In 2018, Janhvi Kapoor stepped into the Bollywood limelight with her debut film, Dhadak. The year proved to be particularly challenging for her, as she faced the heartbreaking loss of her mother, the legendary Sridevi, just months prior to the film’s release. Recently, Janhvi opened up about her emotional turmoil following Dhadak, confessing that she fell into a depressive state, believing that audiences rejected her.
During a candid discussion with Raj Shamani, Janhvi reflected on her initial experiences in the film industry and her debut project. She starred alongside Ishaan Khatter in Dhadak, a Hindi adaptation of the acclaimed Marathi film, Sairat.
Janhvi shared, “Whenever people bring up my debut, they comment on how well I performed or how successful the film was. But for me, my memories of Dhadak are clouded by sadness. After its release, I felt a sense of despair, thinking that my career was over and that everyone disliked me.”
She continued, “My mother was my source of validation, and after she passed away, I subconsciously looked to the audience for approval. I expected widespread acceptance, but I soon learned that it wasn’t guaranteed. Instead, I fixated on the negative feedback, which distorted my perception of reality. I failed to recognize that Dhadak became one of the most commercially successful films featuring newcomers, and my focus was solely on the criticism.”
In another revealing moment, Janhvi discussed a harrowing experience from her teenage years. At just 15, she stumbled upon an image of herself on a pornographic website. “I’m not sure if it was a deepfake, but it was unsettling. I found out during an IT class when classmates were exploring those sites. It was an extremely bizarre experience, especially at that age,” she recalled.
Initially, Janhvi tried to rationalize it, thinking, “This is just part of the price of fame, as social media often lacks morality.” However, as time passed, the impact of such images took a toll on her. “I’m not at peace with it. There are AI-generated visuals of me circulating online, shared even by reputable news platforms, which are completely fabricated. I’ve never worn those outfits or posed like that, and it deeply disturbs me,” she revealed.