Veteran actress Supriya Pathak recently revealed her mother, the late actor Dina Pathak, harbored persistent doubts about her husband Pankaj Kapur’s commitment, believing he would eventually leave her, even after they had children.
Her Mother’s Lingering Doubts
Supriya Pathak and Pankaj Kapur have now been happily married for 37 years. However, for a significant portion of their early marriage, Supriya’s mother, Dina Pathak, couldn’t shake off the feeling that Pankaj would abandon her daughter.
This concern lasted for at least the first decade of their union. Supriya recalled her mother’s recurring worry, even after the birth of her two children, Sanah in 1993 and Ruhan in 1997.
According to Supriya, Dina would often say, “Voh chala jayega, voh tujhe chhod dega” (He will leave, he will abandon you). Supriya eventually became accustomed to these comments, quipping, “Abhi chhod de toh bhi chalega. Abhi main iske baare mein itna nahi soch sakti” (Even if he leaves now, it’s fine. I can’t think about it much right now).
Despite her mother’s initial fears and Pankaj’s previous marriage to Neliima Azeem, the couple has remained together for nearly four decades.
A Fated First Meeting
Supriya shared the unique story of how she first met Pankaj Kapur. It was for a film directed by Sagar Sarhadi. Supriya admitted that she was drawn to the project primarily because Pankaj was involved, assuming they would have roles opposite each other.
However, she later discovered their characters had no direct connection in the script. Interestingly, the film itself never saw a release, leading Supriya to believe it served a higher purpose.
She humorously suggested that the movie was perhaps made solely to bring them together. They met during the shoot in Gidderbaha, Punjab, and as Supriya puts it, they simply “fell in love” there.
Learning from a Guru
Beyond being her life partner, Supriya Pathak considers Pankaj Kapur her acting guru. She credits him with teaching her the intricacies of the craft.
Supriya explained that working with Pankaj helped her transition from merely “performing” a character to truly “acting.” She regards him as a fundamental teacher in her professional journey, stating, “Pankaj is my guru, my teacher.”
