Shahid Kapoor's Big interview

When time is right, every decision is right!

Shahid Kapoor in a free-wheeling chat discusses everything that has touched his life including his fan boy moment; his stardom and Priyanka Chopra amongst others.

 Afsana Ahmed

Just as the free-flowing bubbly, Shahid Kapoor’s fresh avatar is just as sweet and all over the place! A sense of inner freedom is what he attributes his new mantra is! At 32 after effectively imprinting his mark on the minds of not just the audiences but also filmmakers Shahid is stepping up and raising the bar for great expectations now. It’s clearly his time…either to make it or break it! His last film Mausam’s debacle is a talk of the past now, so are the other shackles that had bound him once. As he gets set to hit the marquee with Raj Kumar Santoshi’s Phata Poster Nikla Hero (PPNH) and subsequently Prabhudeva’s Rambo Raj Kumar Shahid says, “I’ve just pushed it all out. I wanted to get on sets and have fun because for six months I was at home getting fried”, says the actor.

Looks like you’re set for a big return. Do you feel good times are coming back?

I’ve not gone anywhere and I’m not going anywhere. I’m coming after a year and ek saal ke baad aaneka toh poster phaadke aaneka (laughs). I mean it’s different, it’s new, it’s fresh, it’s a new version of me, and so I’m excited about all those things. I was supposed to do Shuddh Desi Romance. It kept getting delayed and then I couldn’t do it. But now when I look back I feel that I’m happy that it got delayed and that PPNH is my next release.

Coming back to your second question, when time is right, every decision is right and when time is wrong, every decision goes wrong. You have to allow yourself to come out of that bad time and admit, haan galti ho gayi, aur try karenge. Kaun flop film nahi deta hain? I’ve made mistakes and I must correct them. If you become negative, pessimistic and start blaming everyone else around you then you’re inviting disaster.

So you’re finally finding the grip back after last few years which haven’t been good for you?

I feel liberated more than anything! It’s not just about doing a film like this but just the way I’ve been while doing this film of letting the directors take full control of me. That’s something I didn’t do in the past. I think I was quite opinionated even with the filmmakers which when I look back was absolutely needless. I’m an actor and I should be just doing that and when this thought dawned on me, I really enjoyed because it sets you free and you can perform with ease.

You’ve talent and looks yet you have been the most under-rated star/actor. Why?
I think I was limited in my thoughts and always worked within a comfort zone. I did a Kaminey which was way out of my comfort zone, but probably that was the only film I did with an uncertain confidence. So I think I have finally reached that point where I am letting go and I’m not trying to plan or think and control because of which I think people able to take me and do different things. And I’m now giving people the freedom to use me the way they want.

General perception is that you were squandering your talent because of your philandering ways? BOX
No, I don’t agree. I think it’s a random interpretation. I don’t think my personal life has anything to do with my professional life. In fact when I was in my most stable relationship (dating Kareena Kapoor) I had a lot of very unsuccessful films. In fact, my most successful film Jab We Met came when Kareena and I had broken up. I can only see it from a practical point of view and practically I feel that some choices didn’t work for me. Sometimes I made choices like doing a Vivaah or a Jab We Met or a Kaminey which were all three risks in their own way because one was with Soorajji (Barjatya) which a lot of people kind of felt that this kind of cinema is not relevant after Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon. I did a film with Imtiaaz (Ali) a new director and I did a commercial film with Vishal Sir (Bhardwaj). But all three things worked for me. Then when I did Mausam, I thought I was making a great decision and it potentially was a great decision if it would have turned out to be a great film. But it doesn’t mean that I will change the way I think or the way I do work.

PG2

 Attachment is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness!

There were reports that you and Kareena bumped into each other at an award function. Was it awkward?
The last I met Kareena was some three years back during the rehearsals of some awards function. It was in the lobby of Yash Raj Studios and we spoke for like five minutes.

Since the break up till now, you haven’t been in a serious relationship?
That’s what you think! I have been single only for the last two years.

Apparently you’re not in talking terms with Priyanka Chopra despite residing in the same building. Given a choice will you work with her again?
I don’t know who is saying all this. I have no issues with her at all. She’s a fantastic actor; of course I want to work with her. We’re in touch on and off.

