Published By: Sayan Paul

Happy Birthday, Janhvi Kapoor: Sridevi Wanted Her To Become A Doctor - Did You Know?

It was Janhvi's father, producer Boney Kapoor, who convinced her mother, Sridevi, to let her pursue acting.

We talk about nepotism - how star kids get an easy entry into Bollywood. But we often forget the flip side: the insane pressure that comes with it. Take Janhvi Kapoor, for instance. The moment she stepped into showbiz, she wasn't 'Janhvi' for us; she was 'Sridevi's Daughter'. Whatever she does, good or bad, it always comes down to a comparison with her legendary mother. If she nails a role or a dance number, it's "Well, of course, she is Sridevi's daughter!". And if her film flops, it's "See, even Sridevi's daughter couldn't make it work!" I'm not here to take sides or point fingers. But let's be honest, judging someone solely by their lineage is simply unfair!

And this is why many Bollywood stars don't want their kids to go through this pressure. Sridevi wasn't very keen on Janhvi pursuing acting, despite the latter's passion for it. In fact, she had planned some other career options for her daughter - and it's something you'd be surprised to know.

(Credit: Filmfare)

The 'Dhadak' actress turns 28 today. On this occasion, let’s learn an interesting fact about her that many are unaware of.

Sridevi Wanted Janhvi Kapoor To Become A Doctor

Coming from a family deeply rooted in the film industry, Janhvi was inclined towards acting even in her childhood. However, as already mentioned, Sridevi didn't want her daughter to deal with the baggage. And hence, she wanted her to become a doctor.

As Janhvi shared in one of her interviews, "Mom had only told me that my first film and performance won't be compared to her first film, it'll be compared to her last film. And she said to me, 'This kind of pressure I would not even want my enemy to have.’"

(Credit: Filmfare)

"When I was a kid, she really wanted me to become a doctor. I don't know why, and I was like, 'I am sorry, mom, but I don't have the intellect to become a doctor," she added.

Janhvi Kapoor On Being Compared With Her Mom, Sridevi

In several of her interviews, Janhvi has spoken about the pressure of being compared with her mother. At the AajTak Agenda event in 2023, she said, "I don’t think anybody can do what she did, anybody is as versatile as she is. The level at which she would operate I don’t think anybody can cope with that leave me alone! But in today’s generation, the actresses get compared to her dance moves, every step, every performance. My sister and I would initially stress a lot and get very nervous and overburdened with the baggage. But then I began to understand that I’m being compared to Mumma so that’s the standard."

(Credit: Sridevi Sena)

However, it went to such an extent that Janhvi started avoiding her mother. In that interview, she said, "When I started working on my first film, I was so conscious that I wanted to be completely detached from her because people anyway used to think that I got my first film because I am Sridevi Kapoor’s daughter. I went on a different trip and thought I wouldn’t take any help from her. If she acted a certain way, I would do the complete opposite. I used to tell her to not come on the sets, to not help me I used to feel that it’s already an unfair advantage, it will be more unfair if I take her advice.”

Jr NTR and Janhvi Kapoor in a still from ‘Devara: Part 1’

Notably, her father Boney Kapoor convinced Sridevi to let her pursue acting. In 2018, she made her debut with the romantic drama 'Dhadak', which was a commercial success.

There's no denying that Janhvi Kapoor has successfully stepped out of her mother's shadow to establish herself as a promising actress in the industry. Today, she has several hits to her name, including the Telugu action drama, 'Devara: Part 1'.