I didn't let my mother help me: Janhvi Kapoor reveals her biggest regret

Actor spoke about her mother's legacy and how she used to feel that she had an 'unfair advantage' being her daughter

Janhvi Kapoor carries a heavy surname and she's well aware of it. The elder daughter of India's first female superstar, the late icon, Sridevi, and a celebrated producer, Boney Kapoor, had her share of criticism when she debuted in the Indian film industry with the 2018 film, Dhadak.

Understanding the unreal expectations Janhvi had been tied to, she recently shared how she made sure to take no help from her mother, Sridevi, while stepping into the industry - a decision she has now come to regret. During an interview with Agenda Aaj Tak, Janhvi spoke about her mother and late actor's legacy and how she used to feel that she had an 'unfair advantage' being her daughter.

The actor said in Hindi, “When I was doing my first film (Dhadak), I was so conscious that I wanted to stay aloof from my mother because people were saying that I got my first film because I am Sridevi's daughter. I went on a different trip and thought I wouldn’t take any help from her. If she acted a certain way, I would do the complete opposite."

Janhvi added, "I used to tell her to not come on the sets, to not help me. I used to feel as if I had an unfair advantage, a trump card thinking ‘How many people have access to Sridevi Kapoor, who is the best actor to come out of India?’ I used to feel that it’s already an unfair advantage, it will be more unfair if I take her advice.”'

The starlet added, “I feel that was very silly. I am her daughter and can’t run away from it. I took people very seriously, and I regret now knowing the fact that she was dying to be on the set with me, to help me as a mother. And I didn’t let her. So, I think it’s one of the biggest regrets because sometimes I feel like if I just said ‘Mumma, I have a shoot, please come quickly.' Maybe she would have been there."

The Bawaal star went on, "I think I have come around to that. I am now very proud of being my parents’ daughter. If people want to do a moral debate on whether Janhvi Kapoor being Sridevi’s daughter is right or wrong, you can’t because that’s the truth.”

In the same chat, Janhvi also spoke about her sister Khushi Kapoor’s The Archies and shared the advice she has for her. Talking about her sister, Khushi, Janhvi commented, “She [Khushi] did such a wonderful job at being honest. When I was talking to her, I told her to be prepared for hate but not to forget herself in the process. I wish someone said this to me. I wish someone told me to try looking at the people that value you, like you because believing the bad is always easier.”

Further adding, Janhvi remarked, “When someone says something bad about you, then believing that person becomes easier. It takes a lot of self-confidence to believe someone who says the right thing. Me and my sister, at times, we question ourselves a lot. I told her 'Don’t lose yourself, don’t be jaded because you’ve been very honest.' I felt her performance was very warm, there was a lot of innocence in it. She was not trying to show anything off and it is very difficult to be this real in front of the camera.”

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