09 August,2026 06:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Kapoor. Pic via AFP
Sanjay Kapoor has opened up about the frustrating aftermath of one of his biggest career successes, revealing that the blockbuster response to Sirf Tum did little to improve his standing in Bollywood. The actor, whose career never quite reached the heights of his brothers Anil Kapoor and Boney Kapoor, said he did not receive a single major film offer after the 1999 romantic drama became a hit.
Speaking to Digital Commentary, Sanjay recalled how surprising the experience was. "Sirf Tum was such a huge hit that today, even after 27 years, we are talking about it. But look at my destiny, I didn't sign a single film after Sirf Tum," he said.
According to Sanjay Kapoor, the industry's response left him puzzled. Despite the film's popularity, he said producers did not come knocking with the kind of projects one would expect after a successful release.
"People praised that film so much, but I don't know what went wrong that nobody ever approached me after that. Nobody signed me. I didn't receive any good offers," he said.
The actor clarified that he was not turning down a stream of lucrative projects. "I won't lie that I was loaded with projects and I declined. I had limited offers, but they were not very great. I thought, I have given a hit, let me wait for something better," he added.
Sanjay also pointed out how differently success appears to work in Bollywood today. He believes actors who deliver even a few hits can secure projects, endorsements and financial stability for years.
"Today, if people give three hits, their career is set for 25 years. They bag several ads. They start earning in crores just after one big hit," he said.
Sanjay also pushed back against the perception that his career was defined by flops. He claimed that while his failures were often attributed to him, his successes did not receive the same recognition.
"People easily take my name when a film flops, but when a film did great, people didn't give me any credit," he said.
The actor maintained that Sirf Tum was successful not merely because of its hit soundtrack, but because of its unusual story. "Apart from having superhit songs, the script of Sirf Tum was unbelievable," he said, highlighting that the lead pair does not meet until the film's conclusion.
Sanjay's other major success was Raja (1995), which followed his troubled debut Prem. The latter had taken eight years to complete and eventually flopped.
Interestingly, Raja director Indra Kumar recently recalled how the failure of Prem had made him fear for his film. However, backed by Madhuri Dixit, Saroj Khan and the writing team, Raja went on to become a superhit.
For Sanjay, the career hindsight remains bittersweet; even after delivering two major box-office successes, the path to becoming a consistent leading man remained elusive.
Sanjay Kapoor also previously looked back at his film Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe from 25 years ago and revealed that though it was a flop, it inspired him to expand his horizons as an actor.
