Anil Kapoor Recalls Rajesh Khanna’s Flop Film Destroyed Father Surinder Kapoor’s Career; Says, “He Was Vulnerable, Almost In Tears”

Anil Kapoor reflected on how the entire film industry turned against his father, Surinder Kapoor, after one of his films starring Rajesh Khanna failed at the box office. Anil has always been open about how his father’s relatively unfulfilled career as a film producer influenced his own decision to become an actor. He has often said that he wanted to fulfil what his father couldn’t achieve on his own terms and build something that would make him proud.

Anil Kapoor On His Father’s Struggles

Anil shared how his father continues to be remembered for his integrity in the industry. He told Lilly Singh, “My dad was a great guy, he was very, very humble, very honest, with a lot of integrity. He came to Mumbai, I think, in the late ’50s or early ’60s, I’m not sure. Then he became an assistant to K. Asif, and later a manager to an actor. Wherever I went in this film fraternity, people would always tell me what a good man he was, what a nice man he was, what an honest man he was. Not how successful he was, you know. First and foremost, they always spoke about what a phenomenal human being he was. So that was my dad.”

He also spoke about his mother, Nirmal Kapoor, saying, “My mom was known to be the best cook in this film fraternity. It’s like folklore, food cooked by Mrs. Sunil Kapoor, or Anil’s mom, or Sonam’s grandmother. Her food was legendary. We used to stay in Chembur, near RK Studios. No matter who was shooting, food would go from my home. She was like an elder stateswoman. Whoever in this industry needed advice, whether it was about marriage, children being born, or anything else, she was really like a mother to everybody around us: family, friends, everyone.”

Surinder Ji Didn’t Help Anil Kapoor Get Work

He also shared that despite his father being a producer working with leading stars, he made it clear he wouldn’t help Anil land a film. Anil recalled, “So when I said I wanted to become an actor, he said, ‘Okay, go ahead. But I can’t make a film for you. You’ll have to find work for yourself.’ And that was great, because he let me do what I wanted to do and pursue my dreams.”

Anil said he began his journey at a very young age and didn’t have time to reflect deeply then. He shared, “I started pursuing a career at a very young age, around 18 or 19, I think. Before I could complete my studies, my dad wasn’t well. He had a heart attack. He was a film producer, and it was difficult to get leading men and actors for his films at the time. So I said, ‘I have to become an actor. I have to become a leading man.’ And that’s when I really started pursuing my career seriously. At that time, I couldn’t really give myself the space to process my feelings because I was constantly trying to build a career, become an actor, get work, get a job. I was always trying to find work.”

Anil Kapoor Recalls Rajesh Khanna’s Flop Film Destroyed Father’s Career

He also recalled an incident when one of his father’s films, starring Rajesh Khanna, failed at the box office. The actor said, “I remember one of his films had released, and it was starring one of the biggest superstars, Rajesh Khanna. Everybody expected it to become a huge success, but it turned out to be a big failure. And I remember how everybody changed within hours.”

Anil explained, “He was travelling from Delhi because films used to release in different states on different days back then, not all at once. So he went to Bangalore, and there was no one there to receive him at the airport. Everybody had absolutely kind of deserted him, disowned him. That was shocking. And that’s the first time I saw him like that. He came back, and while he wasn’t exactly crying, I could see he was very vulnerable, almost in tears.”

Kapoor concluded, “That visual has always stayed in my mind. And that’s one of the reasons, seeing my dad go through that, I always wanted to become a hero, a leading man, an actor.”

He was last seen in Subedaar.

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Akankshya Mukherjee is a dynamic and ambitious individual poised to make waves in the realm of Media and Communication. With a passion for creativity and a drive to contribute to forward-thinking organizations, Akankshya embodies adaptability and a hunger for learning. Having already garnered experience through involvement in various organizations, she has honed the skill of quickly adapting to new environments and challenges. She sees each opportunity as a chance for personal and professional growth, eagerly embracing roles in communications and content writing.