Highlights
- Veteran actor says his children audition without using the family name
- Kapur praises Shahid for carving his own path in the film industry
- Actor recently appeared in Jab Khuli Kitaab alongside Dimple Kapadia
Veteran actor Pankaj Kapur has spoken with pride about his children’s approach to the entertainment industry, saying his son Shahid Kapoor achieved success through his own efforts rather than relying on his family name.
In an interview with Times Now, Kapur said all his children prefer to audition independently and rarely reveal their family connections while seeking roles.
Auditioning without the family name
Kapur said he encouraged his children to pursue opportunities on their own merit, adding that success or failure should come from personal effort.
“If you win, you get the confidence of a winner, and if you lose, you understand that you made a mistake,” he said, explaining that this mindset shaped how his children approached their careers.
According to the actor, they attend auditions without mentioning that he is their father. When they are selected, he said, the achievement feels more meaningful because it is not linked to a well-known surname.
‘Shahid stood on his own feet’
Kapur noted that the same principle applied to Shahid, who established himself as a leading actor in Hindi cinema.
“So was true about Shahid,” he said. “He also stood on his own feet and made it completely on his own, wherever he is today.”
He added that while he has always been present as a father, his son’s career was built through his own work and determination.
Shahid, the son of Kapur and actor Neliima Azeem, has previously spoken about the perception that he had an easier path because of his father’s reputation.
In an earlier interview with Bollywood Bubble, Shahid said people often assume his career came easily due to his family background. He pointed out that he grew up primarily with his mother and did not live with his father during his early years.
A family rooted in cinema
Kapur and Azeem were married between 1979 and 1984. Following their divorce, the actor married Supriya Pathak in 1988. The couple have two children together, actors Sanah Kapur and Ruhaan Kapoor.
Shahid was most recently seen in O Romeo, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. The film, released in February, also features Triptii Dimri, Vikrant Massey, Tamannaah Bhatia and Nana Patekar, and draws inspiration from a chapter of Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai.
Kapur himself recently appeared in Jab Khuli Kitaab, written and directed by Saurabh Shukla. The film, which also stars Dimple Kapadia and Aparshakti Khurana, was released on ZEE5 on 6 March and explores the emotional tensions within a long marriage disrupted by a hidden truth.