By Subhash K Jha

Anil Kapoor has put his film career on hold. He starts shooting for his prestigious series 24. In the last six months he has said no to offers from Raj Kumar Santoshi, Rensil d'Silva, Yashraj Films and Prabhu Deva.

Until then he is busy looking into what the tirelessly energetic actor describes as `family matters`.

A little probing revealed that Anil is actually trying to set his son Harshvardhan's career plans in order. Harsh, the apple of the family's eye, has decided to become cinema savvy. Anil is spending as much time as he can with Harshvardhan

Says Anil, `Yes, my priorities have changed. Now it's family time, my children and my brother and his family. Earlier I'd sacrifice the time and attention meant for my family for shooting with outside producers. Now my son needs me. My brother needs me. All these years he has been there for me. Now I'm there for him. `

Anil feels he has been squandering too much time outside the family fold. `I've lately begun to change that. I recently went to the Olympics with my family. And it was a glorious experience. Sonam was supposed to accompany me to the Olympics.

But she couldn't because of her work schedules. She is going through that busy phase that I've now run away from. To Sonam her work is top priority and right now. When I tell her to join me for family events she says, she has to work. `

Anil is happily taking it easy on the work front. I've realized there's a life beyond the camera. I am taking time off from shooting to do things I had never done before.

I regret missing out on family opportunities for shooting round-the-clock. I don't want to leave the pleasures of being there for my family for another time. I want to grab those opportunities now, even if that means missing out on plum roles. Work could wait. `