In a candid conversation on Raj Shamani’s YouTube channel, actor Shahid Kapoor opened up about his childhood experiences growing up with a single mother in Delhi, sharing the profound effects of his parents’ separation at an early age. Shahid, who was raised by his mother, Neliima Azeem, revealed how the absence of his father, actor Pankaj Kapur, left a void in his life.

The actor recalled that his parents parted ways when he was just three years old, and for much of his childhood, he would see his father only once a year. “I lived a lot with my mom. I would see my father only once a year. So the male presence in my life was less; much, much less than what is normal,” Shahid said. He described the imbalance he felt growing up, stating that children need both parental figures to feel complete. “Parents are like your two feet, but when one parent is not there, you feel like you can’t balance because one foot is missing,” he explained.

Shahid also discussed the emotional challenges he faced as a child, noting that his peers often bullied him for not having his father live with him. “Kids are very mean,” he recalled, adding that during those formative years, other children made him feel that his family situation was abnormal. Despite their unintentional cruelty, Shahid said he still struggled with feelings of isolation and inadequacy.

While his father’s presence was sparse, Shahid found unwavering support from his maternal grandfather, who played a crucial role in his upbringing. “If I look back now, he is the deepest influence in my life… he was unconditionally there for me,” Shahid shared, highlighting the positive impact his Nanaji had on him during his childhood.

Now a father himself to two children, Misha (8) and Zain (6), Shahid reflected on his own experiences as a parent. He spoke about the emotional impact of his absence on his children, particularly his son, noting that Zain seems to feel less secure when Shahid is away. “That male energy connection between father and son… I don’t know how it works, but as father and child, we feed off each other,” Shahid said, drawing parallels to his own childhood feelings.

Shahid’s relationship with his father has since healed, and they have even worked together on multiple films. Through his own journey into fatherhood, Shahid now better understands the complexities of parenting and the emotional weight of being both a child and a parent simultaneously.