Shahid Kapoor says he 'didn’t grow up around father' Pankaj Kapur, began supporting mom Neelima Azeem financially at 14

Shahid Kapoor opened up on his equation with parents Pankaj Kapur and Neelima Azeem while growing up.

Shahid Kapoor was raised by his mother, actor Neelima Azim, after her separation and divorce from his father, actor Pankaj Kapur. In a new interview, Shahid opened up on how difficult it was for Neelima as a single mom and how he felt responsible and protective towards her as a result. (

Shahid Kapoor with father Pankaj Kapur.

Shahid Kapoor on growing up without dad

In an interview with Screen, Shahid shared, “My mom was quite young when she had me. We were more like friends. My mom always took me wherever she went. And the fact that I was her first and elder son, somewhere I used to feel very responsible. In my case, I didn’t grow up around my father. So at such situations, you don’t see your age but feel like, ‘I am the man of the house’. Of course, at that time, I didn’t have too much to offer, but I had the courage to stand up for my mother. I always felt very protective and loving towards my mom. Our bond was different. She always treated me like a friend, and I think that was the best thing between us. We continue to share the same bond.”

Talking about wanting to work very early in his life, Shahid recalled his first foray into dance at 14 and eventually music videos and ads by the time he turned 18. “I think it also came from the fact that my mom was a single parent and I didn’t want to burden her with my expenses so the only thing that ran in my head was that ‘I need to start making money’. I wanted to support my mom since the age of 14-16. She was single-handedly taking care of everything. I want to be able to participate and contribute and if not more, I at least need to take care of my own expenses. So it all started there,” the actor said.

Shahid Kapoor in Deva

Shahid Kapoor made his film debut with Ishq Vishk at 22 and found instant fame. Over the years, he has starred in commercially successful films and also earned critical acclaim. The actor saw the release of his latest film, Deva, on January 31. The film, directed by Roshan Andrewss, also stars Pooja Hegde.