Janhvi Kapoor is set to open up about the unwavering support boyfriend Shikhar Pahariya offered her following the death of her mother, veteran actress Sridevi, in 2018. On the upcoming episode of ‘Koffee With Karan’ Season 9, featuring Janhvi alongside Varun Dhawan , the actress will recall how Shikhar stood by her during one of the most difficult phases of her life, even when they were not officially dating.Sridevi died in Dubai in February 2018 after accidentally drowning in a bathtub. Her sudden demise came as a devastating shock to the film industry and left her daughters, Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor , grappling with an unimaginable loss.On the upcoming episode, host Karan Johar will recall observing Shikhar stepping up to support Janhvi during that period. Reflecting on his presence in her life, Janhvi will reveal that Shikhar, who was studying in London at the time, took time off from his studies to be in Mumbai. She will share that she learnt much later that he had moved into a friend’s house in Juhu for a month, simply so he could be around if she needed him.“I think he was studying in London and he took like half a semester off. He came to Mumbai, and he used to stay in town with his dad then, and I only found out much later that he moved to his friend’s house in Juhu for a month. Not that I was seeing him every day, but later on I just found out that he was like, ‘No, in case she needs me, I just want to be around.’”In 2024, Janhvi appeared on ‘Koffee With Karan’ with her sister Khushi Kapoor, where she became emotional while recalling the night they learnt about their mother’s death. She remembered how Khushi put aside her own grief to comfort her elder sister.“When I got the call, I was in my room, and I could hear wailing from Khushi’s room, and I think I barged into her room howling and crying. But what I do remember is, the minute she looked at me, she stopped crying. She just stopped crying. She sat next to me and started comforting me. And I have never seen her cry about it since.”Janhvi and Shikhar have been linked for several years, although the two have largely kept their relationship away from an official public announcement. While neither has explicitly confirmed their relationship in the past, Janhvi has spoken candidly about the place he holds in her life on several occasions.In April, during a podcast with Raj Shamani, the actress opened up about how Shikhar’s presence has helped her navigate difficult emotions and feel more secure in herself. Speaking about love, she said, “Love looks safe. It has helped me deal with the helplessness you psychoanalyse. It’s the biggest thing. I don’t feel as helpless anymore because of his presence. And his presence has always done that for me in my life. It’s not just calm. When I say a safe space, I mean that I can be a child; I can be a kid. There’s no one else I have more fun with. I think when you find love that’s good for you, you become.. I feel I have become the truest of myself because of love. It has given me a safe space to hear my thoughts, believe my thoughts, use my voice, and not feel judged, degraded, or abused when I become vulnerable.”In an earlier conversation with Mirchi Plus, Janhvi also spoke about the long-standing bond she shares with Shikhar, revealing that they have been part of each other’s lives since their teenage years. She described their relationship as one built on mutual understanding and support.“He has been in my life since I was 15-16. I think my dreams have always been his dreams and his dreams have always been my dreams. We’ve been very close. We’ve been each other’s support system, almost as if we’ve raised each other.”