I have known of Arjun Kapoor from when he was still in his mother’s womb, his mother Mona Kapoor would be with friends when suddenly, little Arjun would kick hard and Mona knew it was time to provide undivided attention to her unborn. Over the years, as one watched him grow from an awkward adolescent to an overweight adult and gradually transform into a lean, hard working actor, one felt proud of his success.
Over to the young Kapoor for a heart to heart conversation:
Q: Had you ever envisioned that you would travel so far and so fast?
Arjun Kapoor: Honestly no, mine has been a fairy tale of
sorts. In the very beginning whenever anybody asked me what I wanted to become,
I always said I will become a filmmaker, which was natural coming from a film
family.
Then suddenly, I met Salman Khan who sensed I wanted to become an actor but was too shy to admit it. He broke my inhibition; put me on an exercise regime. I was lucky to be signed by the YRF banner, lucky to get a break like Ishaqzaade.
Q: You played a bad boy in your debut film, did you fear of getting typecast?
Arjun Kapoor: I wasn’t thinking so much. I was happy with my
part and focused on giving my best. I trusted my producer and director and Adi
(Aditya Chopra) gave me a double role in my second film Aurangzeb, which starred Rishi Kapoor so I was all the more anxious.
Q: In the year 2014 you had three releases and all pairing top heroines?
Arjun Kapoor: I did Gunday my third with YRF and thoroughly
enjoyed shooting with Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh; we had so much fun on
the sets.
2 States was challenging because nobody conceived me as a romantic hero until then. I had not read the book and didn’t want to because I wanted to discover my character as we shot the film.
Q: What about Finding Fanny with Deepika Padukone?
Arjun Kapoor: Not just Deepika but glorious actors like Dimple
Kapadia, Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapoor. Let me tell you, I was very nervous
about doing a film in English because speaking English in everyday life and
speaking dialogues in English for a film is a completely different challenge.
I’m so happy I did the film because the exposure taught me so much.
Q: What did your father’s home production Tevar teach you?
Arjun Kapoor: That you must work within a budget and no matter
what the creative temptations you must know where to draw a line. Dad doesn’t,
but because by temperament he is not just a producer but a passionate filmmaker
with a grand vision. I’m not like that, I don’t want to invest my money and
become a producer but I will most certainly become a director one day.
Q: Does it weigh on you that Tevar didn’t fare well at the box-office?
Arjun Kapoor: Yes, but it was
not as if he was going overboard because Tevar
starred his son. He would have gone overboard with anybody in the film. Dad is
emotional, I’m more practical. I have got the body from him but the cool mind
comes from my mother.
Chachu Sanjay has been like a second dad to me in my growing years and Anil uncle is as enthusiastic as a newcomer and even today gives us youngsters a run for our money.
Q: Do you agree with the message of your forthcoming film Ki & Ka?
Arjun Kapoor: Most certainly I do, I have been surrounded by empowered women in the family and it is time we look at our relationships with a different perspective. I was always conscious about this but after the film I’m all the more sensitized.
Q: In the film, you manage the home for Kareena Kapoor, in real life who manages the home for Arjun Kapoor?
Arjun Kapoor:
My sister Anshula, she is younger than me but brighter and wiser than me, always has been. She is an academic and I’m a school drop out, she runs our home with a well trained staff. I just work but she manages my life and also pursues her goals.
(Bhawana Somaaya has been writing on cinema for 30 years and is the author of 12 books.)