Actor Janhvi Kapoor gets candid about her work and fitness journey

“I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be an actor,” says Janhvi Kapoor, in a candid conversation with YS Life. 

This comes as no surprise given that she is the daughter of late superstar Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor. 

Janhvi Kapoor made her movie debut in 2018 with Dhadak, which was a commercial success. But critical acclaim and acceptance eluded her for a while, until Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020) proved to critics what she was capable of. 

In the last five years or so, Kapoor has had to work her way through the Hindi film industry, experiencing a fair of share of criticism along the journey. The expectations from the young actor were perhaps high as her mother was a talented actor and she also comes from the Kapoor family, a prominent name in showbiz. 

But Kapoor remained, and continues to remain, unfazed by all this.

Over the years, as the actor moved forward in her career, she has learnt to handle all the criticism that came her way with equanimity. 

“At the start of my career, I used to pay a lot of heed to such comments. But now, I have started taking only the positives into consideration,” says Kapoor. 

“I have come to realise that, no matter what you do, some people will always have something to say about you. I welcome constructive criticism and take it as learning and evolve as a professional as well as an individual,” she adds.

So far, the 26-year-old has appeared in six movies, the most remarkable ones being Gunjan Saxena and Mili (2022). 

Beyond movies, Kapoor has also gained fame as a fashion icon, winning several awards for the same. Her inimitable sense of style is quite evident on her Instagram page, which has a massive following of 21.5 million users. 

While the actor comes across as a glamorous personality in her public appearances, off the camera, she is just a ‘regular’ person, who doesn’t shy away from sharing nuggets from her daily life with her social media audience. 

Kapoor is also known for her intense dedication to fitness and health. Recently, Marico’s Saffola FITTIFY signed her as the brand ambassador for its range of peanut butter and nutritional gummies.  

YS Life caught up with Kapoor to discuss her fitness transformation, her acting career, her choice of scripts, and more. 

Edited excerpts from the email interview:

YS Life (YSL): Your performances in Gunjan Saxena, Good Luck Jerry, and Mili were praised by both critics and the public. Did you intentionally select female-led films? 

Janhvi Kapoor (JK): I feel working on female-led projects is empowering; so, I will continue to invest in such films. However, it is always a great learning experience to experiment with roles. You get to learn a lot about the process of acting when you embody and get under the skin of diverse characters. It is an opportunity for continued growth for me as a professional. Moreover, it is exciting to bring different and unique stories to the audience.

YSL: How would you describe your evolution as an actor and as a person? 

JK: My evolution as an actor has a lot to do with my choice of scripts, and I’ve fortunately been a part of such beautiful films. 

After Dhadak, I was a part of Roohi, which was a horror-comedy, followed by Gunjan Saxena, which was a beautifully challenging biographical drama, then Good Luck Jerry and Mili. While Roohi got the quirky side of me, Gunjan Saxena got me on my feet to be able to carry a memorable story. 

I think that the entire journey has contributed not only to my growth as an actor but also as an individual. There is always so much to discover and learn from co-actors as well as the stories they represent.

YSL: What is the most difficult aspect of being an actor and being in the limelight all the time? 

JK: There is a perception that actors have to look perfect all the time. There are days when you want to go out just as you are, but you are expected to be dressed up all the time. I genuinely like being natural, be it publicly or with my own clan. However, I do absolutely love the kind of admiration people shower me with. 

YSL: If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be? 

JK: If I could go back in time, I would stop feeling so insecure about my body and stop paying much heed to what society had to say. I used to feel bad about the way I looked and that had a great impact on the way I perceived myself. But I am glad I am past that stage.

YSL: Take us through your fitness journey. 

JK: Honestly, it’s been quite a journey! When I was younger, my idea of being fit was being leaner. But as I approached my fitness journey, I have come to realise that it is more about consistency, eating healthy food, and working out on a regular basis. My fitness journey started with smaller, low-intensity exercises, along with a proper balanced diet. I had to cut down on sugar and junk food. As time passed, I increased the intensity of my workouts and now it is not as hard as it used to be. 

YSL: What has been the most challenging part of your fitness journey? 

JK: My fitness journey from being chubby to fit was empowering but, at the same time, extremely challenging. Leaving behind old habits and getting into new ones is not as easy as it seems. 

The most difficult part of starting your fitness journey is that your body is not used to such a strenuous workout, which is one of the reasons why people give up. But, thankfully, my trainer made me understand that I needed to take smaller steps and be persistent in my routine. 

YSL: Whom do you seek inspiration from when it comes to acting and fitness? 

JK:  When it comes to acting, I think Alia Bhatt has set a benchmark for all of us with her incredible choice of scripts and the way she gives it her all when it comes to portraying a character. She is an absolute inspiration for me! 

And when it comes to fitness, there is no one who can beat my chachu (uncle), Anil Kapoor. He is 66 years old but looks way younger and can give a lot of people a run for their money. He really is a motivation for so many youngsters who aspire to be fit in the long run.

YSL: If not acting, then what? Why?

JK: I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be an actor. If I had not stepped into the industry, I would have pursued a career in the medical field because that is what my parents wanted me to do.

Rapid fire with Janhvi Kapoor

YSL: Best thing about being an actor? 

JK: Being able to live and breathe different characters. 

YSL: Worst thing about being an actor? 

JK: Erratic shoot hours. 

YSL: A role/character you wish you could play?

JK: Female counterpart of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker.

YSL: Your guilty pleasure? 

JK: I love bingeing on ice creams, tiramisu, and hot chocolate brownies with ice cream!

YSL: Favourite cheat meal? 

JK: Pizzas, chocolates, cheese nachos and fries!

YSL: Mantra you live by? 

JK: Approach everything you do with perseverance and consistency.