Anshula Kapoor, daughter of Boney Kapoor and his first wife Mona Shourie, recently revealed that she initially blamed herself for her parents' divorce. Boney Kapoor divorced Mona Shourie in 1996, after 13 years of marriage, and that same year, he married Bollywood actor Sridevi.
In a recent interview, Anshula shared her childhood struggles following her father's marriage to Sridevi. She recounted feeling like she was the reason her parents separated. "As a 6-year-old I thought before me, their life was all hunky dory and I came to their life and suddenly they don't belong together," Anshula explained. "I thought, maybe, I was not a good enough daughter". She added that these feelings intensified after Janhvi Kapoor, Boney's first child with Sridevi, was born. "I think that became more apparent after–and I know it sounds horrible–Jaanu (Janhvi Kapoor) was born because I was like maybe, something was wrong with me,” Anshula said.
Anshula clarified that both of her parents assured her that she was never the reason for their separation. However, she acknowledged the psychological impact the situation had on her at a young age. "But, it was a child trying to figure out what went wrong and thinking maybe I only went wrong,” Anshula stated. “You can't predict what effects someone psychologically. Especially when you are so young, how you process things are completely different”. Following her parents' separation, Anshula "resigned into my own shell".
Anshula also reflected on the social challenges she faced after her parents' divorce and her father's subsequent marriage to Sridevi. She recalled being in the first grade when families began to distance themselves. "There were families who didn't want to associate with what was happening in our lives," she said. "They didn't want their children to come into our house and be part of any friction". Anshula noted that divorces were uncommon in India during the 1990s, and the public nature of her father's second marriage amplified the difficulties. "Because of the partner that dad chose—unfortunately or fortunately—it became a lot more public, because they were both public figures,” she explained. “Had they not been that public, it would've been easier for us to deal with”.
Despite the challenges, Anshula emphasized that she had the support of her mother, Mona, her brother, Arjun Kapoor, and her cousins. She also noted that her mother always treated her like an adult, ensuring she was informed about the situation rather than being blindsided by news reports.
Sridevi's death in 2018 led to a reconciliation between Arjun and Anshula and their half-sisters, Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor. Today, Anshula is an entrepreneur and mental health advocate, promoting body positivity and emotional wellness. Arjun, Janhvi, and Khushi are all successful actors in the Bollywood industry.
