Star parents say no to films with their kids

It’s very difficult for star children to live up to their superstar parents’ reputation. Comparisons often kill the aspirants’ self-worth even before they are fully established.

Perhaps the one career-mistake that Abhishek Bachchan made was to star in so many films with his towering father Amitabh Bachchan so early in his career.

Of course Abhishek has no regrets about working with his dad. “If I had to do it again I’d still do all those films with my father. I learnt so much from during Bunty Aur Babli, Sarkar and Paa. Just standing in the same frame with him is a privilege.”

Other star-parents and star-kids don’t think this way. Jackie Shroff has turned down all offers with his son Tiger Shroff. “Let him be, yaar. Let him establish his own image and reputation. If we work together the junta will love it. But the critics will roast him alive,” says Jackie.  Tiger agrees. “I would rather wait before working with my father. I am too much in awe of him. Besides who will look at me when my dad is in the frame?”

This was more or less what Dimple Kapadia had said to Sanjay Leela Bhansali when he offered the mother-daughter roles in his debut film Khamoshi: The Musical to Dimple and Twinkle. Dimple suggested Bhansali take Twinkle and cast another actress as the mother. Bhansali preferred to cast Seema Biswas and Manisha Koirala  instead.

Now one hears of two star-parents saying no to films with their children. Anil Kapoor was offered the role of shooter Abhinav Bindra’s father in the biopic on Abhinav. A very powerful role, it would have given Anil a chance to share powerful dramatic scenes with his son Harshvardhan.

“This is what Anil didn’t want at this stage of his son’s career. Harshvardhan is just one film old. Anil didn’t want the boy to be compared with his father. Anil has therefore said no to the plum role in director Kannan Iyer’s biopic, just as he has regularly said no to films with his daughter Sonam Kapoor.”

We now hear Amrita Singh was offered the role of her daughter’s wealthy elitist mother in Abhishek Kapoor’s Kedarnath where Amrita and Saif Ali Khan’s daughter Sara makes her debut. Hema Malini who for years refused offers with her daughter Esha Deol says, “I can completely understand the reluctance to work with one’s child. There will be comparisons that will hurt your child.”