‘I haven’t taken a penny from my father’: Arjun Kapoor opens up about losing his mother, battling Hashimoto’s disease, and his ‘lonely fight’ against trolls

Parineeti Chopra & Arjun Kapoor in film ISHQZAADE. (Photo: Express Archive)

That moment marked the beginning of a long, lonely battle — one the actor would fight mostly in silence. Reflecting on his childhood during a conversation with Raj Shamani, Arjun shared, “I had an interesting childhood. I grew up very fast. I realised I had to be responsible and not problematic for my mother because I knew what was going on. It was also a high-profile situation because my father is a well-known person.” Boney Kapoor married superstar Sridevi after divorce from Mona, even as a curious public lapped every moment of the publicised split and second marriage.

At just 10 years old, Arjun decided to suppress his emotions to protect his mother and guide his five-year-old sister. But the pain found another outlet. “I was really good academically till fifth grade and then the split happened. I couldn’t throw tantrums, but somewhere I lost interest in education as a form of rebellion. I started bunking tuition. The boy who loved school suddenly hated it,” he recalled.

Food became his emotional refuge. “I started using food to fill the void. My dad moved out, but we stayed with our grandparents. I would hide and eat fast food. I became obsessed with eating,” he admitted. Before he could even process adulthood, responsibility hit hard. “I had a younger sister, a single mother, and a loving father who couldn’t be around because of circumstances. I craved a normal life,” he said.

Then came Ishaqzaade — success at the worst possible emotional timing. While the box office celebrated him, Arjun was grieving privately. Work became his escape.

Actress Alia Bhatt with Arjun Kapoor in film 2 States. Express archive photo.

What followed was a dream run: Gunday, 2 States, Finding Fanny, Ki & Ka, Half Girlfriend. Arjun Kapoor was everywhere. Stardom had arrived. And then, once again, life pulled the rug from under his feet.

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A medical diagnosis, followed by a brutal series of box-office failures — Namaste England, Panipat, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, Sardar Ka Grandson, Bhoot Police, Ek Villain Returns, Kuttey, The Lady Killer — none delivered the success he hoped for. With failure came trolling. And with trolling came self-doubt.

 

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On his mother’s birth anniversary, Arjun wrote a heartbreaking post: “Happy birthday Maa, I miss you so much today. Life’s been kinda cruel to me lately but it’s ok… I’ve taken the punches before, I’ll take them again & still rise.”

Addressing the privilege debate around star kids, Arjun said, “My past is very tricky. There’s a lot of baggage and trauma. People think we had it easy. But why do you think it’s easy for me to live this life?”

He added emotionally, “At least most people have parents to go back to. I don’t. I was 25 when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. I may have privileges, but I don’t have the most valuable thing you do — a mother.”

Despite his background, Arjun revealed that he became financially independent from his debut itself. “Since Ishaqzaade, I have not taken a single penny from my father,” he said. But repeated failures pushed him into a dark phase. “There was a time I couldn’t get out of bed. I would just lie there. I was dying to go on set. Singham Again actually saved me. That team made me smile,” he revealed.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Arjun opened up about therapy. “I started therapy last year. I didn’t even know I was depressed. I just knew something wasn’t working. I stopped enjoying films — and cinema is my life.”

He also revealed being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease at just 30. “It’s an autoimmune condition where your own antibodies fight your body. Stress makes it worse. The calmer I am, the better I look,” he explained.

As if that wasn’t enough, he also went through a highly public breakup with Malaika Arora — another emotional setback. Therapy became his lifeline. “One therapist finally diagnosed me with mild depression,” he shared.

Ironically, when he least expected it, Arjun found redemption — not as a hero, but as a villain. His performance in Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again brought back positive attention, even if the film didn’t become a blockbuster. “People had very low expectations from me. They wanted me to fail. They judge me based on my surname and personal life,” he said.

Arjun also spoke about being misunderstood. “I don’t smile much, so people think I am arrogant. I am actually very private. My sarcasm and straight-faced humour are often misread. People judge without engaging — and that’s the biggest problem in this profession.”

At one point, insecurity even pushed him into performative success. “I bought a Maserati when I was struggling — just to show people I was successful. Now I realise how irrelevant that was,” he admitted.

Today, Arjun openly admits his regrets and fears. “Sometimes I feel I should have educated myself more. I realised the value of it much later,” he said.

And his biggest fear? “I fear loss. I always feel everyone will eventually leave. That’s something I am working on.”

Arjun Kapoor was last seen in Meri Husband Ki Biwi, which failed at the box office. But if his journey has proved anything, it’s this — he has fallen many times, but he refuses to stay down.