“I Make It A Point To Look Out For Challenges As An Actor All The Time”- Shraddha Kapoor

In this interview for the promotions of her forthcoming Hindi-Tamil-Telugu-Malayalam film Saaho, SHRADDHA KAPOOR tells JYOTHI VENKATESH that ultimately what works in the industry is only one’s talent and hard work and anything else including nepotism can never get you acceptance.

Tell me something about your next release Saaho!

Saaho is a very novel film. I am actually feeling nervous and excited at the same time. Today the audience does not at all care about what the budget is or who the actors in a film are. It is actually very good, because each and every one has to pull up his or her socks to be in the race. The audience is the ultimate judge today at the box office.

How important is Saaho to you as an actress?

Saaho is very important to me, like any other film that I take up. Even if you have a string of hits to your credit, I feel that your next release is equally important to you. I do not at all feel relaxed about any of my movies. In fact, I feel I should go into hiding before the release of any movie of mine as there are butterflies in my stomach but at the same time I feel that engaging interviews to promote your film are also equally important.

How is Prabhas as a co-actor?

Prabhas is a very easy going and chilled out actor. We got along fabulously. I feel that it is a very interesting time for multilingual films like Baahubali earlier and Saaho, RRR and SyeRaa Narasimha Reddy now. It is very good to see different film industries coming together under one platform to entertain people.

What kind of preparation did you put in for your part?

I had put in a lot of efforts in terms of super action and learning Telugu to make my part look convincing. I want to be a part of films that tell good stories. The way that I have gone about doing the kind of films that I am doing has also kept changing over the years. I have said No to a lot of offers to do regional films earlier because I felt that the roles were very similar to the ones that I had done in Hindi films or they did not have substantial roles, especially since I always make it a point to look out for challenges as an actor

Isn’t Saaho your first film in Telugu?

Saaho is my first Telugu film. It was very tough to mug up my lines in Telugu. I had turned down a couple of offers in Telugu earlier because I could not connect with the parts but I was blown by the narration of the script of Saaho. Every one’s character has been etched well, be it Jackie Sir, Chunky Sir or Neil or Mandira or Prabhaas and myself. A coach used to be sent to my office every day to help me learn the nuances of the language. Director Sujeet wanted me to speak in conversational Telugu so that I can sound real. I even mugged up a one and a half page sheet of dialogues in Telugu. I had to understand what the lines meant so that I could emote easily because if I had to say I feel very bad, obviously I can’t smile and say the lines. People generally think that if you are in a commercial space, you cannot afford to have commercial elements. I actually feel that you can have both in one film. I take up a film only if I can connect with the story. I agree to be a part of a film if the stories are able to entertain the audiences and make them forget about their day to day worries.

Is it true that you had to opt out of Amole Gupte’s film on Saina Nehwal to accommodate your dates for Street Dancer?

Yes. It is sad but I had to opt out of the biopic on Saina as I had to allot my dates for Street Dancer for Remo Sir. Remo Sir had given me ABCD and I could not decline his offer when he asked me to be part of Street Dancer. My part in Street Dancer with Varun Dhawan is amazing. Remo Sir made me explore a side to me that I never thought I could do earlier- dance.

You could have asked Amole to wait still further for your dates and completed your film. Isn’t it?

Frankly, I had already delayed his film because I had dengue and it had to be pushed to a later date. It was a tough choice for me to make but I opted for Street Dancer and Amole Sir is now making the Saina biopic with Parineeti Chopra, in my place.

As Shakti Kapoor’s daughter, do you think nepotism is good in the industry?

The debate on nepotism is such an old one but frankly it did not at all help me that I happen to be the daughter of Shakti Kapoor because my dad never helped me get a film nor did I seek his help to get me a film. I bagged my debut film Teen Patti and my second film with Yashraj Films on my own merit when no one knew whose daughter I was after I gave auditions for both the parts. I feel that ultimately what works in the industry is only your talent and hard work and anything else including nepotism can never get you acceptance.

What do you think of competition in the film industry?

It is amazing that there are so many actors’ and space for everyone. Right from the start, I have looked at things very differently. I am also a little bit to myself sometimes as it helps me to focus on what to do all the time. I do not even have the time to watch movies or attend parties as such because I do not want to go far away from my goal.

Do you make it a point to observe people all the time?

Life is the biggest teacher. I observe the way you hold your cup of tea, the way you have a smile on your face and learn a lot from people every day as I feel that an actor should always be like a sponge. I also love having conversations with people. Films also teach you a lot but I’d say that nothing teaches you better than life itself.

In what way have you evolved as an actor from Teen Patti to Saaho?

I have now started understanding my characters better. I want to evolve further and become even better than what I am now. Thankfully though the anxiety problems that I used to face earlier are still there, they have become better now because I have been surrounded by the right people  - the dancers when I was on the sets of Street Dancer and even Remo Sir and Varun did not at all know about my problems then. The injuries on my ankles have become better now though the year was extremely exhausting physically for me.

 How is your love life now? Is it true that you are great friends with Rakesh Shrestha’s son Rohan Shrestha?

The lesser said about my love life, the better for me. I’d rather talk only about Saaho and not my love life because even if I say I have not yet stumbled upon my love in life, the media is going to write what they want to write and I just cannot do a thing about it. All that I can say now is that you better let me know when I am getting pregnant

What next, after Saaho?

I have in my kitty films like Street Dancer, Baaghi 3 and one more film. I want to take up films slowly and steadily after thinking and deciding the pros and cons of each film.

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