New Delhi: The escalating court dispute over the ₹30,000 crore estate of the late industrialist Sunjay Kapur has thrust the intricate relationships within his blended family into the spotlight. In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Sunjay’s sister, Mandhira Kapur Smith, opened up about her longstanding tensions with Priya Sachdev, Sunjay’s second wife, while affirming that Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor remains an enduring part of the family.
Mandhira was unequivocal about her disconnect with Priya. “I have no relation with Priya,” she stated, recounting how she had advocated for the couple’s union despite their father’s staunch opposition. “I am the one who spoke to my father about letting them be together. My father never met Priya, never saw Priya. He was totally against the marriage. He was very clear about that.”
She noted that her mother had shared a household with the couple and appeared to maintain a cordial daughter-in-law relationship, though Mandhira avoided delving into those matters. “I have never discussed it with my mother because Priya and I never got along,” she explained. Mandhira further criticized Priya’s role in the current crisis, saying, “Priya should have kept this family together at this point. Instead, she has created a rift.”
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In contrast, Mandhira’s bond with Karisma runs deep, predating the 2003 marriage between Karisma and Sunjay. The two women were close friends who “literally grew up together.” A brief communication lull followed the couple’s 2014 divorce filing, which concluded mutually in 2016, but reconciliation came swiftly. “We didn’t talk for a short while when the divorce happened. I feel I should have taken a stand for her. Though I don’t know what stand I should have taken for her. But she’s family to us. She always will be,” Mandhira reflected. She praised Karisma’s parenting of their children, daughter Samaira (born 2005) and son Kiaan (born 2011), adding, “She speaks to my mom. She speaks to me. She’s a great mom. She doesn’t deserve what happened to her.”
Sunjay’s sudden death on June 12, 2024, after collapsing during a polo match in England, has fueled the legal standoff. Samaira and Kiaan, represented by Karisma as their guardian Samaira via general power of attorney and Kiaan as a minor have contested a March 21 will that purportedly bequeaths Sunjay’s entire personal assets to Priya. The siblings, seeking a one-fifth share each, argue that Sunjay never referenced the document, and neither Priya nor anyone else ever mentioned its existence.
Priya has countered that the suit lacks merit, asserting her status as Sunjay’s legal wife. In court, she remarked, “This suit is not maintainable at all. I am his legal wife. The claims of love and affection where was all this when they fought prolonged divorce legal battles in the Supreme Court. Your husband left you several years ago.”
The dispute has also drawn in Sunjay’s mother, Rani Kapur, who has filed an application requesting asset details. As proceedings unfold in the Delhi High Court, which recently permitted Priya to submit property documents under seal, the family’s divisions underscore the high stakes of this inheritance saga.
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