Actor Janhvi Kapoor is known for her performances in movies such as Mili, GoodLuck Jerry and Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, among others. However, the actor opened up about her journey in Bollywood thus far, and said that although she has ‘gotten certain opportunities more easily’, she felt she was ‘at a disadvantage’. Janhvi also said that it hurts her when she’s putting in the hard work or undergoing the mental turmoil, and ‘some random, anonymous person on the internet’ questions her acting skills or slams her for being a ‘nepo baby’. Also read: Janhvi Kapoor hasn’t signed any Tamil film, Boney Kapoor issues statement
Janhvi is the elder daughter of late actor Sridevi and film producer Boney Kapoor. She made her acting debut in 2018 with Dhadak, which was backed by Karan Johar. Her younger sister Khushi Kapoor will soon be making her debut with Zoya Akhtar’s Netflix film, The Archies. In a new interview, Jahnvi reflected on how people assume ‘she’s gotten by easily in life’, and the role her mom Sridevi plays in her life choices.
“I am prioritising hard work. And I’ve always been very clear about my goals in life… I want to live up to my mother’s [Sridevi] legacy. This doesn’t come from a place of arrogance, but a desire to want to give back to my parents, as well as the audiences. While I may have gotten certain opportunities more easily, I also feel like I’m at a disadvantage. In the sense, people aren’t going to come and watch my films from a neutral perspective — they’re going to come in saying, ‘Oh, she’s gotten by easily in life; she’s privileged.’ So I have to convince them that I have something to offer; I work hard, and I value everything that I have been given. I love cinema, and I am not apologetic about it anymore, because I know I’m good at what I do… I’m just warming up,” Janhvi told Harper’s Bazaar India.
In the same interview, Janhvi spoke about people’s reaction to her and her films. She said, “You know, it really hurts when you’re putting in the hard work, the sweat and blood, or undergoing the mental turmoil, and some random, anonymous person on the internet goes like, ‘Acting nahi aati toh kyun karti ho, nepotism ki bacchi? (If you can’t act, why do you try, nepo baby?)’ It takes all of a second to reduce you to something insignificant. On the other hand, if somebody says, ‘You were good in Mili, but you could improve your performance in another film,’ then I respect that. You get to a point where you just have to acknowledge that some people are plain sad — for the lack of a better word — and are on a quest to snatch away your happiness.”
Janhvi was last seen in the survival thriller Mili. The film – a remake of the Malayalam film Helen – was produced by her father Boney Kapoor. Janhvi has several films lined up. She will be seen in Dostana 2, Bawaal alongside Varun Dhawan, and in Mr And Mrs Mahi with Rajkummar Rao.