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Grief is supposed to be personal, but for Janhvi Kapoor, it became a spectacle. When her mother, the legendary actress Sridevi, passed away in 2018, the young star wasn’t just mourning, she was being watched, judged, and even turned into memes. Janhvi Kapoor recently revisited one of the darkest chapters of her life. She opened up about how her private pain was transformed into public gossip, leaving behind scars far deeper than anyone could imagine.
When Grief Wasn’t Private Anymore
During a recent interview with Vogue, Janhvi recalled how relentless paparazzi attention left her with no space to mourn in peace. She revealed that while today many celebrities protect their children from camera flashes, her own childhood had no such shield. The constant gaze, she said, made people assume she was 'privileged', while her individuality and emotions remained ignored.
'Imagine losing your mother and it’s entertainment...'
Opening up about the days after Sridevi’s passing, Janhvi shared how the media’s judgment left her shattered.
Janhvi shared, “I would be hounded by the media and if I smiled to promote my film, I was criticised for seeming too okay. If I was quiet, then I was perceived as too cold. It’s unfathomable that it could become a meme. Imagine losing your mother, and it’s entertainment for half the nation.”
Her words reflect the paradox of celebrity grief- every expression scrutinised, every silence misinterpreted.
Cynicism Born Out of Pain
Janhvi admitted that the aftermath of Sridevi’s death didn’t just break her heart, it reshaped how she saw people.
The Param Sundari actress said, “The loss is one thing, but the damage that came after really made me cynical about human nature. My sister and I have never let them see the cracks, and because of this, people have felt they can throw mud at us, that we are not really human. That took empathy and sympathy completely out of the question.”
A Legacy Cut Short
Sridevi, remembered as one of Indian cinema’s greatest icons, passed away on February 24, 2018 in Dubai due to accidental drowning during a family wedding. She was only 54. Her sudden demise shocked the industry and millions of fans worldwide. The tragedy was especially painful for Janhvi, who was preparing for her much-anticipated debut in Dhadak, just months later in July 2018.
