Actor Sanjay Kapoor has been enjoying his second innings, having marked 30 years in the industry and turning 60 last week (October 17). Calling this “the best phase” of his career, he tells us: “Today, makers believe in me, saying ‘Sanjay yeh role kar lega’. That’s my achievement in this milestone year.”

This also coincides with the year his daughter, Shanaya Kapoor (25), made her debut, which Sanjay calls part of “the universe’s plan”. But he admits that her journey hasn’t been easy: “I never tag my early days as a struggle, but felt really overwhelmed when her first film got shelved after a big announcement.”

Shanaya was originally supposed to debut in Karan Johar’s Bedhadak, which was announced in 2022 but was later shelved.

He adds, “It was very tough for Shanaya. Jo film aani thi woh ruk gayi, phir doosri film mein bhi kuch delay hua. I felt bad seeing her struggle.”

Her second project, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, was delayed before releasing in July. But finally seeing her debut was an emotional moment for Sanjay: “When I saw her onscreen, she was beyond my expectations. I just cried. Her hard work shows on screen. I am proud of her.”

"Finally,” exclaims Shanaya Kapoor when we get on a call with her, weeks before her debut film Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan’s release. She has been waiting to foray into Bollywood for the past three years, but life had other plans. Today, as her maiden Hindi film is ready, the newbie — daughter of Sanjay and Maheep Kapoor — admits she can’t get enough of it.

“Every day I log on to YouTube and watch myself on screen. I’m not going to lie; my dad and I get teary-eyed,” she grins.

The happy tears are understandable considering it has been a long road to this point. In 2022, Shanaya was to be launched with Karan Johar’s production Bedhadak, but it got shelved. Heartbreaking as the episode was, strangely it led her to director Santosh Singh’s romantic drama opposite Vikrant Massey. 

She recalls, “It was a matter of five to six days where we had begun shooting. But due to COVID and various other reasons, that film didn’t come into fruition. Post that, I was giving auditions. I auditioned for another project, and the casting director sent the tape across to Santosh Singh. When I look back at it now, I realise why things didn’t happen then and why they are happening now. I feel much better prepared as an actor.”

She says that instead of dwelling on projects that didn’t work out, she used the years in between to work on her craft. “I worked to get better so that the day I get that opportunity, I’m ready for it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I never took it for granted.”

Many may argue that her debut, though delayed, was inevitable. After all, she comes from one of the most prominent film families. “I do come from a film family and understand what that means. I had access and opportunity. But that access doesn’t mean guaranteed acceptance. At the end of the day, the audience has to accept me. I have to earn my place through a lot of hard work,” she insists, adding, “I value this chance a lot more because I got it after delays. I’ve had my ups and downs before coming here today. Having said that, I’m aware that it’s much easier for me compared to others.”

For Maheep Kapoor, jewellery designer and former model, celebrating Karwa Chauth is all about “small things that count”. “The one rule Sanjay follows is that he doesn’t shoot around this time. And while he and I don’t have a personal ritual per say, he is always on time on Karwa Chauth, usually being the first husband to reach the venue, and I feel touched by that,” the 42-year-old shares, adding that the day is a reminder of “how important we are to each other.”

When it comes to her outfit for the occasion, Maheep loves going all out. “I love dressing up for Karwa Chauth, it’s very special. Everyone’s finery comes out on this day — the jewellery, sindoor, bangles, bindis. I just need an excuse to get ready. This year, I am going for a saree as I love sarees and find them so beautiful,” shares Maheep, who has been married to Sanjay for almost 27 years.

Her favourite part of the festival? The joyful gathering of family and friends, she reveals: “I love it when all of us dress up with our puja ki thalis. Over the years, it has become that one day when all of us ladies get together, even if we haven’t met the whole year. Meanwhile, Sanjay constantly keeps checking his phone to give updates about when the moon will be up.”

Sharing an unforgettable memory of the festival, Maheep recalls her early married days. “Sanjay and I had gone to London during the festival, and I spent the whole day shopping and giving myself presents. At night, we had to go out for dinner, and we took a black cab. We drove around the whole of London city trying to find the moon,” she reminisces.

“Unfortunately, it was very cloudy, and the driver was frustrated with our adventure. We told him we wanted to find the moon, and he thought we were crazy. Sanjay also thought we should forget about finding the moon in London since it was already out in India. But I said no, I won’t eat without seeing it. Finally, we spotted the moon, I opened my fast, and later, we went for dinner,” she signs off.

