Neelima Azeem On Divorce With Pankaj Kapur: ‘No Regrets Because I Have Shahid, Same For Ishaan’

Neelima Azeem reflects on her divorce from Pankaj Kapur, discussing distance, timing, and emotional compatibility in a candid interview.

Neelima Azeem reflects on her separation from Pankaj Kapur in a recent interview

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Veteran actor Neelima Azeem has spoken candidly about her divorce from actor and theatre stalwart Pankaj Kapur, revisiting one of the most talked-about yet graceful separations in the Indian film and theatre world. Married in the early 1970s, the two eventually went their separate ways, a decision that has often been described as mutual and dignified.

In a recent interaction with journalist Vickey Lalwani, Neelima reflected on the emotional, personal and practical factors that led to the end of their marriage, offering a deeply introspective perspective on relationships, timing and personal growth.

“Nobody Gets Married To Separate”

Speaking about the inevitability of their separation, Neelima shared a philosophical view on marriage and emotional compatibility. She said, “I just feel that, unfortunately, it was meant to be. Nobody gets married to separate, right? They get married to stay together forever… But I think maybe we were very different people, and also, marriage is not about just what anybody did or what happened. I think it’s about where you are in your mind and where you are in your life, which phase you are in. And if those vibrations don’t have the same frequency, I just feel that it doesn’t sit well.

Her words highlighted that the breakdown of a marriage is not always about conflict, but often about emotional alignment and life stages that no longer match.

Distance Between Delhi And Mumbai Played A Role

Neelima also spoke about the physical and emotional distance that grew between them after Pankaj Kapur moved to Mumbai to pursue his career, while she remained in Delhi. Reflecting on that phase, she said, “I think there was a very massive distance, since he was in Mumbai and I was in Delhi. And I was still very much the girl who was in Delhi with my parents, because that’s how it was. And maybe it was not a good idea at that point in time for him to have taken off to Mumbai without me. And later, without Shahid."

However, she clarified that Pankaj had consulted her before making the move. “I said, go ahead, you are extremely talented… He was trying to make ground here, and I was in Delhi. So I think it was years of distancing that made us go our own ways," she added, also noting that moving the entire family together was not financially viable at the time.

“I Was Just Too Young” — No Regrets Today

Looking back, Neelima admitted that age and emotional preparedness also played a crucial role. “I was just too young. So I think it was just too much for my very young shoulders to handle… If I look at it from every angle, I always say this, then I don’t know how many people understand it, but I have no regrets because I have Shahid. And the same goes for Ishaan. So I have no regrets," she concluded.

Despite the separation, Neelima’s reflections underline maturity, acceptance and gratitude, especially for the family that emerged from the relationship — sons Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, both of whom have carved their own space in Indian cinema.