Janhvi Kapoor at India Today Conclave 2023: I hadn't accounted for the importance given to brand-building 

Janhvi Kapoor is living and breathing films, one day at a time. The actress is in search and doing only quality work. She's expanding her versatility by choosing different roles in all the projects that she is working on. Janhvi was a speaker on Day 2 of India Today Conclave 2023. In a session titled Stardust and Starlight: The power of hope, youth, storytelling. And what it takes to live in the spotlight, the actress bared it all. 

ON LEARNING CRICKET FOR MR AND MRS MAHI 

It is one of the reasons why I love what I do. By nature, I am an escapist. I find a lot of joy and comfort in losing myself in characters and their different journeys. How many people can say that for my work I learnt how to fly a chopper. I sat in a chopper and did restimulation of different machines. I was locked in a freezer for 21 days in minus 21 degrees. Now I am learning cricket. Have had the privilege and honour to learn from one of the best coaches in the country who were with the KKR team. I did a camp and spent a lot of time with DK, who we all love. I got to watch Hardik Pandya and his brother Krunal train. I have so much respect for cricketers now. It’s a skill set which takes a lot of commitment. 

ON PRE-CONCEIVED NOTIONS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY 

So much of the industry has changed in the past five years. When I was starting out, the timing of my first film was simultaneous with a huge social media boom. The kind of difference that was making in our industry, the kind of importance and perception building was given before me was minimal. All of a sudden, the emergence of social media stars and PR activities, all of these started taking a lot of weightage. I have been hearing all my life from parents and people around me that ‘sir neeche rakh ke kaam karoge, mehnat karoge, wahi kaafi hain.’ 

But now I look up and look around, there’s a lot of importance and weightage given to perception-building, creating your own brand. That’s something I hadn’t accounted for at all. 

ON DESCRIBING HERSELF 

I am still discovering. I can’t put myself into a category. I think malleable, maybe? I can be whatever you want me to be.