3 min readNew DelhiApr 30, 2026 10:11 PM IST
We often see Anil Kapoor as the ultimate “daddy cool”—a versatile star who seems to be ageing backwards while prioritising family time, but not every actor’s off-screen life mirrors that image. At 69, Anil Kapoor has candidly admitted that he was largely absent as a father during his children’s growing-up years. In a recent conversation with Lilly Singh on her podcast, the actor spoke openly about his parenting, acknowledging his shortcomings without regret.
‘Sunita has been like a single parent’
“I was hardly there. If my children say positive things about me, I feel happy that I have raised them well. But as a father, I could have been much better. I should have spent more time. In many ways, Sunita has been like a single parent. I was present, but not the way a father should be,” he said.
Kapoor went on to share how disconnected he sometimes was from his children’s day-to-day lives. “I barely knew which class they were in. I wouldn’t remember their birthdays—my wife would remind me. They would ask me, ‘When is my birthday?’ and I would go blank. But they have grown up to be wonderful, happy individuals.”
‘Don’t have regrets’
Despite this, the actor says he carries no regret. “I don’t have any regrets. I am not someone who dwells on the past. I move on because I have to stay strong. If I start overthinking or regretting, it won’t be good for my family.”
He added that he feels grateful for how his children have turned out. “God has given me everything. Why regret small things? They are doing well, they are happy, settled in their lives, and focused on both family and career. So, no regrets.”
However, Kapoor did acknowledge one area where he feels he could have done better. “I think I should have spent more time with my son than my daughters,” he admitted.
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‘I don’t connect as a father’
Explaining further, he said, “Sometimes a son needs his father more. Daughters often have a special bond with their mother. A son may need that father figure more, but I wasn’t there.”
When asked if that may have impacted his son, Kapoor reflected thoughtfully. “How would I know? I am still learning. We are friends, and sometimes I wonder—was it right to be just a friend? I have never tried to be a strict father. Maybe that was a mistake. I connect with them more as a friend than as a father. There are moments when I feel vulnerable or emotional—that’s just who I am.”
Kapoor credited his wife Sunita Kapoor for raising their children with strong values. “If you see the way my daughters are, the credit goes more to her. Their confidence, honesty, and individuality—it all comes from her.”
Anil Kapoor has three children — daughters Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor, and son Harshvardhan Kapoor.
