Janhvi Kapoor opens up about depression after acting debut

Actor Janhvi Kapoor recently shared that she went through a difficult phase of depression after her debut film Dhadak, even though the film was successful. The movie was released in 2018, shortly after the death of her mother, Sridevi, which made the time even more emotional for her.

Speaking on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Janhvi said that while people often praised her performance and the film, her own experience was very different. She felt that the audience did not like her and believed her career was already over. She shared that she was mentally disturbed and could not enjoy the success of the film.

Janhvi explained that earlier she depended on her mother for emotional support. After losing her, she started looking for validation from the public. She expected everyone to accept and love her, but later realised that this was not possible. During that time, she focused  entirely on criticism and ignored the film’s achievements, including its strong box office performance.

She also spoke about feeling undeserving of her success. Because of her family  background, many people made her feel that she got opportunities easily. This made her doubt her own talent and self-worth. She admitted that she started believing she was not good enough.Recalling that phase, she said, “I have been made to feel that I got everything on a platter which means that I am technically worthless.”

The film was directed by Shashank Khaitan and produced by Karan Johar. It was a remake of the Marathi film Sairat and earned over ₹110 crore at the box office.

Today, Janhvi says she has grown stronger and is learning to accept herself. She added that despite everything, she truly loves acting and wants to continue working hard in the industry.Looking ahead, Janhvi is set to appear in the upcoming Telugu film Peddi alongside Ram Charan, scheduled for release later this year.