Janhvi Kapoor says media turning Sridevi and Dharmendra deaths into memes shows humanity is in shambles

Highlights:

• Janhvi Kapoor spoke at We The Women Asia about her mother Sridevi and Dharmendra’s deaths
• She criticised media and social media for turning grief into memes
• Actress says the coverage shows a “derailment of human morality”
• She recalled avoiding TV after her mother’s death due to constant exposure
• Janhvi stressed the importance of self-respect over external validation

Janhvi Kapoor has called out the harshness of today’s media after the deaths of her mother Sridevi in 2018 and veteran actor Dharmendra in November 2025. Speaking at the We The Women Asia event in Mumbai, she said the aftermath of these losses exposed a serious moral decline, particularly with how social media turned tragedy into memes. The actress was blunt about the emotional toll and the culture of voyeurism she sees in journalism today.

Janhvi Kapoor slams social media and journalism for insensitive coverage of Sridevi and Dharmendra deaths Getty Images

Why Janhvi Kapoor says media coverage hurt her deeply

Kapoor described her mother’s death as the darkest phase of her life. “The phase I went through then is something I will never be able to fully verbalise,” she said. She added that even speaking about it feels like a risk of being seen as seeking headlines. “I would hate to sound like I am using such a painful part of my life for that,” she said.

She also recalled being stopped from watching television after Sridevi passed away. Despite this, coverage kept appearing. “It hurt me as a daughter, and it was confusing. I don’t think I will ever recover from it,” Janhvi said.

How social media turned grief into memes

The actress criticised the way online content treated her mother’s death. “The voyeuristic nature of journalism, media culture, and social media has single-handedly contributed to the derailment of human morality,” she said. She added that Dharmendra’s recent passing showed the trend has not improved. “We saw what happened with Dharam ji. It’s happened repeatedly and will only keep happening,” Janhvi said.

Janhvi criticises social media turning grief into memesGetty Images

What Janhvi Kapoor says about respect and self-worth

Moving from grief, Janhvi spoke about learning to value self-respect over external approval. She said fame came easily because of her family’s legacy, but real respect only comes when you respect yourself. “Over the past couple of years, one thing I have learnt for sure is that unless you respect yourself, nobody else will,” she said.

She stressed that women, especially, feel pressure for validation. “When you enter a workspace and are told how to feel about yourself, you need to decide on your own: I believe in myself. Everything else follows,” she said.

Janhvi Kapoor emphasises self-respect over external validationGetty Images

What’s next for Janhvi Kapoor

Even with all the attention and the hard times, Janhvi is keeping her head down and working. She has been in Homebound, India’s Oscar entry, Param Sundari, and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari recently. She said she is focused on doing her job well and letting people see it.