Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi, Anshula, Khushi are my blood and had to come together, says dad Boney Kapoor on life after Sridevi

With his daughter Janhvi Kapoor’s debut film Dhadak doing steady business at the box office, producer Boney Kapoor spoke about the difficulties she had to experience after her mother Sridevi’s sudden death, and how his four children found each other in the face of tragedy.

“I am blessed to have these four,” Boney told SpotboyE. “They love each other a lot and I am glad that they have come together. It was due to happen anytime, it just happened when something unfortunate happened. They are all my blood and they had to come around.”

Boney said that he credits all his children for showing great maturity, but “more to Arjun because he is the eldest. He flew in to Dubai to be with me. Anshula was in Mumbai with Janhvi and Khushi.”

Boney Kapoor (C) poses for a picture with his daughters Janhvi Kapoor (L), Anshula Kapoor (2L) and Khushi Kapoor (R) and son Arjun Kapoor (2L) during the wedding reception of actor Sonam Kapoor and businessman Anand Ahuja in Mumbai. (AFP)
He said that Janhvi shot half of Dhadak after losing her mother, who died suddenly in February while attending a family wedding in Mumbai. “It requires great courage in such conditions to play the part,”

He said that he’s been receiving calls and messages praising Janhvi’s performance. “Shabana Azmi told me ‘Has Janhvi done chupke se 25-30 films that you haven’t released? She looks so polished on screen’. Rekhaji was in tears, Javed Akhtar also called,” Boney said.

He had discussed Janhvi’s scenes with Sridevi before they’d left for Dubai. “Sri and I had seen quite a few scenes much before we left for Dubai,” he said. “We were in the car and I asked her what she thinks of her. She said that I should answer that question first. I replied: ‘The good thing about her is she is not in awe of you.’”

He expressed happiness that his daughter’s film was doing so well – as of Tuesday, the film has made almost Rs 40 crore in India – especially since Tevar, the film he did with son Arjun, bombed. “It hurt,” Boney said, but Arjun “never blamed me for it.”

Jhanvi Kapoor with her filmmaker father Boney Kapoor at the special screening of her upcoming film Dhadak, in Mumbai. (IANS)
But he is confident of Janhvi’s instincts, which he said she gets from her mother. “She knows what she wants to do and what she doesn’t want to do,” he said. “Everything will be discussed at home but the final decision will be her’s.” His youngest daughter, Khushi wanted to become a model, but has now switched her focus to acting, Boney said.

Boney is now focussing on his projects, although with Sridevi’s passing the planned Mr India sequel might not get made. “Today, I am prepared for anything. I don’t fear anything. I am ready to face. That a streak/trait in me that has kept me strong. I can carry on with life with eventualities that have not been good,” he said.