Page 10 - Seniorstoday July 2022 Issue

Performance By A Cast In A Motion Sonam has never been bogged down by the
Picture.’ The other International project
which came much later was when he saw
the American television series 24 and was
greatly impressed by it. He ended up acting
in the eighth season, and producing an
adaptation for India as well. Anil Kapoor’s
name and face now rang familiar with the
American media as well, earning him a spot
as one of the most acclaimed Indian actors
globally.
In the decade after 2000, Anil came up
with some heart-winning performances
in Badhaai Ho Badhaai, Om Jai Jagadish,
an unconventional Calcutta Mail, the
thoroughly enjoyable and slick Chocolate,
Slumdog Millionaire and Shootout At
Wadala etc.
Amidst all the serious roles he played,
Anil reprised a number of comic characters
as well. His timing was impeccable, his
humour never risqué, and always a class
apart.
In 2007, his daughter Sonam readied
herself to join the industry as an actress,
with her big launch in Sanjay Leela
Bhansali’s Saawariya. With his laadli
Sonam setting foot in Bollywood terra
firma, Anil was a protective, eager, but
apprehensive father. When one was to
conduct Sonam’s first ever interview, he
called me aside and whispered in my ear,
“Be gentle on my baby girl.” He had said, “I
want Sonam to not only handle her work,
but also help me in mine.” Anil believed
that given her youth and the energy she
possessed (he could easily be talking
about himself even today), the scope for
achievement is phenomenal. Anil today has
an innate sense of what to say, how much to
say, when to say and what not to say. (But
in the early days, Anil could be blunt.) This
he taught his kids and taught them well.
10
fear of having to live up to her dad’s legacy.
She says proudly, “Yes, I am Anil Kapoor’s
daughter, I have things easy because of
who I am, and I’m not apologetic about it.
My dad’s mad, oh, I love him. He loves his
job. He’s obsessed with it. For him, work is
worship.”
Kapoor’s family is his strength
Sunita Kapoor is the reason Sonam is the
person she is. Anil Kapoor is the reason
Sonam made her choice. Anil always knew
she wanted to be an actor, because one
actor always recognises another. Says Anil,
“It’s very important to be in a profession
where you love your work. In all the
decades that I’ve worked in the industry,
I have never experienced a single moment
when I didn’t love my job. And when she
made the choice, how could I deny my
daughter the experience of that joy that I
derive from my work?”
Sunita would have liked her daughters
to have conventional marriages at the
right age, but Anil said: “Let my daughters
work. They are so intelligent, so beautiful
and so strong.” They have him wrapped
round their little fingers. Sonam and Rhea
do! Rhea, in her mother’s footsteps is a
tremendously talented Costume designer
as well as interior designer. In fact, it is
she who has designed dear daddy’s office
spaces even. Strong girls both, Anil dotes
on them. And they, him.