attractive, intelligent and opinionated girl, you're bound to have a whole bunch of attention and comments coming your way. As a parent it is not my job to blinker my daughter but teach her coping skills to handle unwarranted reactions," she says. But is it too much, too soon? "At 17, it's a compliment to have such an enormous following. I say full power to her," says Bedi. (With inputs from Avinash Lohana)
I don’t know why I am so fond of Shruti Haasan-Sridevi
7:55 AM
Sridevi reveals her fondness for Kamal Haasan’s daughter, debunks rumours about her daughters’ rumoured Bolly debut and more in a candid chat
Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; September 23, 2015)
It is after almost two decades that Sridevi is making her comeback to Tamil cinema with Puli — well, technically, since her comeback Bollywood film, English Vinglish ( 2012) had also been released in the language. The actress, who plays an evil queen in the fantasy thriller, reveals that she didn’t think twice before giving her nod to the project.
“I instantly said yes because I have not done a costume fantasy film earlier. I felt it is a different genre for me,” says Sridevi, who got the opportunity to perform stunts in the film with the assistance of action directors from Russia. “We had to rehearse for the action scenes over five days before doing it in front of the camera. But, due to heavy rains in Chennai, the plan went haywire. The crew had to redo the set and look after technical issues. So, we had to do the stunts without any practice,” smiles the 51-year-old actress.
Of late, South filmmakers have been creating a market for their movies in Bollywood, SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali being the latest. Following this trend, Puli also starring Tamil superstar Vijay, Shruti Haasan and Hansika Motwani, will be dubbed and released in Hindi. Sridevi, however, wants to avoid any comparisons with the Rs 250-crore epic thriller. “It is not fair to compare Puli with Baahubali because it a commercial fantasy film,” she retorts.
While Vijay is a big name down South, Sridevi states that she enjoyed working with Shruti and Hansika. “All three of them are as good as experienced actors, focussed and professional. I share a special bond with Shruti. I don’t know why I am so fond of her. She is talented and has good physical features. She is a really sweet girl and it was great working with her,” she says. Sridevi worked with Shruti’s father and cinema legend Kamal Haasan in a bunch of South Indian films and a couple of Hindi movies, including the much- appreciated Sadma (1983).
How involved was she in the process of fleshing out her role and developing her look in Puli? “The creative decisions are taken by the director. I have only given inputs and suggestions regarding my look. It turned out to be an interesting character and we approached Manish (Malhotra) because I thought he will do justice to it (the look),” she states, adding that advanced cinematic technology has made life easy now. She says: “Earlier, there were no monitors and no vanity vans. Now it is much more organised.”
As a parting shot, she puts to rest speculations about her daughters Jhanvi and Khushi venturing into Bollywood sooner rather than later. “My younger daughter is just 15. She has to finish her education and cannot act now. The older one has just completed her graduation and will be pursuing further studies abroad. I don’t believe in planning. Let her (Jhanvi) concentrate on studies now and decide about her career later,” she signs off.
Sridevi and her daughters are the neighbourhood scene-stealers?
7:57 AM
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; July 1, 2015)
Sridevi's two daughters,
Janhvi and Khushi, are lucky to have in their star mother a good
friend. It is said that they confide in the actress and
discuss everything from film to fashion with her. The neighbours also
say that Sri visits the local organic food market with her two betis in
tow. And they stock upon on healthy food items. This, we guess, is
natural because there are three women in that household who are health
conscious and stunning. Also, though both of Sri and Boney Kapoor's
daughters are still pursuing their studies, two producers are waiting
eagerly to know when Janhvi will make her acting debut. Little Khushi,
of course, is expected to follow her sister a few years down the line.
Que sera sera.
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