Merry Christmas, Murder Mubarak, and now House Of Lies—Sanjay Kapoor has had a release every two months in the year so far. That’s a lot by any standard. To the actor, it’s a reaffirmation that perseverance always pays off.

“It’s not by chance that I did Bloody Daddy [2023], Made In Heaven 2, Merry Christmas, and so on. I have worked my ass off. It’s 30 years of experience, focus and perseverance [at work]. In the last one year, I have worked with directors Sriram Raghavan, Zoya Akhtar, Neeraj Ghaywan, Prakash Jha and Homi Adajania. People are happy even if they get to work with two or three such directors in their lifetime,” says the actor, who leads the Zee5 murder mystery.

The industry is witnessing a resurgence of several ’90s stars. While Bobby Deol made an assured comeback with Aashram and Animal (2023), Manisha Koirala recently headlined Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Kajol and Raveena Tandon have fronted web series. How does Kapoor view this revival of sorts?

“These actors haven’t got work today by chance. Manisha had done great work even before, be it Bombay [1995] or 1942: A Love Story [1994]. Sometimes, you go through a transitional phase—you aren’t young enough to play a youngster, nor old enough to play an older character. With OTT, people are getting more opportunities. Also, you never heard anything wrong about all the actors you’ve mentioned. You heard their names only with regard to their work. These actors never lost hope or confidence in themselves. Bobby has spoken about it himself. It’s not that all the ’90s actors have made a comeback. There were others who lost their focus. Nobody is here to make your life; you have to build your own. Nobody is giving you a chance just because they love you.”

It’s certainly a wise lesson that his daughter Shanaya Kapoor, who is foraying into movies with Mohanlal’s Vrushabha, can benefit from. Kapoor says his journey has taught Shanaya the importance of being dedicated.

“Shanaya is intelligent. She has seen that this industry is not a bed of roses; you have to work hard. I don’t have to advise her, I’m always there for her. She is focused. During the pandemic, she was taking diction and dance classes. She didn’t waste that time. Mentally, she will be strong because she has seen my journey in the industry.”

Flying high on the success of two releases, Homi Adajania’s Murder Mubarak and Sriram Raghavan’s Merry Christmas, actor Sanjay Kapoor has been wanting to work with both filmmakers as a producer first. The actor, who possesses the rights of the 1975 film Khel Khel Mein, wanted either one of them to direct the remake.

In 2012, Sanjay stated that he would take the remake on floors and cast fresh faces as leads but that didn’t materalise. The OG film starred late Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor and Rakesh Roshan. Now, that his daughter Shanaya Kapoor will soon make her film debut, ask him if he will cast her in the remake and he replies, “If I am going to make it today, I will obviously make it with Shanaya.”

While the 58-year-old isn’t sure when will be the right time for the film, Sanjay insists that he will make the remake, someday. “Right now, I am very busy with my work as an actor, but I will definitely make the film. It’s a film that is very close to my heart.”

He further adds, “I remember that when I got the rights of the film, Chintu (late Rishi Kapoor) told me that he and Neetu will do a cameo whenever I remake the film. So, whenever the time comes, I will miss Chintu, but I will make sure Neetu is still in it,” he ends.

Actor Sanjay Kapoor is collaborating with director Homi Adajania for the first time in their latest film, Murder Mubarak. But this isn’t the first attempt that the actor made to work with the director. Ahead of the film’s release, the stars of Murder Mubarak got together for HT City’s Stars In the City, where Kapoor made the revelation of his first ‘failed’ attempt at working with Adajania.

During the session, Kapoor remarked that Adajania has been on his bucket list of filmmakers to work with for more than 10 years. He said, “In fact, I wanted to produce a film with him. There is this film starring the great Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor and Rakesh Roshan titled Khel Khel Mein (1975) and I bought the rights for it. I don’t know whether he (Homi) knows, but I told the writer Shibani Bathija that if there’s one person who can make this film, it’s Homi. I approached him through her for the film, [but] he told her very politely that he doesn’t do remakes. But I think I am more fortunate that I got a chance to work with him, now, as an actor.”

Kapoor had acquired the rights of Khel Khel Mein a while ago and had announced making a remake in 2012. He planned to start filming for it the following year with fresh faces, but it never took off. However, the rights of the film remain with Kapoor, and he still plans to remake it sometime soon.

