EXCLUSIVE: Zahan Kapoor reveals he “didn’t know” about cousin brother Ranbir Kapoor until his Bollywood debut; says, “Our one-on-one relationship wasn’t that close”

February 1, 2025 - 7:14 PM IST

Zahan Kapoor, who recently earned praise for his role in Vikramaditya Motwane’s series Black Warrant, has opened up about his relationship with his extended Kapoor family. Despite being the grandson of legendary actor Shashi Kapoor and the second cousin of Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Karisma Kapoor, Zahan shared that he wasn’t very close to them while growing up. In a recent interview, he recalled an amusing memory of not knowing about Ranbir Kapoor until his Bollywood debut.

EXCLUSIVE: Zahan Kapoor reveals he “didn’t know” about cousin brother Ranbir Kapoor until his Bollywood debut; says, “Our one-on-one relationship wasn’t that close”

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Zahan admitted that their bond has strengthened over time. He explained that their families lived separately, and his grandfather, Shashi Kapoor, valued privacy, which influenced their upbringing.

A Distant Childhood, Strengthening Bonds as Adults

When asked if he was close to his famous cousins, Zahan responded, “More recently, to be honest. While growing up, we were slightly more distant. They were already working members; I was a young kid. We grew up differently. My dadaji also made a conscious decision to separate himself; he valued his privacy.”

Zahan further explained that his connection with his cousins has grown in recent years. “I have developed a relationship with them now more as a young adult because they are my second cousins. They are first cousins to each other, so their relationship is still closer. But I have childhood memories with them,” he shared.

The Moment He Realized Who Ranbir Kapoor Was

Zahan Kapoor recalled a childhood memory that left him feeling embarrassed. He revealed that he had no idea who Ranbir Kapoor was until the actor’s Bollywood debut in 2007’s Saawariya.

“I will tell you a funny story. I am so embarrassed about it. I did not really have an idea about Ranbir Kapoor before he was actually launched. Of course, I knew Chintu uncle. But we were so separate. I was living in my world as a young kid. It was around the time when he made his splash with Saawariya as a young adult in 2007. I was still in school,” he shared.

Building a Relationship Over Time

Zahan also reminisced about an old family gathering where he unknowingly sat on Ranbir Kapoor’s lap. “I found a family photo of a cousins’ lunch, which might have been from Raksha Bandhan. I was so young, just sitting on his lap. My cousin Pooja shared the photo with me a while ago. We were very distant,” he recalled.

However, over the years, Zahan’s relationship with Ranbir Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan has evolved. He now feels comfortable discussing work with them. “It’s a special feeling to share my work with them now. I remember watching Rockstar twice in the same day. Our one-on-one relationship wasn’t that close to call him and talk about Rockstar. But now it’s better.”