“Acting has been in my blood”: Sohaila Kapur on family, theatre, and life between Delhi and Mumbai

For over four decades, Sohaila Kapur has worn many hats — journalist, playwright, theatre director, actor, and television anchor. From the newsroom of The Times of India to acclaimed productions like Rumi: Unveil the Sun and memorable roles in The Family Man and Aarya, her career is as varied as it is enduring. What ties it together, she says, is her conviction that art, family, and creativity must flow from love.

Born in Mumbai and raised in a Punjabi Hindu family, Kapur inherited a rich cultural legacy. Her mother, Sheel Kanta Kapur, was the sister of the iconic Anand brothers — Chetan, Dev, and Vijay — who helped define Hindi cinema’s golden age. Her brother, Shekhar Kapur, would later become an internationally acclaimed filmmaker.

“My mother would take me to see the movies of my three mamas, and I’d thoroughly enjoy the experience,” she recalls. As young as five, she began writing plays with dialogue and getting her friends to perform. She even “appointed” her father as cinematographer and security while ‘shooting’ was going on, she laughs.

Yet the path to cinema was far from straightforward. “None of the girls in my family were encouraged to join films. It wasn’t considered the ‘decent’ thing to do. Society would ask, ‘If you become an actress, who will marry you?’” Kapur explains. “So I did an MA in political science, became a journalist, and did theatre in the evenings. But I never gave up my passion for acting.”

Her memories of Dev Anand remain vivid. She says she was “absolutely fascinated” by him. Whenever she visited, he would take her for a walk in the garden and jovially call her nanhi-muni. “I’d be shy in front of him because he was a superstar,” she remembers. “Chetan uncle was charismatic, and Goldie uncle was brainy with a wonderful singing voice.”

“There was much more heart in people at that time,” she reflects. “Even when they fought, they fought with love. The message is that siblings and family should come first. Creativity will flow if you have love in your heart.”

From journalism to theatre

After graduating from Delhi University, Kapur began her career as a journalist with The Times of India, where she worked for nearly a decade before freelancing widely. She authored over a hundred articles and, in 1983, published Witchcraft in Western India, a book exploring esoteric rites. Television soon followed, with anchoring stints on Doordarshan, Omni Television, and Lok Sabha TV.

Yet it was theatre that gave her fullest creative expression. A founding member of Ujjika Theatre Group during her student years, Kapur later directed productions that blended music, history, and mysticism. Her 2002 musical Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan premiered at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre. Six years later, Rumi: Unveil the Sun won both critical and popular acclaim, earning her a Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award nomination.

“Acting has been in my blood,” she says. “The only difference is that instead of the stage, there is a big camera staring at you. But within that matrix, you can still contribute and make the character your own. That’s what makes the performance stand out.”

On screen and streaming

Kapur’s film career began when Govind Nihalani cast her in Rukmavati Ki Haveli (1991). But it was only in 2015, with a role in Kabir Khan’s Phantom, that she felt she had truly arrived. “I surprised myself by giving most shots in one take! I told myself, ‘This is what you wanted to do all your life.’ I was meant to be there. I am living my purpose today.”

Over the years, she has taken on diverse roles in films such as Cooking with Stella (2009), Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare (2020), and Chote Nawab (2024). On television and streaming platforms, she became a familiar face through series like Bharat Ek Khoj, The Family Man, Special OPS, Bhaukaal, and Aarya.

Though senior actors are often typecast, Kapur believes change is underway. “Normally, the same straitjacketed roles are offered — the evil mother-in-law. But I’ve managed to get characters that are different. Now things are changing. Older women are getting meatier roles, and I’m enjoying this new awakening.”

Craft and process

Kapur is equally comfortable behind the scenes. “Whether acting, directing or writing, the first thing I do is make sure I have some direction. As a director, I think about how to communicate with actors. As an actress, I always follow the director’s lead. I’ve seen many actors who are arrogant, believing they know better. But the film is the director’s baby; I can merely suggest.”

Asked what makes a good actor, she is precise: “The first is focus — without this, you’ll forget your dialogues. Secondly, you must be able to get into the character. And finally, don’t play in the gallery. Just be the character you’re supposed to be and the magic will happen.”

Delhi as home

Despite long stints in Mumbai, Delhi remains her anchor. “I live in Delhi most of the time and go to Bombay for work. Delhi allows me to be laid back, while Bombay is always on the go.”

Also Read: Pavan Malhotra: The actor who found contentment in every role

Her reflections on society, however, carry a note of concern. “Earlier, people revered stars like gods. Today, the polish is on the exterior but the heart is missing. When there is no love or caring, people become hollow. That is the danger of our times.”

Looking back

Asked how she views her own career, Kapur pauses. “It’s been nice — an extension of my theatre work. I’ve enjoyed doing very different characters. Considering that I’m a senior actor, I’m grateful I got the chance to play roles that were not repetitive. There’s a new generation bringing in change, and I’m glad to be part of it.”

For Sohaila Kapur, the journey — from journalism and theatre to film and television — remains inseparable from her belief that art must spring from love and connection. Much like her famous family, she continues to balance creativity with conscience, anchoring her work in the bonds that first inspired her.