‘Toxic Masculinity Exists’: Shahid Kapoor’s Father Pankaj Kapur Defends Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Film | Bollywood News

Veteran actor Pankaj Kapur has defended his son Shahid Kapoor’s performance in Kabir Singh, saying the film merely portrayed an existing reality and didn’t glorify toxic masculinity.

Veteran actor Pankaj Kapur has come out in defense of his son Shahid Kapoor’s controversial yet blockbuster hit Kabir Singh (2019), saying that the film merely depicted a reality that already exists in society and did not glorify toxic masculinity.

In a recent interview with Lallantop, the legendary actor opened up about Shahid’s evolution over the years, praising his performances in Haider, Farzi, and Kabir Singh, while also shedding light on how the actor discovered his dramatic potential.

“He has also done good work in Kabir Singh,” Pankaj Kapur said. When asked about the criticism surrounding the film for allegedly promoting toxic behaviour, he firmly responded, “That is okay because it doesn’t mean that toxic masculinity doesn’t exist. It exists in society, and because somebody made a film on it, we started objecting to it. This is our own outlook.”

The veteran performer went on to explain that an artist’s job is to reflect reality, not sanitize it. “Films show the world as it is — not as we wish it to be. Kabir Singh showed a flawed man, but that’s what makes it compelling,” he suggested, emphasising that cinematic storytelling often sparks necessary discussions about human complexity.

Reflecting on Shahid’s acting journey, Pankaj admitted that his son’s real potential was unlocked with Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider in 2014. “For a long time, I used to tell him and others that his main potential is drama and that nobody has tapped it. He was getting only sweet boy roles. It was tapped by Vishal Bhardwaj. These films have a big role in bringing forth the actor inside Shahid later. Shahid also became intelligent about which films to do and which not to do. He performed brilliantly in Haider, but he also performed wonderfully in Farzi,” he said.

Surprisingly, Pankaj revealed that Shahid received little formal guidance from him. “No, I never trained him. He once asked for a workshop, so we worked together for six or seven days. But he got associated with Naseeruddin Shah. He was doing a workshop in Delhi and was associated with him for some time,” he shared.

Pankaj also spoke warmly about his other children — Sanah Kapur, who has already appeared in a few films, and Ruhaan Kapoor, who is yet to make his debut. He described his household as democratic, saying, “My kids take decisions independently. There is no hierarchy in our house. They are the boss. I’m not the boss. My kids give me lectures, and I’m ready to listen because they are the younger generation. They know more.”

With Kabir Singh still sparking debates years after its release, Pankaj Kapur’s stance adds a nuanced perspective to the conversation — one that separates art from moral panic and credits Shahid Kapoor for daring to play a character that was both deeply flawed and painfully human.