Shanaya Kapoor, daughter of actor Sanjay Kapoor, made her Bollywood debut opposite Vikrant Massey in Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan. While the romantic drama received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office, Shanaya has now shared that she didn’t let the setback affect her deeply.
In a recent interview with India Today, the actress explained that being occupied with her next project, Tu Yaa Main, helped her stay focused and optimistic during that phase.
Shanaya Kapoor on handling her debut film’s response
Shanaya revealed that watching packed theatres for her films has always been a personal dream. When that didn’t happen with her first release, she chose to look at the bigger picture instead of dwelling on disappointment.
“When it didn’t happen — especially because it was my first film and it took time to release — I was still very present in that moment,” she said. “I was honestly blown away. The people who did watch the film, their love gave me a lot of motivation.”
The actress added that the experience strengthened her resolve rather than discouraging her.
Why she stayed emotionally grounded
At the time Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan released, Shanaya was already filming Tu Yaa Main, which helped her channel her energy into her work.
“I was shooting for Tu Yaa Main then, so I didn’t take it too much to heart,” she shared. “I wanted to focus on this film and give it everything I had. You have to keep hoping — you can’t let that hope die.”
Shanaya also spoke about her desire to continue experimenting and pushing her boundaries as an actor.
“I want to keep taking risks, having fun, and exploring. I always want to try new things and not be afraid of that risk,” she added.
About Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan
Directed by Santosh Singh and written by Mansi Bagla, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan was adapted from Ruskin Bond’s short story The Eyes Have It. The film starred Shanaya Kapoor and Vikrant Massey in lead roles, with Saanand Verma, Rajesh Jais, Vikram Kochhar, and Bharti Sharma in supporting roles.
Despite mixed critical reception, the film managed a worldwide collection of approximately ₹2.08 crore, eventually being declared a box-office flop.
About Shanaya Kapoor’s upcoming film Tu Yaa Main
Shanaya will next be seen in Bejoy Nambiar’s Tu Yaa Main, produced by Aanand L Rai and Himanshu Sharma under the banner of Colour Yellow, along with Vinod Bhanushali and Kamlesh Bhanushali of Bhanushali Studios Limited.
The film promises a youthful and contemporary take on love and survival, rooted in a creator-driven storytelling approach. Tu Yaa Main is scheduled for a February 13 theatrical release and will face box-office competition from O Romeo, starring Shahid Kapoor, Triptii Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, and Nana Patekar.
