Shahid Kapoor Opens Up on Career Lows: ‘Three Flops in a Month Left Me Depressed Before Vivah

The actor recalls his struggles, self-doubt, and how a pep talk from director Sooraj Barjatya changed his outlook before his breakthrough role in Vivah.

In a candid conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Shahid Kapoor reflected on one of the most challenging phases of his career—just before he landed his game-changing role in Vivah (2006). The actor revealed he was grappling with back-to-back failures and self-doubt after three of his films flopped within the same month.

Shahid recalled, “Right before Vivah, Sooraj ji’s film Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon hadn’t performed well. Around the same time, I had three films that tanked one after the other. First, there was Shikhar, with Ajay Devgn sir and director John Matthew Matthan—who had previously made Sarfarosh. It turned out to be a disaster. Then came Life Ho Toh Aisi, with Sanjay Dutt sir and Mahesh Manjrekar, a combination known for hits, and even that flopped. People probably thought, ‘Iska luck hi kharab hai.’”

He went on to mention the third film, Deewane Huye Paagal, which, despite having a star-studded cast, also failed to impress. “I don’t think I ever watched it myself,” Shahid admitted. “I thought, ‘If I won’t even understand what’s going on, why put myself through it? I’ve already done the film, let’s just avoid watching it.’”

The string of failures deeply affected Shahid, who confessed, “I was going through depression. It was a really low phase.”

The turning point came during the initial days of Vivah’s shoot. Shahid revealed an emotional moment when he confronted director Sooraj Barjatya in his vanity van. “We had completed about 8 to 10 days of shooting, and I asked him if he wanted to replace me,” Shahid shared. “I told him, ‘Look, I’ve had three flops in a single month. Nobody wants to see me on screen. Maybe I’m the reason why these films didn’t work.’”

But Barjatya’s response shifted Shahid’s perspective. “He looked straight into my eyes and asked, ‘Do you know what to do between action and cut?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ Then he said, ‘That’s all that matters. Just focus on that. Everything else will come and go.’ That conversation changed something in me. Since then, I’ve only focused on my work. Success and failure—they’re just phases,” Shahid reflected.

Released in 2006, Vivah turned out to be a milestone in Shahid Kapoor’s career. Directed by Sooraj Barjatya and co-starring Amrita Rao, the family drama became one of the biggest hits of the year. Even today, Vivah remains a beloved classic, often cited as one of the most iconic family films in Hindi cinema.