Neetu Kapoor on daughter Riddhima's choice of Fashion over Films

Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, the daughter of Bollywood veterans Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor, has recently made her screen debut on the Netflix reality series Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives. Despite growing up in the iconic Kapoor film dynasty, often referred to as Bollywood's "First Family," Riddhima had initially chosen to stay out of the limelight, keeping away from an acting career—a path many in her family had embraced. Her brother, Ranbir Kapoor, followed in the footsteps of their legendary grandfather, Raj Kapoor, but Riddhima herself took a different route.

Neetu Kapoor, Riddhima’s mother, shared in her late husband Rishi Kapoor’s autobiography Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored, that her daughter was always aware of the implications of pursuing a career in acting. “Riddhima grew up knowing that if she ever told her father she wanted to be an actress, he’d kill himself,” Neetu revealed. According to Neetu, Riddhima possessed both beauty and talent, and "would have given any actress a run for her money," showing a natural gift for mimicry. Yet, Riddhima hesitated to express her dreams, prioritizing her father’s peace of mind over her own aspirations. “She is a wonderfully talented and beautiful girl. She’s a fabulous mimic and would have given any actress a run for her money. But even as a child, she knew how much it would upset her father if she decided to become an actress. He doesn’t think badly of actresses or feel that girls shouldn’t work in movies. But he’s zealously overprotective of his wife and children. Riddhima understood her father well. For the sake of his peace of mind, she never attempted to pursue acting as a career. Instead she said, ‘I want to design clothes,’ and Bob (Rishi) happily sent her to London to study,” Neetu shared.

The Kapoor family has long adhered to a tradition where female members often stayed behind the scenes. Raj Kapoor’s daughters and nieces stayed away from the screen, while the actresses in the family, including daughters-in-law Babita and Neetu Kapoor, stepped away from their careers after marriage. However, Babita's daughters, Karisma and Kareena Kapoor, broke the pattern with their mother’s encouragement and went on to become stars.

Neetu Kapoor further explained that Rishi Kapoor, while supportive of actresses, had reservations about his daughter entering the industry due to the “ugly side of stardom,” including intense media scrutiny. “This ugly side of stardom scared my husband and he didn’t want to see his daughter entangled in that mess. It was something that worried him all through her growing-up years until she got married to Bharat. Once she settled down, Bob was a much-relieved man and his relationship with Riddhima grew stronger and more open,” Neetu recalled.

Although she refrained from acting, Riddhima has carved her own space as a designer and influencer. Her popularity on social media has brought her into the public eye, allowing her to share aspects of her life on her own terms. During her appearance on Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, she revealed that her daughter, Samara, has expressed an interest in acting—a prospect that could mark yet another generational shift in the Kapoor family’s legacy.