A throwback of Sridevi and Janhvi Kapoor. (courtesy: sridevi.kapoor)

New Delhi:

Actor Janhvi Kapoor on Thursday mentioned she had requested her mom celebrity Sridevi to not go to her on the set of her debut movie Dhadak, a choice she described as “one of the biggest regrets” of her life. Janhvi, daughter of Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor, made her foray into appearing with 2018’s Dhadak. The movie launched months after Sridevi died in Dubai on the age of 54. Hailed as one of many first feminine superstars of the Indian movie trade, Sridevi labored throughout languages in movies similar to Moondru Mudichu, Pokkiri Raja, Sadma, Chaalbaaz, Lamhe, Chandni and English Vinglish.

Janhvi mentioned she consciously wished to be away from her mom as she had “an unfair advantage”. “People were already saying ‘You got your first film because you are Sridevi’s daughter’. I decided I won’t take any help from her. I thought I had an unfair advantage. It will be more unfair if I took her advice. So, I told her ‘Please don’t come on set, I have to work on my own’.

“Sometimes, I really feel it was silly of me. I took all that nonsense a bit too critically. I remorse it… I do know she was dying to return on set and assist me as a mom. I simply did not let her. One of the most important regrets… I want I had simply mentioned ‘Mumma, please come, I’ve a shoot. I would like you’,” the 26-year-old said during a session on the second day of Agenda AajTak 2023.

Janhvi, known for her work in diverse films such as Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Good Luck Jerry, and Mili, said initially she used to feel pressured about being compared with her mother.

“I’d get nervous and overworked about all this baggage. But then I realised I used to be being in comparison with Mumma, Sridevi Kapoor, in order that was the usual. It solely began motivating me. In truth, Mumma informed me that my efficiency in my first movie will probably be in contrast along with her final movie. She had mentioned ‘I do not want this type of stress even on my enemy’,” she said. The actor said she didn’t understand the baggage of legacy would be that heavy.

“In life, there can by no means be any comparisons or competitiveness between a mom and a daughter. You do not compete along with your mother. It’s unfair to check any actor to my mom. So, I understood that my goal is to not compete along with her legacy however make her proud. I simply need to take her legacy ahead and I’ll preserve making an attempt to do that until the day I die,” she added.

Janhvi also praised her sister Khushi Kapoor for her debut film, The Archies. “I informed her ‘Be ready, persons are ready to hate you. But do not forget your self’… She did such an exquisite job. Her efficiency was very sincere and heat.” During the session, the actor said Sridevi didn’t like watching her own films. “She used to hate it. So, I used to observe them in secret,” she said.

Janhvi said initially she saw her mother’s lighter films like Mr India but has the strongest memory of watching Sadma with Sridevi. “I keep in mind we noticed ‘Sadma’ collectively and I grew to become actually offended at her as a result of by the tip of the movie, she would not recognise Kamal (Haasan) sir’s character. I requested her ‘Mumma, how might you overlook Kamal sir?’ I did not communicate to her for 2 days. I used to be very shaken,” she recalled.

The actor said she has started watching Sridevi’s old films to “objectively research her work” now that she is set to make her south cinema debut with Devara, fronted by Jr NTR. Janhvi also said life has come full circle for her with “Devara” as Sridevi and Telugu cinema veteran NT Rama Rao, grandfather of Jr NTR, worked in several films such as Vetagaadu, Satyam Shivam and Anuraga Devataa.

The actor said Devara marks her first glamorous role. “Dressing up, dancing, theatrics, that is my second nature. I’ve consciously tried to avoid glamorous roles… The world of Devara could be very totally different. It’s grand but actual,” she added.

She is also looking forward to the release of Mr and Mrs Mahi, in which Janhvi plays the role of a cricketer. The actor said she dislocated both her arms while playing cricket for the movie, which also stars Rajkummar Rao.

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