“I Can’t Figure Out My Son Harshvardhan,” Confesses Anil Kapoor

Anil Kapoor’s son Harshvardhan who is all set for his debut in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya, doesn’t conform to any given rules of personal or professional conduct.

In fact his father the irrepressible Anil Kapoor says his son is unlike anyone in their family. “I really can’t figure out my son.He is neither like my wife Sunita nor like me. Harsh is his own person. And he moves to his own will. I don’t advise him. He advises me.”

The father and son have completely different attitudes to their careers. “He surrenders completely and unconditionally to the character that he takes on. First Mirzya and now Bhavesh Joshi.When he was doing Mirzyahe could think of  nothing else. Now he’s fully into his second film. Luckily he had brilliant directors in both—Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Vikramaditya Motwane—to guide him.”

Anil says he had a different attitude to his career.“I did several things at the same time. I worked in a number of films simultaneously.I began ‘multi-tasking’ long before the term was invented. I am still doing it. My son says, ‘Ab bass karo, Dad’. He wants me to slow down, take it easy. But I find it important to keep working constantly.He doesn’t.”

Anil feels as a star-kid Harshvardhan has to work a lot harder to prove himself. “My daughter Sonam and now my son Harsh have to prove themselves much more effective than aspirants from outside the industry. I feel actors from within the film industry are judged much more harshly.Sonam made a dream debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’sSaawariya. But she has been recognized as a skilled actress  now in Neerja. I hope Harshvardhan  gets quicker acceptance. Even if he doesn’t he is no no hurry. Harsh  is a student of cinema, constantly learning, exploring.He comes to the camera well-prepared whereas I learnt  acting on the sets. I am still learning.”

As a protective parent Anil is there for all his three children. “But Harsh being the youngest in the family has the entire family looking out for him.”