Zahan Kapoor has been garnering widespread appreciation for his portrayal of jailer Sunil Kumar Gupta in Vikramaditya Motwane’s series Black Warrant. While his performance has put him in the spotlight, not many are aware that he hails from the illustrious Kapoor family. Zahan is the grandson of the legendary Shashi Kapoor and son of Kunal Kapoor, making him the second cousin of Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karisma Kapoor.
In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, Zahan spoke about his bond with his famous cousins. When asked if he shares a close relationship with Kareena and Ranbir, he admitted, “More recently, to be honest. While growing up, we were slightly more distant. They were already working members, and I was a young kid. We grew up differently. My dadaji also made a conscious decision to separate himself; he valued his privacy. As a nuclear family, we value our privacy. The family would gather on special occasions and once in a while, maybe randomly also.”
Zahan further elaborated on their evolving relationship, stating, “I have developed a relationship with them now more as a young adult because they are my second cousins. So, there is a separation. They are first cousins to each other, so their relationship with each other is still closer. But, I have childhood memories with them. The structure of the family is also just so big.”
Recalling a humorous and somewhat embarrassing childhood memory, Zahan revealed that he was unaware of Ranbir Kapoor’s existence before his Bollywood debut. “I will tell you a funny story. I am so embarrassed about it. I did not really have an idea about Ranbir Kapoor before he was actually launched. Of course, I knew Chintu uncle. But, we were so separate. I was living in my world as a young kid. It was around the time when he made his splash with Saawariya in 2007. I was still in school,” he shared.
The actor continued, “I found a family photo of a cousins’ lunch, which might have been from Rakshabandhan. I am so young, just sitting on his lap. My cousin Pooja shared the photo with me a while ago. We were very distant. I had more memories of me and Shammi dadaji’s grandchildren because we lived closer to each other.”
Despite the initial distance, Zahan now feels more at ease discussing his work with Kareena and Ranbir. He shared, “It’s a special feeling to share my work with them now. I remember watching Rockstar twice in the same day. Our one-on-one relationship wasn’t that close to call him and talk about Rockstar. But now, it’s better.”
Zahan Kapoor’s journey in the industry is just beginning, and with Black Warrant earning him accolades, it seems like he is poised to carve a niche for himself in the ever-evolving Bollywood landscape.