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An adaptation of Louis Thomas’ French novel Good Children Don’t Kill, Khel Khel Mein was a story of three college students (Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor and Rakesh Roshan). They play a prank and get involved with a notorious criminal. The comedy quickly turns into an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

You’ve heard shaadi mubarak, janamdin mubarak and saal mubarak, but hearing chants of murder mubarak ringing out in a room? That’s what happened when the cast of Netflix’s Murder Mubarak, starring Sara Ali Khan, Pankaj Tripathi, Vijay Varma, Karisma Kapoor, Tisca Chopra, Sanjay Kapoor, Suhail Nayyar and director Homi Adajania met the winners of the first-ever Mumbai edition of HT City Stars In The City contest.

In conversation with Sonal Kalra, Chief Managing Editor (Entertainment and Lifestyle), Hindustan Times, Homi kicked things off by sharing how he got this “whacky” cast together. “These guys are all a bunch of nuts. It was quite difficult to control them,” he joked and added, “We didn’t even do a table reading, I just chucked them together. For directors, it’s pretty boring to keep watching the same film, but I’ve watched it 30 times and there was always a different character for me to watch.”

Excited about her character, Sara said, “It’s been a while since I played an urban, glam girl. My brother, Ibrahim (Ali Khan), watched the film and said, ‘Aapa jaan, I think you’re looking extremely hot’. I have a difficult family to impress.”

Tisca can’t wait for audiences’ feedback: ”I don’t think they’ve seen me play a character like this that’s semi-comical.”

Vijay had the audience in splits. He pointed out that he’s been on a spree of working with the ‘Kapoor khandaan’: “My last few outings were hectic for the audience, I played twisted men. But I got to act with Bebo (Kareena Kapoor Khan) in Jaane Jaan (2023), now Lolo (Karisma’s nickname), of course Alia (Bhatt, actor) in Darlings (2022). I am doing tambola with the Kapoor family!”

Glad to be a part of a multi-starrer after many years, Karisma said, “The way of working has changed. We didn’t have table reads or bound scripts. Here everybody knows exactly what they are doing. The last multi-starrer I acted in was Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999).”

A round of ‘True or False’ left their fans clutching their sides, while the cast also revealed some juicy secrets — Tisca grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan; Homi is a trained diving instructor, but the most shocking information was Pankaj having spent time in jail. “Main ek hafta jail mein tha. Criminal nahin, student leader tha, aur politics mein jail jaana achhi baat hai,” he responded, cheekily.

The fans got an opportunity to ask a few questions to their favourite actors. As a part of the filmy parivaar, Sanjay was asked if they talk films at home as well, to which he responded, “Filmwale film ki hi baat nahi karte. I talk about education with my children, health, too. But like any normal family, our conversations are about normal things too.” Suhail feels like a kid in a carnival as he gets to work with his on-screen heroes. “When I saw Sanjay sir, I recited his dialogues from Luck by Chance (2009) and when I saw Dimple Kapadia ma’am, I said, ‘Ma’am aapne jo film mein frustrated kutti bola na...’”

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It’s been a while that I played an urban and glam girl. It’s not something I associate myself with. I’m the kind of person who would rather leave her hair jhalla and go out in a salwar kameez.

- Sara Ali Khan

My last few outings were hectic for the audience, I played twisted men. But I got to act with Bebo (Kareena Kapoor Khan) in Jaane Jaan (2023), now Lolo (Karisma’s nickname), of course Alia (Bhatt, actor) in Darlings (2022). I am doing tambola with the Kapoor family!

- Vijay Varma

Sanjay Kapoor’s daughter Shanaya will be stepping into the industry following cousins Sonam, Arjun, Harsh Varrdhan, Janhvi, and Khushi.

Ask Sanjay what he has advised his daughter, who will make her debut with a pan-India film, and he says, “Shanaya has grown up in a filmi family and has seen the ups and downs in my journey. I am always there for her, but she is smart enough to understand the highs and lows associated with pursuing a career in acting. I would just advise her to stay focused, keep working hard, and be sincere. That’s what I did even when I went through a low phase. I didn’t lose hope and worked even harder till things turned around.”

Things turned around for Sanjay with the Lust Stories anthology, and after that, he has been taking on more work, especially in the OTT space. He admits that the new medium has been a challenging arena for a 90s actor like him to break into. He wishes for his daughter to hold onto one key lesson – to remain zen through the highs and lows in her career.

