I never wanted Harshvardhan to be like me: Dad Anil Kapoor gets candid

Anil Kapoor exudes likeability and a sense of humour, even when he’s being self-indulgent. Harshvardhan Kapoor needs to be reminded to loosen up. He admits he’s an introvert, but don’t be fooled by his reserved nature when it comes to the family business. In GQ’s June 2017 issue, they talk about their relationship. An excerpt:

You have very different personalities.

Anil: There’s a big difference between a regular father and son relationship and a father and son who are actors. I named him Harshvardhan because I never wanted him to be like me. We could’ve kept it Harsh Kapoor but I thought, “Let’s name him Harsh-Vardhan so that Kapoor isn’t his only identity.”

Harsh, do you always have to try harder?

Harshvardhan: I’m still so new; people haven’t seen enough of me. But, nobody is making the choices that I am at my age. Some actors say, “I want to be the biggest star in the country.” That’s not my aim.

What was your equation with your father like, Anil?

Anil: We had a communication gap. What I couldn’t achieve with my father, I wanted with my children... I’m friends with them.

How is your relationship different with each of them?

Anil: Rhea and Harsh are like equals. With Sonam, there’s a communication gap, maybe because we’re similar. We connect emotionally, but we can’t sit and talk for hours.