Anshula Kapoor, daughter of Boney Kapoor, opened up about the emotional aftermath when her father fell in love with Sridevi. She also talked about the separation of her parents. In an interview with Nayandeep Rakshit, Anshula said she faced social rejection in school after the family split, as divorce and separation were still taboo in 1990s India.
A Childhood Marked by Social Rejection
“Going back to school, of course things changed. You have to keep in mind that our parents separated in the 1990s… Our tradition speaks about one marriage, one family, lasting for life. Divorces were unheard of,” Anshula explained. She added, “When our parents separated, it took people a while to understand that there is nothing inherently wrong with anybody’s character.”
She recalled being in first grade when families started distancing themselves. “They didn’t want their children to come into our house and be part of any friction,” she said. “I remember there was a drastic shift in the way my classmates were behaving… It was a very emotional and confusing time to be in school.”
Anshula said her brother Arjun was in secondary school at the time, so she leaned on cousins Rhea and Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor for emotional support. “It’s very difficult, as a child, to understand why you’re being alienated… I’ve always had to meander my way through life as an individual,” she shared.
Impact Of Sridevi And Boney Kapoor’s Marriage
She also discussed the absence of her father. “There was the confusion of not having dad at home, ever. Trying to deal with the reality of the family axis having shifted… was very difficult,” she added. However, she found strength in her mother and brother. “Now, we’re a lot more open-minded.”
Her mother never kept secrets from her, even about the public nature of Boney Kapoor’s new relationship. “Had they not been that public, it would’ve been easier for us to deal with,” she said.
After Sridevi died in 2018, Anshula and Arjun reconnected with their half-sisters Janhvi and Khushi. “We went through our own turmoil… But we had each other for comfort,” Anshula said, calling them her gain from tragedy.