In a recent conversation, veteran actor Pankaj Kapur opened up about his children's careers, specifically highlighting how his son, Shahid Kapoor, has built his path in the entertainment world without relying on his father's name.
Speaking with Times Now, he expressed pride in the fact that all his children prefer to stand on their own feet.
Pankaj shared that his children, including Shahid, Sanah, and Ruhaan, chose the path of hard work over privilege. He mentioned that they go and audition on their own and do so without revealing their family background. According to him, he has passed down his genes but left the struggle and the success to them.
Discussing his parenting philosophy, Pankaj said, "If you win, you will get the confidence of a winner and if you lose, you would know that you made a mistake. And I have given that to all my children. When I see any of my children working and standing on their own feet, and since these days there's a fashion of audience, they don't tell that they are my children."
He further explained that their achievements are a result of their individual merit. He added, "They go and audition on their own, and when they get selected, it makes them feel good about it. It's not because of their father's name or their brother's (Shahid Kapoor) name. So was true about Shahid. He also stood on his own feet and made it completely on his own, wherever he is today. Yes, there was this thing that this man is always there, but in case required.”
Shahid Kapoor, born to Pankaj Kapur and Neelima Azeem, has previously echoed similar sentiments about his journey. In an older interview with Bollywood Bubble, he addressed the misconceptions around his entry into films. Shahid had said, "I'm one of those self-made guys who people think because his papa was an actor, he got it easy. And I get very upset with that. I'm like, 'Hey guys, you don't know my struggle.' Just because my father was Pankaj Kapur doesn't mean that I had it easy because I didn't even live with him. I lived with my mom."
On the work front, Shahid Kapoor was recently seen in Vishal Bhardwaj’s O Romeo, which released in February. Meanwhile, Pankaj Kapur recently appeared alongside Dimple Kapadia in the film Jab Khuli Kitaab, which premiered on ZEE5 on March 6.