Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor has opened up about a difficult phase in her life following the release of her debut film Dhadak in 2018. Despite the film’s commercial success, the actress revealed that her personal experience during that time was far from positive.
In a recent conversation with Raj Shamani, Janhvi admitted that she struggled emotionally after the film hit theatres. She said that instead of celebrating her debut, she felt overwhelmed with self-doubt.
“Whenever people talk about Dhadak, they say they loved it or that I was good in it. But my memories are very different. I was depressed after it. I genuinely felt like I was done and that people hated me,” she shared.
The actress also spoke about how the loss of her mother, legendary actress Sridevi, deeply impacted her emotional state. She explained that she had always relied on her mother for validation, and after her passing, she unknowingly started seeking that same approval from the audience.
“I used to get all my validation from my mom. After she passed away, I shifted that expectation to the audience. I was hoping for complete acceptance, which doesn’t really exist,” Janhvi said.
She added that her focus on negative feedback distorted her perception of reality. Even though Dhadak, directed by Shashank Khaitan and produced by Karan Johar, performed well at the box office—earning over ₹110 crore—she couldn’t recognize its success at the time.
“It didn’t even register that the film was a hit. I just kept thinking I wasn’t good enough,” she admitted.
Since her debut, Janhvi Kapoor has steadily built her career with diverse roles in films like Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Roohi, and Good Luck Jerry.
She was recently seen in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari alongside Varun Dhawan, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf.
Looking ahead, Janhvi is preparing for her upcoming Telugu project Peddi, where she will star opposite Ram Charan.
