‘Both Shahid and Ishaan are over-thinkers and I’m constantly telling them to lighten up, chill.’
IMAGE: Neelima Azeem with her sons Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. Photograph: Kind courtesy Ishaan Khatter/Instagram
Neelima Azeem is a well-known Kathak dancer who trained with Pandit Birju Maharaj and his nephew Munna Shukla. She also made a name for herself as an actress on television and in films.
Her star sons Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter are going from strength to strength. While Shahid was recently seen in the supercop actioner Deva, Ishaan will be seen in the Netflix series The Royals.
Celebrating Mother’s Day, Neelima shares some interesting insights about her sons and tells Rediff Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya, “Vacations with Shahid are extremely luxurious and since his wife Mira enjoys doing things in style, there are always lavish spreads and you feel very pampered. He’s always packed and ready on time while Ishaan starts packing at the last minute, with all of us offering to help.”
‘Shahid was the knowledgeable one while Ishaan is the intellectual’
IMAGE: Neelima Azeem with a young Shahid Kapoor. Photograph: Kind courtesy Shahid Kapoor/Instagram
We come from a family of poets, academicians, journalists and film-makers.
My father (Anwar Azeem) was a prominent journalist and Urdu author.
My mother (Khaidja Azeem) came from a family of famous poets and writers.
My nana Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (director, screenwriter, novelist and journalist who wrote Neecha Nagar, Awaara, Jagte Raho, Shri 420, Mera Naam Joker and wrote, produced and directed Amitabh Bachchan’s debut film Saat Hindustani), was one of the most intelligent people in the Hindi film industry.
My sons are very intelligent and cultured, with a great command over the language, not just English, but Hindi and Urdu as well. Zabaan unki bahut zabardast hai.
Shahid was the knowledgeable one while Ishaan is the intellectual, who — before he got busy building a career as an actor — used to be a voracious reader.
Both boys are over-thinkers and I’m constantly telling them to lighten up, chill.
Being the first born, Shahid was always serious and responsible, wanting to take care of me after Pankaj (Kapur) and I divorced.
That protective and responsible trait has now extended to his family.
He is a caring husband to Mira and a great dad to Misha and Zain.
He used to be a bit of a loner earlier but in the last five years, hanging out with his gregarious mother and wife, his fun-loving kids and younger brother, he has opened up a lot.
Both Ishaan and he have a delicious sense of humour.
Shahid is a great mimic and can be extremely funny.
‘Usually quiet and shy, he had happy feet that were always ready to tap to a tune’
IMAGE: Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter dance. Photograph: Kind courtesy Shahid Kapoor/Instagram
I am a trained Kathak dancer and one day, when Shahid was around four or five, I was teaching my niece a small but not-so-simple dance piece.
She was taking her time, and wanting to play with his cousin, he ran inside to hurry her along.
Looking at her struggling, he said, ‘Oh no, you are not getting it right. Look, do it this way.’
Watching my little boy demonstrate the steps so easily, I realised dancing was in his genes.
Usually quiet and shy, he had happy feet that were always ready to tap to a tune.
Shahid’s favourite television show then was Chitrahaar on Doordarshan, and as the actors and actresses danced on screen to the tunes of popular Hindi film songs, he would react with his own expressions and moves.
Looking at my six-year-old moppet, lost in the moment, emoting so spontaneously, I would smile, entranced.
‘Shahid turned out to be the best dancer among 1,300 students’
IMAGE: Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. Photograph: Kind courtesy Ishaan Khatter/Instagram
Shahid passed high school with high marks.
This came as a surprise as he hadn’t fared too well in the prelims.
But knowing how disappointed and anxious we were, he studied really hard for a month, and being an intelligent boy, his grades jumped up by 30 per cent.
Delighted with his board results, I told him he could ask me for anything, if it was within my reach, I would get it for him.
He surprised me by saying that he wanted to join Shiamak Davar’s summer fun batch before he went to college.
He turned out to be the best dancer among 1,300 students, and got to do a solo dance piece at a show.
Watching him dance so beautifully on stage, I realised anew that he had inherited my passion.
Shahid also learnt the tabla and sitar when he was young and plays the sitar really well.
Ishaan too loves to dance and has trained at Shiamak Davar’s academy. He also sings very well.
‘Shahid has always been more serious’
IMAGE: Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. Photograph: Kind courtesy Shahid Kapoor/Instagram
Both boys are heavily into fitness and physical sport.
Shahid is a cricketer while Ishaan plays football, enjoys water sports and rock climbing.
Going with his brother’s biker gang on excursions, he has become a biker by default.
Both enjoy travelling. Being a star, Shahid has to keep his safety and that of his family in mind.
Vacations with him are extremely luxurious and since his wife Mira enjoys doing things in style, there are always lavish spreads and you feel very pampered.
Being organised, he will ensure tickets are booked well in advance. He’s always packed and ready on time while Ishaan starts packing at the last minute, with all of us offering to help.
He enjoys long hikes and travelling rough.
Once he stayed in the US for four months and did all the housework himself.
Whenever we got him on a video call, he was doing his laundry or cooking.
The boys are at different stages in their lives, with an age difference too, which is evident in the way they think and express themselves.
Shahid has always been more serious and internalised, even spiritual, while Ishaan is playful and adventurous. But while he may appear more carefree, deep down he is a serious young man.
‘I was very young when Shahid was born’
IMAGE: Neelima Azeem with her sons Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. Photograph: Kind courtesy Ishaan Khatter/Instagram
Ishaan has been watching his brother grow as an actor, move from strength to strength, but I have never seen him intimidated by him.
He has gone for film festivals and auditions alone.
I have a long and deep connection with both and feel a great emotion in my heart which is hard to express despite my ease with words.
I was very young when Shahid was born.
Many of my friends, who became parents much later, have been worried for the children, some of whom got into drinks and depression, and some into drugs too.
My boys have never given me any trouble, always very focused and passionate about their work.
As a famous Kathak dancer who was giving performances from the age of 15, I had a very different childhood.
Knowing how difficult it is to balance something as demanding as dance with academics, I did something unconventional for a parent, more so someone who was largely a single parent, particularly to Ishaan.
Rather than pushing my sons academically, I supported their love for the arts, and they have grown up focused and dedicated to their craft.
I’m lucky to get so much love, care and respect from both.
