Anil Kapoor On How Rajesh Khanna's Flop Film Shattered His Father: 'People Deserted Him Overnight'

Success in the film industry can change overnight, and Anil Kapoor saw that first-hand at a very young age. In a recent interaction, the actor opened up about how one box office failure starring superstar Rajesh Khanna left a lasting impact on his father and producer Surinder Kapoor. He also recalled the incident that drove him to become an actor in Hindi cinema.

Anil has often spoken about wanting to achieve what his father couldn't, but this time, he shared the particular incident that made things deeply personal. He recalled how quickly people distanced themselves after his father's one film tanked at the box office. 

Recalling the moment, Anil told Lilly Singh that his father, once surrounded by people, suddenly found himself alone after the film's failure. In his words, “He was travelling from Delhi… he went to Bangalore, and there was no one there to receive him at the airport. Everybody had absolutely kind of deserted him, disowned him. That was shocking… I could see he was very vulnerable, almost in tears.”

That experience stayed with him. It wasn't just about one film failing; it was about how fragile success can be in the industry. Anil also revealed that despite being a producer, his father never made things easy for him. When Anil expressed his desire to act, Surinder Kapoor made it clear he would have to find his own way.

Starting young, around 18 or 19, Anil stepped into the industry with a sense of responsibility. His father's struggles, including difficulties in getting top actors and managing film productions, pushed him to think differently. The actor added, “He (Surinder Kapoor) was a film producer, and it was difficult to get leading men and actors for his films at the time. So I said, ‘I have to become an actor. I have to become a leading man.”

Anil Kapoor was last seen in Subedaar which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.