Riddhima Kapoor Sahni is about to make history as the oldest Kapoor woman to make her acting debut, stepping in front of cameras for the very first time at 45 in ‘Daadi Ki Shaadi’, alongside her mother Neetu Kapoor and Kapil Sharma. But the road to her debut began not with an audition or a narration, it began with two women laughing loudly at the very idea. In a candid conversation ahead of the film’s May 8 release, Neetu Kapoor, Kapil Sharma and director Ashish R. Mohan revealed the charming, entirely unplanned story of how this mother-daughter casting came together.
Neetu Kapoor’s first reaction
Speaking to SCREEN, when the casting call came for Riddhima, Neetu Kapoor’s response was immediate and emphatic.“When I got a call asking if Riddhima would do this film, I laughed loudly and said, ‘Riddhima? Movies? No, no.’ Then I put the phone down and thought, how can I make the decision on her behalf? So I called Riddhima and asked if she would do the film. She laughed even more than I did and then said, ‘Why not?'” recalled Neetu.
Kapil Sharma on the organic casting decision
Kapil Sharma revealed that Riddhima’s name emerged naturally from the casting process and that the team’s only real uncertainty was whether she would agree.“When the casting for the daughter’s role was being discussed, the team said there is one character left, who should play Neetu ji’s daughter? Everyone thought of Riddhima at the same time. But the doubt in everyone’s mind was the same, will Riddhima agree? And then when she came, her very first shot on the first day was so natural. It is in your blood,” Kapil said, addressing Riddhima directly.
How did Neetu Singh get on board for ‘Dadi Ki Shaadi’?
Signing Neetu Kapoor was equally unplanned and equally serendipitous. Kapil Sharma revealed that Neetu’s opening position was clear.“When director Ashish went to Neetu maam to give the narration, she told him — I will not do a film for money, I do not need work, I am in a family space right now,” he shared.Director Ashish R. Mohan took over from there. “I asked Neetu ma’am how long she wanted the narration to be. I told her it could be wrapped up in half an hour or stretch to three hours. We began narrating, and it ended up lasting two hours and forty minutes. She listened to the entire thing. After the narration, she said, ‘I still don’t know whether I will do the film or not, but this film should definitely be made.’ We got into the car, and within 15–20 minutes, we received a call saying Neetu ji was doing the film,” he said.
Riddhima Kapoor Sahni on her debut at 45
For Riddhima, the experience carries emotional weight that goes beyond the debut itself.“It truly feels surreal and deeply emotional. There’s a sense of everything coming full circle. I know my father is always with me, blessing me in anything and everything that I choose to do. That thought gives me a lot of strength and comfort,” she told SCREEN.
More about ‘Daadi Ki Shaadi’
Directed by Ashish R. Mohan, ‘Daadi Ki Shaadi’ is a family entertainer built around relationships, emotions and light-hearted drama. The ensemble cast includes Neetu Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, R. Sarathkumar, Yograj Singh, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Aditi Mittal, Nikhat Khan, Vidhaan Sharma and Swarna Pandey. The film releases in cinemas on May 8, 2026 and also marks Neetu Kapoor’s return to the big screen after four years.
