Janhvi Kapoor's journey in Hindi cinema, which began with her debut in 'Dhadak' in 2018, has been one of steady evolution under the shadow of profound personal tragedy. The actress entered the industry shortly after the sudden and devastating death of her legendary mother, Sridevi. This year, however, has marked a significant professional high for Kapoor, with multiple film releases and the project 'Homebound', in which she features, being selected as India's official entry to the Oscars.
From Seeking Validation to Finding Self-Respect
In a recent return appearance on Barkha Dutt's Mojo Story, Janhvi Kapoor revealed a significant shift in her mindset. Back in 2023, she had expressed a deep yearning for respect in the industry. Now, she shares a crucial lesson learned. "Over the past couple of years, one thing I have learnt for sure is that unless you respect yourself, nobody else will," she stated. She acknowledged that fame came effortlessly due to her family legacy, making attention and visibility non-issues.
"I was just waiting for the day someone walked up to me and said, 'I respect you,'" Janhvi confessed. "But honestly, until you recognise your own skill set and what you bring to the table, nobody else will." This introspection comes after building a filmography with demanding roles in films like 'Gunjan Saxena', 'Good Luck Jerry', 'Mili', and the recent 'Mr and Mrs Mahi'.
The Unhealed Wound: Losing Sridevi and Media Mockery
During the same candid conversation, Kapoor reflected on the traumatic period following her mother's death, which occurred mere months before her film debut. She described a pain so deep she finds it impossible to fully verbalize. "Even if I told you everything, I don't know if anyone would relate," she said, expressing a conscious fear of sounding like she seeks sympathy.
She explained her restraint, "I know everyone wants a headline, and I would hate to sound like I am using such a painful part of my life—or my relationship with my mother—for that. So that always holds me back." The situation was exacerbated by the brutal media coverage and the emergence of online jokes and memes about the tragedy. "When I lost my mom, it was horrible. I don't know if anyone can imagine how it feels to lose someone so close and then watch it become a meme," she shared.
A Scathing Critique of Voyeuristic Media Culture
Janhvi Kapoor did not hold back in criticizing the current state of media and social media morality. She blamed the "voyeuristic nature of journalism, media culture and social media" for single-handedly contributing to the derailment of human morality. She pointed to the recent incident involving veteran actor Dharmendra as a repeated pattern, stating, "It's happened repeatedly before and will only keep happening."
She argued that the public is complicit, "every time we give such videos or headlines views, comments, likes, we incentivise this culture." Labeling the scenario "depressing," she lamented the loss of a collective conscience. "Humanity and morality are in shambles... It's disgusting that our modern-day crisis is the loss of morality because everything has become so voyeuristic."
Revealing the personal impact, she said that after Sridevi's demise, the then 20-year-old Janhvi was restricted from watching TV to shield her, but the content still reached her. "It hurt her as a daughter, and it was confusing. She doesn't think she will ever recover from it." Her anger, she clarified, extends beyond personal grief to what it reflects about societal decay.
On the work front, Janhvi Kapoor was last seen in the movie 'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumar', featuring Varun Dhawan, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf. Her career continues to be one of the most closely watched in contemporary Bollywood, now defined not just by her roles but by her resilient voice and hard-earned perspective.
