Zahan Kapoor on grandfather Shashi Kapoor and theatre influence
Actor Zahaan Kapoor shared vivid memories of his grandfather-legendary actor Shashi Kapoor at the India Today Conclave. During his session, Star Warrant: New Kapoor on the Block, the actor recalled his childhood memories and what led him to do theatre.
While talking about the same, he said, “A part of it is because of my grandfather, who separated himself in terms of how he lived. By the time I was born, he was already retired.”
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When asked if he knew about his grandfather’s superstardom back then, Zahaan said, “One of my most vivid childhood memories is from when I was around 8 or 9 years old when one day I came home from school and was surprised to see Amitabh Bachchan sir at our house to meet my grandfather. I instantly recognised him, but I didn’t fully understand the significance of the moment because, to me, Shashi Kapoor was simply my dadaji. We saw him every day, greeted him with ‘namaste’ and ‘Om Om,’ and he would always encourage me to greet others the same way.”
“He would watch his TV, cricket. It was a much-demystified upbringing, outside and away from the regular churn of the industry,” he added.
Further, Zahaan shared that theatre was his only way to connect with the film industry. “Theatre was my connection. I remember visiting the theatre as a young child. Prithvi was the grounding, the anchor,” he concluded.
During the same session, Zahaan even got candid about his role as Sunil Gupta in Black Warrant, his legacy in Indian cinema, family dynamics and his connection with theatre, among others.
Meanwhile, Black Warrant is currently streaming on Netflix. It is based on the acclaimed 2019 non-fiction book Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer by Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhury. Created by Vikramaditya Motwane and Satyanshu Singh, the series also features Rahul Bhat, Paramvir Singh Cheema, and Anurag Thakur in key roles.
