Janhvi Kapoor Reveals Mom Sridevi's Advice On Handling "Inevitable Complications"

Janhvi Kapoor made her debut with the 2018 film Dhadak

Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor, who made her debut with the 2018 film Dhadak, always knew she had big shoes to fill. After all, she is the daughter of filmmaker Boney Kapoor and one of the sub-continent's biggest superstars Sridevi. Her mother's death just months before the release of her debut film only made her foray into Bollywood more complicated. Reflecting on her mother's advice when the 26-year-old first shared her desire to become an actress and took the plunge, Janhvi told Elle, “My mother would have given me more advice than she did, especially leading up to my first film. Until then, our discussions about movies were limited to my observations of her reactions to films we watched together as a family. When I expressed my interest in filmmaking, she emphasised that I should be prepared for inevitable comparisons between my debut and her extensive filmography—something she considered inherently unfair.” 

Adding that her mother asked her not to pay attention to such comparisons, Janhvi said, “She [Sridevi] stressed the importance of being the most authentic version of myself, experiencing emotions organically, and working diligently, underscoring the mantra ‘no pain, no gain.'”

About the mantle of Sridevi's legacy falling on her shoulders as well as her sister, actress Khushi, Janhvi Kapoor said, “Navigating the responsibility of carrying forward a legacy is a complex theme in my life and occupies a significant space in my thoughts. It's also a straightforward matter in some respects. Starting with the fact that I don't have a clean slate, there's an existing benchmark that I must strive to meet. The standards are exceptionally high, given the legacy set by my parents.”