Janhvi Kapoor interview: ‘South Indian films are made with great conviction’

The mom and daughter’s routes to success have been different — Sridevi made her debut as a child artiste in the Tamil film Thunaivan (1969) and played the role of Muruga. Janhvi burst on the scene with chocolate boy Ishaan Khatter in the remake of the Marathi hit Sairat (2016), directed by Nagraj Manjule.

Janhvi was recently in Delhi for the promotion of her film Mr. & Mrs. Mahi. In the city’s sweltering heat, she also posed happily for lensmen at the India Gate on a particularly humid day when the temperatures had soared to 46 degrees Celsius. It made me realise she does have her mom’s genes of hard work. Mr. & Mrs. Mahi, produced by Dharma Productions, along with Zee, and directed by Sharan Sharma, is set for release on May 31.

Mr. & Mrs. Mahi is the second Hindi film based on the life of cricketer Mahinder Singh Dhoni aka Mahi after MS Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016), starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Kiara Advani. Jahnvi plays a doctor whose hidden passion for cricket is discovered, and nurtured, by her husband (Rajkummar Rao), a failed sportsman, in an arranged marriage. “I am immune to weather conditions. I was shooting in Ahmedabad in 46 degrees Celsius. Somehow my body can take the heat,” says Kapoor. Though, while shooting at the pitch, many people on the set passed out due to the unbearable dust and humidity, she adds.

Preparing for her role in Mr. & Mrs. Mahi

“Delhi is special as I came here for Dhadak promotions. It has a magical charm. I am hoping this film will do well, too,” she says, adding that her co-star, Rajkummar Rao, who has been in the eye of a storm due to his ‘experiments’ with face fillers, could not accompany her as he is tied up with shooting another film. She admits to her belief in astrology and how stars define our future. Sometimes, she has seen people going on first dates checking the Zodiac sign ‘compatibility’. “I believe in serendipity, but I am not crippled by it. In fact, I have seen so many apps now which can foretell your future,” she reveals.  

Janhvi gets her religious edge from her mother Sridevi and was insistent she begin the journey on a spiritual note. Thus, there was Ganga Aarti in Banaras, along with tasting the savories (betelnut included). She admits, “The positive energy of the historic, holy city, provided mental equilibrium. I feel it was part of the divine plan.” The role of a cricketer required intensive strength training, which resulted in many injuries, but Kapoor confesses she also lost 8 kgs, which affected her other films.

“My cricket coach, Abhishek Nayar, trained me. Frankly, it was grueling — net practice for two hours, then cardio for an hour, combined with a low carb diet,” she smiles. Her Bawaal director Nitesh Tiwari told her after seeing her several kilos lighter, “This is not my Nisha!” In Bawaal, which released last year, she plays a vivacious woman, who marries a school teacher (Varun Dhawan) and changes his life. “Mahima, my character in Mr. & Mrs. Mahi, had to be juggled with the other roles I play. A lot of this film is also borrowed from certain phases in my life — the highs and lows. In some ways, the character took an emotional toll on me,” she confirms.

‘Marriage is all about a good partnership’

Working with Rao was new, as earlier the only interaction they had was when she played a ghost in Hardik Mehta’s 2021 film Roohi (the second installment in Maddock Supernatural Universe; the first was Stree, followed by Bhediya — both directed by Amar Kaushik). They hoped then that they would get a chance to work together. Though the film went down as the worst in the history of horror films, Kapoor says working with Rao was a ‘delight’. “I could not have asked for a better co-star. He supports everyone on the set unflinchingly,” she smiles. 

Rao, she says, used to energise her and they both loved the script. “The role we played is robust as the husband-wife share a similar value system. You need someone to support your dreams in life or you can lose your self-confidence. Marriage is all about a good partnership.”

As children, Kapoor says, we all want validation and acknowledgement from parents, and many times she, too, has faced similar situations like Rao does in the film. “I had a lot of people in my life who kept me grounded, and I am thankful for that,” she says, adding that she appreciates criticism upfront and refuses to pander to egos.

On Devara: Part I, her next film with Junior NTR

Women, she believes, are often forced to give up their careers for motherhood or household responsibilities. “It is a problem if you are ambitious. Their ambition is derided. However, I feel such women must be celebrated,” she adds. The role of women is not limited to just nurturing or being self-effacing, most judge strong women for their desire for independence, she explains. 

Interestingly, the roles many times overlap her personal experiences, just like in the film. Her life was about committing to the hustle of being a star, the privileges and trolls that come with it, as well as the challenges of working despite injuries and films failing. “I play a doctor, and giving that up to pursue a sport such as cricket, with its unpredictability similar to a film career, is a tough choice. You never know if you will succeed or fall flat on your face,” she says, adding that her all-time favourite cricketer is Dhoni whom she admires for his patience, perseverance and above all ‘coolness’. “Isn’t he everyone’s favourite?” she laughs.

Her next big film is with RRR actor Junior NTR. Devara: Part 1, a Telugu-language action film, had Rs 300-crore budget. It will be directed by Koratala Siva. Saif Ali Khan plays the antagonist in the film that will release on October 10 this year. It is something that remains close to her heart being from the South. “It was a wonderful experience. I must admit that in the South, they are very passionate about their storytelling, and work with great conviction. I am fortunate to work with these directors. I play Thangam, the lead actress opposite Junior NTR,” she says, adding that it will be exciting for the audience to see Saif play the villain.