Anil Kapoor admits he was an 'absent father': 'Sunita was like a single parent... I don't have any regrets... I move on'
ETimes | May 1, 2026 3:39 AM CST
Veteran actor Anil Kapoor may be known as Bollywood’s evergreen “daddy cool,” but the star has now candidly admitted that his off-screen reality as a father wasn’t quite the same.
In a recent conversation with Lilly Singh, the 69-year-old actor reflected on his parenting journey—owning up to his absence during his children’s growing-up years, while also crediting wife Sunita Kapoor for holding the family together.
‘I was hardly there... I could have been much better’Opening up about his role as a father, Kapoor didn’t hold back.
“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.
‘I wouldn’t remember their birthdays’Kapoor went on to reveal just how disconnected he sometimes was from his children’s daily 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,” he admitted.
‘I don’t have regrets... I move on’Despite acknowledging his shortcomings, Kapoor said he does not dwell on the past.
“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 shared.
Expressing gratitude, he added, “God has given me everything. Why regret small things? They are doing well, they are happy, settled in their lives... so, no regrets.”
‘Maybe my son needed me more’However, the actor did admit to one specific regret—his equation with his son.
“I think I should have spent more time with my son than my daughters,” Kapoor said, referring to Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor .
Explaining further, he added, “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.”
‘Was it right to just be a friend?’Kapoor also reflected on his parenting style, questioning whether being more of a friend than a disciplinarian was the right approach.
“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,” he said, adding that he still has “vulnerable and emotional” moments.
‘The credit goes to Sunita’While Kapoor may question his own role, he is clear about who deserves the credit for their children’s upbringing.
“If you see the way my daughters are, the credit goes more to her. Their confidence, honesty, and individuality—it all comes from her,” he said, referring to daughters Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor .
In a recent conversation with Lilly Singh, the 69-year-old actor reflected on his parenting journey—owning up to his absence during his children’s growing-up years, while also crediting wife Sunita Kapoor for holding the family together.
‘I was hardly there... I could have been much better’Opening up about his role as a father, Kapoor didn’t hold back.
“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.
‘I wouldn’t remember their birthdays’Kapoor went on to reveal just how disconnected he sometimes was from his children’s daily 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,” he admitted.
‘I don’t have regrets... I move on’Despite acknowledging his shortcomings, Kapoor said he does not dwell on the past.
“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 shared.
Expressing gratitude, he added, “God has given me everything. Why regret small things? They are doing well, they are happy, settled in their lives... so, no regrets.”
‘Maybe my son needed me more’However, the actor did admit to one specific regret—his equation with his son.
“I think I should have spent more time with my son than my daughters,” Kapoor said, referring to Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor .
Explaining further, he added, “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.”
‘Was it right to just be a friend?’Kapoor also reflected on his parenting style, questioning whether being more of a friend than a disciplinarian was the right approach.
“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,” he said, adding that he still has “vulnerable and emotional” moments.
‘The credit goes to Sunita’While Kapoor may question his own role, he is clear about who deserves the credit for their children’s upbringing.
“If you see the way my daughters are, the credit goes more to her. Their confidence, honesty, and individuality—it all comes from her,” he said, referring to daughters Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor .
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