The sudden demise of 53-year-old business tycoon Sunjay Kapur in June this year shook his family and friends. As the chairman of a Rs 30,000 crore company, his unexpected demise triggered an investigation and a family dispute over control of the company. Amid this tense situation, Sunjay’s sister, Mandhira Kapur, has praised his ex-wife, actor Karisma Kapoor, calling her a “very good mother” who is “looking out for her kids”.
Mandhira Kapur praises Karisma Kapoor’s parenting
In a recent interview with NDTV, Mandhira spoke highly of Karisma’s role as a mother and her efforts to maintain family unity. She said, “She is a mother. She is a very good mother, I have to give her that. She has done a very good job of letting the family be one, which is…you know..I commend her in that. I think the kids have been close, and they’ve had a great relationship. Hopefully somehow, we can carry that on and let the family be one again because she is looking out for her kids like any mother would, and that’s what she is doing.”When asked if she is in touch with Karisma after Sunjay’s demise, Mandhira replied, “Yes, of course. I am sure she is in touch with Priya (Sunjay’s widow Priya Sachdev Kapur) too. The fact is we’ve all had a good relationship. The kids have been coming to see mom. We are all in touch. This is not meant to be a family feud.”
Respect and peace remain family priorities
Mandhira also stressed the importance of respect and peace within the family. She said, “We should find a way to make sure that the head of the family should keep her space, really. At the end of the day, we are children, no matter how old we are. I think the respect factor needs to stay. I don’t think this is what mom’s intention or my sister and my intention is. We just want to have peace of mind. We want to carry on my father’s dreams and we want to respect my brother, because I think it comes down to that.”
Calls Samaira and Kiaan a big part of the family
Mandhira has also been clear about her nephew and niece’s place in the family. In an interview with India Today, she said, “My father and mother have been obsessed with their grandchildren. Samaira and Kiaan are always a big part of this family. We are very proud of them and have a lot of love for them. Dad used to dote on them, my mom dotes on them. They are a part of our family and will always be, there’s no question about it. My brother doted on them. They come over, they have come and met mom. We are all together.”Her words underline the importance of keeping Samaira and Kiaan connected to their extended family despite the ongoing dispute over the Rs 30,000 crore fortune.
Family tensions over company control
As reported by The Indian Express, the family battle intensified when Rani Kapur, mother of Sunjay and Mandhira, wrote to the board of Sona Group claiming she is the sole beneficiary of her late husband Surinder Kapur’s empire and majority shareholder of the group, including Sona Comstar. Rani also said she was forced to sign documents appointing her daughter-in-law, Priya Sachdev Kapur, as non-executive director on the board. The company, however, issued a cease-and-desist notice to Rani, saying she had no role in the company since 2019.
