Janhvi Kapoor says Shikhar Pahariya took break from studies in London and moved to Juhu to be near her after Sridevi’s death

On Koffee With Karan, Janhvi Kapoor reportedly shared that Shikhar Pahariya took time off his studies and moved nearby after her mother, Sridevi, died.

Actor Janhvi Kapoor is set to appear on Karan Johar’s Koffee With Karan alongside her Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari co-star Varun Dhawan. According to The Indian Express, Janhvi opened up about her relationship with Shikhar Pahariya on the upcoming episode, recalling how he stood by her like a pillar of strength after her mother, Sridevi, died in 2018.

Janhvi Kapoor recalls Shikhar Pahariya's support after Sridevi's death.

Janhvi Kapoor on Shikhar Pahariya's support after Sridevi's death

Janhvi and Shikhar have been rumoured to have been dating for several years, although they have not publicly confirmed their relationship. Their frequent appearances together at family gatherings and public events have continued to fuel speculation. In the upcoming episode, Karan reportedly recalls witnessing Shikhar’s support for Janhvi after Sridevi’s death, even though the two were not officially dating at the time.

When Karan asks Janhvi whether she always knew Shikhar was her “endgame”, she recalls how he quietly rearranged his life to be there for her after the tragedy.

She says, “I think he was studying in London, he took like half a semester off. He came to Bombay and he used to stay in town with his dad then, and he moved to his, which I only found out much later, he moved to his friend's house in Juhu for like a month. Not that I was seeing him every day or anything like that, but later on I just found out that he was like, no, in case she needs me, I just want to be around."

Sridevi’s death

Veteran actor Sridevi died on February 24, 2018, aged 54, in Dubai, where she had travelled to attend a family wedding. Her death shocked the film industry and her fans. Although initial reports suggested cardiac arrest, Dubai authorities later confirmed that she had died due to accidental drowning in the bathtub of her hotel room.

Her body was brought back to Mumbai on February 27, and her funeral took place the following day. Several film industry colleagues and thousands of fans gathered to pay their last respects.

Janhvi Kapoor and Shikhar Pahariya’s relationship

Janhvi hinted at her relationship with Shikhar during her appearance on Koffee With Karan 8 in 2023, when she named “Shiku”, her nickname for him, as one of the three people on her speed dial.

In April 2024, she was spotted wearing a necklace bearing his name at the screening of her father Boney Kapoor’s film Maidaan. A month later, she spoke about their bond in an interview, revealing that Shikhar had been part of her life since she was 15 or 16. She described them as each other’s support system and said their dreams had always been intertwined.

Boney has also expressed his affection for Shikhar. The couple were subsequently rumoured to be planning to marry in 2026, but Boney denied the reports in May.