He elaborates, “She shouldn’t get excited about success or feel low when things don’t go in her favour. Recently, I told her, ‘A section of people would always troll you. It happens to the greatest actors. You can’t please everybody, so you should not be affected by the negativity’.”

Today, star kids find themselves in the line of fire for an unfair advantage. Talking about the nepotism debate, he says, “When I started, nobody spoke about nepotism, we were judged on our talent. There are and have been so many star kids who have disappeared after doing a couple of films. Eventually, your work speaks for you. I am an example of that. I belonged to a film family with strong connections and a great circle, but I didn’t get work because of that.”

Sanjay wonders why the nepotism debate is limited to Bollywood. Pointing to the South film industry, he explains, “I am surprised that nepotism is not a topic of debate in the South. The ones who have delivered the biggest hits across India today from that industry are also film producers and actors’ children, but no one calls them nepo kids. Everybody knows that sheer hard work begets work. Yes, people recognize you even before you start acting, but no one will cast you just because you are an actor’s child.”

Sanjay Kapoor remembers meeting Sriram Raghavan almost five years ago at a party hosted by Shah Rukh Khan. All the two did was rave about each other’s recent work—he about the director’s Andhadhun (2018), and Raghavan about his performance in Lust Stories (2018).

“I think he had it in his mind that he would cast me in one of his films,” grins Kapoor. Things worked out perfectly for the duo as they teamed up for Merry Christmas, headlined by Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi.

In Raghavan’s deliciously twisted thriller, Kapoor plays Ronnie, who tries his luck with Kaif’s Maria after meeting her at a church. That his character, unsuspecting of the mayhem around him, was so well-written made it an easier yes for him.

“You want to work with a good director, but you also want your role to be good. Ronnie comes only in the film’s second half, but the story really starts with his introduction. Sriram was so keen on having me that after I said yes, he excused himself, went to his ADs and said, ‘Sanjay has said yes!’ There was so much excitement among them. That gave me confidence; that here is a director who could have cast anyone, but he was excited about me saying yes.”

Things have been looking up for Kapoor since he featured in Lust Stories. Soon, he will be seen in Homi Adajania’s Murder Mubarak, and Prakash Jha’s next. “I am working with some of the best directors right now. They show a lot of belief in me. It’s not that they have suddenly woken up to me. It’s [the result of] my perseverance. Even when I was in my low [phase], I didn’t lose focus.”

Does he feel these directors saw in him what the industry couldn’t back in the day? “I don’t want to blame those directors. I am better suited for the kind of work I am doing now.”

“I find myself in a good space today,” says Sanjay Kapoor, who has recently been seen in a string of interesting OTT projects. The actor seems to be in a phase where he is reinventing himself with every new project that he is doing. He talks to BT about how it took him so long to get his due and how he feels about where he is.

Self-admittedly, Sanjay, who will soon be seen in Sriram Raghavan’s film ‘Merry Christmas’, is in the best phase of his career with the kind of work he is doing on the OTT medium.

He says, “OTT has ushered in a great phase not just for me, but for most actors. For one, age is not a bar. Secondly, it is not dependent on the hits you’ve given. It’s no longerki ye bikta hai toh agar ye theek bhi kar lega toh chalega. It is sheer hard work, experience, and talent that will get you good projects. It’s a change that we are seeing in the film (big screen) scenario as well. Today, content is king, and good content needs talented artistes. OTT has extended the longevity of an actor as well as films. In fact, it has revived the 90s for me.”

Sanjay was once dubbed ‘the oldest newcomer’ in Bollywood when his debut film, ‘Prem’, took six years to complete. He was 30 when his first film hit the big screen.

He recalls, “Shekhar (Kapur) was to direct it before Satish Kaushik took over. It didn’t happen for some reason, and I lost out on my prime years for no fault of mine. ‘Prem’ and ‘Raja’ were released a month apart in 1995, and people rejected ‘Prem’ as it was outdated. Hurdles and long waits can make you doubt yourself. It was tough to go through that phase, but that didn’t make me disillusioned or bitter because that’s not my personality. I take the good and the bad in my stride.”

The actor, who has been a part of projects like ‘The Fame Game’, the ‘Lust Stories’ anthology, the film ‘Bloody Daddy’ and ‘Made in Heaven 2’, adds, “When people ask me for advice for aspiring actors, I say, ‘Keep on working because nobody can take away your talent from you. I’m living proof of the fact that success in this field may take time. Also, don’t sell yourself short’.”

