35TH BIRTHDAY INTERVIEW ARJUN KAPOOR

“BAHUBALI IS AN EXCEPTIONAL FILM BUT NOT A BENCHMARK AS HITS AND FLOPS HAPPEN IN HOLLYWOOD TOO”

Jyothi Venkatesh

Exactly today, 35 years ago Arjun Kapoor was born to Boney Kapoor and Mona Kapoor. Today, as he is celebrating his 35^th birthday, we at bollyy.com and Mayapuri wish him a happy birthday and reproduce an interview by JYOTHI VENKATESH of ARJUN KAPOOR when his film Aurangzeb was released seven years ago, where he tells him that though it is true that star-sons get it easier in terms of access to showcase their talent, at the end of the day, they will not be taken if they are neither talented nor saleable.

Why did you agree to be a part of Aurangzeb?

According to me, Aurangzeb is the dark side of every person and is a metaphor. India expanded the most during Aurangzeb’s regime and he had a burning desire to rule people and his passion to control everyone was great

If not an actor, what would you have been?

If I had not turned an actor, definitely, I’d have been a director, because I am infatuated with filmmaking

What was the toughest challenge for you in your debut film Ishqzaade?

I had to put on a little more weight for my role in Ishqzaade because obviously I could not afford to look slim in front of Parineeta

How tough was it to get into the skin of your character in Aurangzeb?

I play not one role but a double role in Aurangzeb. I am playing a double role for the first time in my career in Aurangzeb. I had to shed a lot of weight for my roles in Aurangzeb, because one of the two roles required that I play the son of an underworld goon like Jackie Shroff, who wants to take on his empire. I tried to create a balance between both the roles, by sitting with my director Atul Sabharwal and come up with the right nuances for both the characters.

Which are the actors who have played double roles that you like?

Salman Khan in Judwa, Shahid Kapoor in Kaminaay and Srideviji in Chaalbaaz

Bahubali 2 has raked in 1000 cr whereas in Bollywood, people have not been able to measure up to Bahubali 2 in terms of quality and content.

It is sad that we are not celebrating a film like Bahubali which has defied boundaries and continues to create conflicts. It is sad that Bollywood is not making films which do the kind of business that Bahubali did. We should not forget that we are people from the same fraternity whether we make films in Telugu or Hindi. Bahubali is an exceptional film but not a benchmark. Hits and flops do happen in Hollywood too. We should have the courage that Rajamouli has, though not every film can replicate its success. 6000 screens showcased Bahubali 2 in four different languages and it cut the barriers of language but it is not at all a reference point to consider why Hindi films do not do that well, because our content has gone haywire. We cater to two to three different mindsets in Hindi. Bahubali 2 is a reminder to us to make films for the entire country.

What is your take on nepotism in Bollywood?

We only look at the acting part in the industry. Questions are always raised at us actors because  we are the faces in the forefront but do not forget that for every Arjun Kapoor and Varun Dhawan or Alia Bhatt, there is also a Sushant Singh Rajput, Siddharth Malhotra and  Ayushman Khurana who have literally risen from nowhere. Vicky Kaushal proved himself in Masaan and was not taken just because he is action master Sham Kaushal’s son. Varun Dhawan also had to sweat it out as Karan Johar’s assistant in My Name Is Khan. Take Shraddha Kapoor for example. Her first two to three films bombed and she was almost written off but she bounced back with her talent and good luck with Aashuiqui 2 and there has been no looking back. It is true that we got it easier in terms of access to showcase our talent but at the end of the day, we will not be taken if we are neither talented nor saleable. Your talent will speak after you make your debut.

How much do you depend on box office success?

Star power does ride in numbers whether you like it or not, because Cinema in India is essentially escapist. Even Pink and Kapoor & Sons which were content oriented were entertaining. I make sure that my producers do not lose money. As actors we should be accountable to our producers. A lot rides on the cast of a film because we take a chunk of the picture and you have to have the box office to back you and if your film is a hit, it obviously means that you are talented. The divide between box office and talent is a bizarre notion.

Did you make it a point to see Okkadu or read 2 States?

I do not want to either see the original version of any film or read any book which is being adapted into a film because I do not want to be influenced in any way by either the original film or the book from which the film is adapted.

What have you learnt from your dad Boney Kapoor and mom Mona Kapoor?

I have learnt practically everything from both my dad and mom and I am of the opinion that I am just an extension of both of them

What is your ambition?

My ambition is to be known for my good work since I do not want anyone to say that I do not know how to act. As an actor, I want to get my teeth into the skin of challenging characters which are complex to play on the screen and win a name as an actor who can be dependable to the core

Which are the directors you want to work with?

Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Imtiaz Ali, Farhan Akhtar, Rohit Shetty and the last but not the least Aditya Chopra.

If you are stranded on an Island, who you’d love to have for company?

Priyanka Chopra

Which is the crime thriller that you would have liked to be a part of?

Company

A sequel you’d love to be a part of…..

Mr India

A prequel you’d like to be part of……

Company

What is your next project after Aurangzeb?

The next project after Aurangzeb will be Goondey, which is a part of my three- film commitment with the YRF banner. Besides that, I will also be acting in the first remake in my career as an actor in the remake of the Telugu hit Okkadu in which Mahesh Babu had essayed the role that I am going to do. The film, which is as yet untitled, will be produced by my father for our own home production

Where do you see yourself after 30 years?

I see myself still in the film industry either as an actor or as a producer-director, even after 30 years and would love to throw away my boots and relax, when I turn 60.