I pretend to be dumb: Janhvi on navigating 'male egos'
What's the story
Actor Janhvi Kapoor recently opened up about her experiences in Bollywood, especially dealing with male egos. On the talk show Two Much With Twinkle and Kajol, she admitted to sometimes pretending to be "dumb" or less capable than she is. This strategy helps her navigate situations without offending anyone. The episode also featured filmmaker Karan Johar as a guest.
Industry insights
What the actor said
Kapoor said, "I understand that I am coming from a place of privilege in my work environment. But I feel for me it's been (about) navigating egos, male egos." She added that there are times when she has to downplay her capabilities to avoid offending others. "If I have an opinion...I have been in rooms and situations where I kind of need to precede someone and pretend to be dumb."
Diplomatic stance
'Still picking my battles'
Kapoor further elaborated on her approach to expressing her views in such situations. She said, "I am still picking my battles. I know this doesn't make sense, but I will let it go, and on the next one, I will tell them what I feel." "But I need to pretend I am not capable enough to perform this way just because it's too politically incorrect."
Shared experiences
Khanna shared her similar experiences
Twinkle Khanna, who co-hosts the show, empathized with Kapoor's experiences. She shared that she faced similar challenges when she was a young actor in Bollywood during the 1990s. "I had the same problem when I was young, and I never understood the need to be diplomatic," Khanna said. Kapoor agreed and added that she sometimes pretends not to understand a scene instead of disagreeing with it.
Career update
Kapoor's latest film and its success
Kapoor was last seen in the romantic comedy Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, which also starred Varun Dhawan, Sanya Malhotra, and Rohit Saraf. The film has reportedly crossed ₹100 crore worldwide at the box office. It was produced by Dharma Productions. Up next, she has Ram Charan's Peddi in the pipeline.