The actor is no stranger to the whims of showbiz, and the delay of his debut film was not the only time he saw his career slow down. “I often wonder why people didn’t sign me after my work started getting appreciated, especially after ‘Luck by Chance’ (2009). You don’t always have answers to these whys. A short film like ‘Lust Stories’ changed the game for me. I see my glass half full now,” he observes, adding, “How many actors have survived 30 years? Trust me, if you’re a 90s actor having done typical roles, it’s not easy to get a breakthrough in OTT. I got in because of my hard work, sincerity, and dedication. I was always on my toes and when I got the opportunity, I grabbed it with both hands. Many other actors who had started with me have faded into oblivion.”

One day, a message from filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar seemed to wipe away all the questions that Sanjay may have harboured about the numerous delays and hurdles he encountered throughout his Bollywood journey. “You are the most underrated actor ever,” read the filmmaker’s message to the actor after the release of ‘Bloody Daddy’. Sanjay says, “It feels great to hear this after 30 years!”

Hailing from the illustrious Kapoor family of Bollywood, Sanjay is aware of his place in the industry. He says, “I am not living in la-la land to think all projects shall be around me. I understand that not every project can be a ‘Fame Game’ that revolves around Madhuri (Dixit-Nene) and me. While I don’t live in a fool’s paradise, I don’t want to be a part of a project where I am not contributing anything, especially when things have come to me after such a long time. I am being a little careful and taking up interesting characters that stay with the audience for long.”

Extremely saddened and shocked” by the news of Satish Kaushik’s sudden death, actor Sanjay Kapoor mourned the loss and remembered the actor-filmmaker with a throwback photo from the sets of his debut film Prem (1995), which was directed by Kaushik.

“This picture is from the first schedule of Prem in 1990,” shares Sanjay, as he goes on to talk about his experience of working with Kaushik and the bond the two shared. “I knew Satish before Prem happened, as he was also a part of Mr India (1987; starring Sanjay’s brother, actor Anil Kapoor). We already had a really comfortable equation with each other. I feel fortunate that I started my career under his direction,” The Fame Game actor adds.

Calling Kaushik an “extremely hardworking man”, Sanjay recounts, “He was from theatre and when the director himself is an actor, it makes a huge difference because of the way he treats an actor, especially newcomers like me and Tabu (his co-star in Prem). Satish was always so patient in explaining the scenes and making us act.”

The 57-year-old goes on to share that Kaushik was very close to his father, producer Surinder Kapoor. “My father used to really like him and treat him like his own son. He used to come to our place to have vadi aaloo made by my mum. He was a big time foodie. This was before Prem and he was a young boy back then. Boney, Anil, Satish, me and of course Javed (Akhtar, lyricist) saheb being the mentor, formed a group and we were pretty close,” he wraps up.

Politics draws filmmaker Prakash Jha like a moth to the flame. Even before the fourth instalment of the Bobby Deol-starrer Aashram goes on air, the director has begun the prep work for his next series, Laal Batti. The socio-political digital fare will reunite Sanjay Kapoor—who is milking his newfound popularity on the web—and Nana Patekar as he makes his web debut with this one.

Almost 21 years after Krishna Vamsi’s Shakti: The Power, Kapoor and Patekar will reunite for Laal Batti that will boast of a great ensemble cast, including Meghna Malik who will essay the character of the Raajneeti actor’s wife.

A source informs, “The series is set in the 1990s. Nana Patekar will play a lawyer-turned-politician, while Sanjay Kapoor will be one of his closest [associates], who is both powerful and ruthless.”

Kapoor, who is currently in London for a few weeks, will begin prep for the series on his return and join the rest of the cast. “Laal Batti will begin by the end of January in the hinterlands of Uttar Pradesh,” says the source, adding that the series will trace Patekar’s character’s life “from his childhood in a village, political career and controversies, relationships, to becoming one of the most powerful statesmen in the country whose economic policies ruled the nation for years to come.”

The eight National Award-winning director has apparently conducted ample research for months on end before locking the final script of the series.

Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja have been blessed with a baby boy. Soon after the announcement, Sonam’s father, Anil Kapoor posted a heartfelt note on his Instagram page. The post read, “We are delighted to announce, on the 20th of August 2022, the arrival of the newest member of our family. Sonam and Anand have been blessed with a healthy baby boy and we couldn’t be more elated. Our hearts are bursting with pride and love for the new parents and their beautiful angel. Doting grandparents Harish & Priya, Anil & Sunita. Excited aunties and uncles Rhea & Karan, Anant & Harshvardhan (sic).”

