Karisma Kapoor's ex-husband and business tycoon Sunjay Kapur, Chairman of Sona Comstar, died in June this year. He was 53. Kapur, who led the Rs 30,000-crore mobility technology company, has since been at the centre of an international investigation and a family tussle over control of the group.
Amid the legal battle, Sunjay's sister Mandhira Kapur spoke warmly of his ex-wife, actor Karisma Kapoor, in an exclusive interview with NDTV and praised her for prioritising their children.
She said, "She is a mother. She is a very good mother, I have to give her that. She has done a very good job of letting the family be one, which is...you know..I commend her for that. I think the kids have been close, and they've had a great relationship. Hopefully somehow, we can carry that on and let the family be one again because she is looking out for her kids like any mother would, and that's what she is doing."
On whether she remains in touch with Karisma, Mandhira responded, "Yes, of course. I am sure she is in touch with Priya (Sunjay's widow Priya Sachdev Kapur) too. The fact is we've all had a good relationship. The kids have been coming to see mom. We are all in touch. This is not meant to be a family feud."
She further added, "We should find a way to make sure that the head of the family should keep her space, really. At the end of the day, we are children, no matter how old we are. I think the respect factor needs to stay. I don't think this is what my mom's intention or my sister's and my intention is. We just want to have peace of mind. We want to carry on my father's dreams, and we want to respect my brother, because I think it comes down to that."
In a separate interview with India Today, she reiterated that Sunjay and Karisma's children - Samaira and Kiaan - are central to the family.
She shared, "My father and mother have been obsessed with their grandchildren. Samaira and Kiaan are always a big part of this family. We are very proud of them and have a lot of love for them. Dad used to dote on them, my mom dotes on them. They are a part of our family and will always be, there's no question about it. My brother doted on them. They come over, they have come and met mom. We are all together."
The dispute escalated when Rani Kapur, Sunjay and Mandhira's mother, wrote to the Sona Group board claiming she is the sole beneficiary of her late husband Surinder Kapur's business empire and the majority shareholder of the company, including Sona Comstar.
She also alleged she had been pressured into signing papers that appointed Priya Sachdev Kapur as a non-executive director.
The company, however, responded by issuing a cease-and-desist notice, stating that Rani Kapur has had no role in its functioning since 2019.
Speaking to ANI earlier, Mandhira expressed her disappointment at how the family had been sidelined. "Within days, everything has been taken away from the family. There should have been some respect given to my mother who is one of the founders with my father. Sona Comstar was built because of my father," she said.
