Janhvi Kapoor on life after Sridevi’s death: Dhadak, my family gave me strength to go on

The debut of Sridevi’s daughter was always going to be an event. Years before it was confirmed that Janhvi Kapoor would make her debut in Shashank Khaitan’s Dhadak, an adaptation of Marathi hit Sairat, the star kid was being watched by the media and audience alike. The untimely death of her mother Sridevi in February left the entire country shocked. As Janhvi begins promoting Dhadak, she accepts that the succour for her during these difficult months has been Dhadak.

She returned to the film sets days after Sridevi’s death and was applauded for her professionalism. “It hasn’t been an easy experience. My work and my family have given me the strength to go on. If it wasn’t for coming back to the sets of Dhadak or being able to act, I think it would have been much tougher than what it is now. I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to work in the film and act. It saved me in many ways,” Janhvi said in an interview to India Today.

Dhadak’s first trailer, that also stars Ishaan Khatter, was released on June 11 and received mixed reactions. While some were impressed with Janhvi and Ishaan, others criticised the film for pandering to Bollywood cliches and casting two star kids in the lead role.

Reacting to the trolling and criticism, Janhvi told the news channel, “Of course it affects me. But up until this point it was like, if they’re going to criticise me for how I look while coming out of the gym, I don’t really care. But all of a sudden, now I’m a little more nervous because I am supposed to be good at this, right? This is what I’ve wanted to do. I want people to love me.”

Janhvi also shared the tips her late mom offered to her, “My mom always used to say that in order to be a good actor, you need to be a good person. Because the camera is very smart. If you’re not a good person, if you’re fake, it shows. If your heart is not clean, it is visible.”

Asked about the worst comment she has received after Dhadak trailer, Janhvi said, “I think I read somewhere I can’t act. I went into a panic attack... (thinking) so what is my life all about then.”

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