Now, Sanjay Kapoor (Anil’s brother and Sonam’s uncle), too, has spoken about the arrival of the new member of the family. In an exclusive chat with BT, he said, “It’s absolutely exciting. We were waiting for this day.”

Sanjay said, “It’s a double bonanza for me because Sonam’s baby boy shares his birthday with my mother-in-law. A few days ago, we went to meet the beautiful baby, his parents and grandparents — Anil and Sunita. It was nice to meet Anil and tell him, ‘Finally, you are a grandfather’ (laughs!). I enjoyed calling him nanaji. He laughed and said grandfather sounds cooler.”

He added, “Sonam and Anand are ecstatic. My mother has become a great-grandmother once again. In a span of one year, she has become great-grandmother to three babies. My nephews, Mohit Marwah and Akshay Marwah, became proud fathers to baby girls. Mohit was blessed with a girl last year, Akshay had a daughter a few months ago, and now, it is Sonam. So, yes, it’s raining babies in the Kapoor family!”

When asked whether the family has started discussing names, he replied, “I am sure the couple must have zeroed in on the name, but I am not aware of it. We will know very soon. Right now, the only thing we were focused on was seeing the baby. When I met them, Sonam was happy and laughing, and Anand was over the moon. They are such a warm and lovable couple.”

Sanjay believes that occasions like these bring families even closer. “The Kapoors have always been family-oriented and close-knit. It’s good that our family is expanding and the bond is becoming stronger. Such occasions also turn out to be great opportunities for families to come together. Mohit had a baby shower, and Sonam, too, had planned one. However, she had to cancel it at the last minute keeping the COVID scare in mind,” he said, adding, “The celebrations have begun and it’s a joyous moment for our family.”

Actor Sanjay Kapoor feels it’s great that makers have started exploring different kinds of stories and are not hell-bent on making projects that cater to audiences across India: “Now, actors are offered different kinds of roles, something that didn’t happen earlier. The makers weren’t capable of taking risks and had to cater to the whole of India. Today, they are comfortable in making films for a certain target audience, which is great.”

Kapoor, 56, adds that makers have more confidence in their stories now and are certain that even a film with an offbeat subject will find an audience. “Sometimes, there are films that even run in the interior parts of India. Neerja (2016) by Sonam (K Ahuja, actor and his niece) and (actor) Alia Bhatt’s Raazi (2018) for example. Though they were very different, such films suddenly got a universal appeal. These were some breakthrough films,” shares the actor, who will soon be seen in filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bloody Daddy and director Sriram Raghavan’s Merry Christmas.

Kapoor feels had his 1999 film, Sirf Tum, released today, it’d have been ideal for OTT. “The kind of music and story it had, it would have been a perfect OTT film today,” the actor ends.

Over the past few days, rumours were rife that Sanjay Kapoor is the latest addition to the cast of Merry Christmas, which brings together the novel pairing of Katrina Kaif and south star Vijay Sethupathi. While he initially remained tight-lipped about it, Kapoor has now confirmed the development to mid-day, describing his upcoming collaboration with director Sriram Raghavan as “special”.

“I am looking forward to working under Sriram Raghavan’s vision. He is one of the best filmmakers of Hindi cinema [today],” says the actor, who was recently seen in The Fame Game.

Little is known about the project, except that leads Sethupathi and Kaif began shooting for it in Mumbai last December. While Kapoor is unwilling to divulge details about his role, he admits that like every artiste in Bollywood today, he has long cherished the idea of being part of Raghavan’s sharply written thrillers.

“I have been in awe of his style of storytelling ever since I saw Badlapur [2015]. After I watched Andhadhun [2018], I was certain that I would like to work with him some day. He knows the art of making something so normal seem extraordinary on screen.”

How does it feel to reunite with a co-star after 29 years? To Sanjay Kapoor, who had shot with Madhuri Dixit-Nene in 1995 for Raja, it almost feels like a “flash forward”. “I started working with Madhuri after shooting for 15 days for Prem [1995], and she had made me feel comfortable. Even today, it felt almost the same. She is the same Madhuri—grounded, and one who makes everyone on the set comfortable. I have known her for 29 years. It feels as if [time has] flashed forward, and we are back on set,” grins Kapoor, who has teamed up with Dixit for The Fame Game.

