In a recent interview with Lallantop, veteran actor Pankaj Kapur offered his perspective on his son Shahid Kapoor’s commercially successful yet controversial film, Kabir Singh. He expressed that the film merely reflected a pre-existing societal reality rather than glorifying toxic masculinity. He also praised Shahid’s evolution as an actor, emphasizing his notable performances in films such as Haider, Farzi, and Kabir Singh, while also sharing insights into Shahid’s development as a dramatic performer.

In response to the criticism that the film promotes toxic behaviour, he said, “He has done good work in Kabir Singh as well. That’s okay, because toxic masculinity exists in society. Just because a film portrays it doesn’t mean it’s glorifying it. This is more about our own perspective. Films show the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. Kabir Singh depicted a flawed man, which is what makes the story compelling.” He highlighted that this kind of story encourages important discussions regarding the intricacies of human nature.

Considering Shahid’s acting career, Pankaj said that his son’s genuine talent truly blossomed with Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider in 2014. He added, “For a long time, I told him and others that his strength lay in drama, which hadn’t been fully explored. Until then, he was mostly cast in sweet boy roles. Vishal Bhardwaj unlocked that potential. Those films played a big part in shaping the actor Shahid would become. Shahid also became discerning about which projects to take on. He did brilliantly in Haider, and also in Farzi.”