The Netflix series sees Dixit as superstar Anamika Anand, with Kapoor playing her husband. Anamika’s seemingly perfect life comes crumbling down when she vanishes one fine day, leading the police to examine the hard truths behind the façade of glamour.

Living your life in the public eye is not easy, Kapoor knows it all too well. The actor, who debuted in 1995, had a tough run in the industry with most of his films biting the dust. How did he handle failure? “Fortunately, I was surrounded by positive people. So, I never felt that with failure, people changed around me. When your work doesn’t do well, you feel dejected because you have given it your best shot. But one has to move on. It was not that I was not getting work; I was not getting exciting work. Being a producer is in our blood, so I got into production. I had to feed my family, send my kids to school, and earn money. I couldn’t sit back and say that unless I don’t get good work, I won’t work.”

The actor powered through the hard times, and bounced back with the advent of OTT. Having played key roles in Lust Stories (2018) and The Gone Game (2020), Kapoor is satisfied to have found his place in front of the camera again. “Everything changed after I did Lust Stories. When the opportunity came again with OTT, I bounced back. People say sometimes you can be talented, but destiny plays a big part. It happened to me.”

After BMC officials confirmed actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora tested positive for Covid-19 and that they flouted norms by attending parties, Khan’s spokesperson told IndiaToday.in they contracted the virus at a private dinner. “Among that group, there was one person who seemed unwell. This person should have been responsible enough to not attend the dinner and put others at risk…It is not fair to put the blame on Kareena,” said the spokesperson. Her father, Randhir Kapoor, shared her health update, saying she had fever and body ache. Khan is currently on home quarantine. Meanwhile, actor Sanjay Kapoor’s wife, Maheep Kapoor, and actor Sohail Khan’s wife, Seema Khan, have also tested Covid-19 positive.

From showing off their jhakaas moves to spilling the beans on what it’s like to be a part of the Kapoor khandaan, actors Anil Kapoor and Janhvi Kapoor’s real-life jodi of chacha-bhatiji had everyone hooked on the final day of the 19th Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2021. They were speaking with Sonal Kalra, Managing Editor, Entertainment & Lifestyle, Hindustan Times.

Anil was connected virtually, while Janhvi looked stunning in a saree and began by expressing how much she had enjoyed her visit to Delhi. “When here, one must enjoy the food. And it’s such a cultural hub, I’ve always been so fond of the city. I landed and went to Bangla Sahib with my friend Sara (Ali Khan, actor). Then we went to Pandara Road. And papa (producer Boney Kapoor) is going to be so mad hearing this because he has called me 10 times saying please don’t eat a lot, but I had sarson da saag and makki di roti, it was amazing! And kesar pista kulfi too!” said the 24-year-old.

The two then got into a discussion about this year’s HTLS theme, The New World Order, and Anil addressed today’s social media savvy generation of actors. When asked about pap culture, he praised new age actors for getting it right, joking that photographers didn’t want to pap him. Janhvi admitted that people approach her and say they’ve seen all of her gym outfits: “I want to tell them that I do other things besides go to the gym, but you know, take it with a pinch of salt. I find it flattering that someone would take the time out of their day to come and take my picture when I’m sweaty and tired from a workout, and then like the picture. You have to take it for what it is. It is the attention, and if some people have a problem with my gym shorts or how I’m looking, then that’s okay because that’s not my job, that’s a consequence of my job.”

And talking about his fashion sense, Anil, 64, laughed: “Main galti se star ban gaya. My brothers, Sanjay and Boney, were the good looking ones. They are the stars.”

Janhvi had everyone in stitches when she imitated her chachu Anil, who sneaks foods at family dinners, in his trademark style. She then revealed some Kapoor khandaan secrets. Anil’s son, Harsh Varrdhan, for example, is the biggest movie buff in their entire clan, and her father spams everyone on his contact list with his latest pictures, flaunting his sartorial choices.

The conversation turned to her mum, late actor Sridevi. When asked about something that most people don’t know about his sister-in-law, Anil became emotional and said, “She was a special and rare talent.” Janhvi also revealed that her chachu was her mum’s favourite co-star.

And how can you have two Punjabis in the house and not make them dance? On popular demand, the duo danced to Gallan Goodiyan from Anil’s film Dil Dhadakne Do (2015). “We are entertainers. Music nahi bhi hoga toh bhi main naachta rahunga,” Anil left everyone in splits.