Ranbir Kapoor is looked upon as the next big thing. But buzz is also that if Shahid Kapoor remains focussed, attitude free, and away from random link-ups, he’s a strong contender for the slot. Comment?  BOX
Ranbir deserves the tag of being ‘next big thing’. But that’s also too much of a pressure (laughs). I feel we’re at a stage right now where you cannot define a definite superstardom. There are different stages to it. This is the stage for the younger generation who have come in the last few years (actually I’m a little more senior to them) and have not gotten there yet. We all need to explore our potential and prove ourselves. Jab maine start kiya tha, paanch saal mein ek newcomer aata tha. Film mil gayi toh itni badi baat thi. Abhi toh mahinon mein log launch ho jaate hain. So you can see how things are changing. There’s so much opportunity now and I feel fortunate to be a part of this time. Ten years back when all the reigning superstars were at their prime it was a difficult to crack the market. These superstars are still at the peak. But a new crop will come up that’s how generations are defined. Now it’s about who goes out there and does it. If you do the right work and if you exploit your potential correctly anything is possible.

Tell us how you fell in love with movies?
When I was in school and college the three Khans- Aamir, Salman and Shah Rukh were the superstars for me and will always be. These were the guys whose movies were eagerly awaited every Friday. I remember seeing Lagaan in Chandan theatre sitting in the balcony. I saw Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Rangeela, DDLJ, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and Judwaa all these films in the capacity of a movie buff. These are the films and these are the stars who made you fall in love with movies.

Heard you want to date a normal girl?

Yes, someone who is not necessarily an actor or from the industry. Someone who’ll bring some normalcy into my life and help me stay in touch with reality. It’s something I’m curious about and want to explore. There are so many actors who a married to normal people and their marriages are successful. I’m tired of dating actresses. And it’s my personal opinion. My friends also tell me. My father is very concerned and every time he meets me he says, ‘Beta shaadi kab kar rahe ho? and I’m like, ‘Dad, let’s not have this conversation.

You’re working with Salman Khan in PPNH. How was it?
I’m playing a desperate fan of Salman Khan in the film. We didn’t get much time to spend because we were together for a very short period and since the light was fading we shot for two and a half hours. But it’s a really funny scene and he was so nice. I’ve experienced it how fans react when they see actors so it was fun playing that kind of a character. And I’m shouting ‘bhai, bhai, bhai’ throughout the sequence so it’s quite funny.

Are you a Salman fan in real life?
Anybody in the country who says they are not Salman fan is lying. I’m a huge Salllu fan, but I‘m also a fan of all the three Khans. (Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman). The most memorable films in last 20 years are their films.

What’s your most memorable fan boy moment?
My most memorable fan boy moment was with Sachin Tendulkar. This is about 2 years back. I was shooting for Mausam and there was a match happening in Mohali (Chandigarh) and we were shooting for Mausam. I didn’t know there was a match. Sachin and I was staying at the same hotel. I got on the lift with my bodyguard as we were staying in the third floor. The lift stopped at the second floor and Sachin walked into it with a bat in his hand and headphones on. He was in his own space looking down. I just froze! For the first time I didn’t know what to say. He got out at the ground floor and then his bodyguard whispered something to him. He turned around and said ‘Hi Shahid, how are you? I didn’t see you in the lift’. And I replied, ‘Hi Sir, I am a really big fan and glad to meet you’. I actually did that. He just smiled and walked away. I had got tongue tied. Today I understand why fans behave the way they do when they meet their idols!

How was Raj Kumar Santoshi and Prabhudeva as directors?

Rajji is an outstanding actor and Prabhu Sir is the king of mawaali-pant.i Rajji will perform the whole scene for you. Like that expression for example, is not my expressions! It is Rajji’s. I should just do a video of him and show it to people. In fact, I realised that a lot of what I saw in Andaz Apna Apna and Ajab prem ki ghazab kahaani was Rajji’s expressions. So when I heard the narration I was like, ‘Dude, if I blindly follow whatever he’s doing then I’m good.’ And that’s the same for Prabhu Sir. I was his personal robot in Rambo Raj Kumar. Like he would say left hand up, now look like this, smile like this with your eyes open like this, now give a serious expression, now say something without any expression.

You grew up in a disturbed marriage and broken family. Honestly do you feel products of such marriages are more vulnerable as compared to others?
That’s a very narrow way of thinking, I don’t agree. There are two types of people. When life throws shit you learn to handle or you fall all over the place. Now, wherever you come from whatever your background, there is nobody in this world who can say that they have shit free life. Everybody has shit thrown at them at some point. All that matter is how you deal with it. Your character is defined not by what life throws at you, rather how you deal with it. You need to be strong and handle difficult situation to be better person. Otherwise you’ll be the loser.

Does the pain of absence of a parent or parents more draw-out than any other pain? BOX
I think everyone reacts differently. Anyone who have felt lose always understands. It helps you to see life in its true form. You learn to value lot of things. It also scares you a little to invest on people. You don’t want to feel that pain again. Any kind of lose is a pain. Attachment is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness. That gives you power to love someone more than yourself, then if you lose something the pain is so much that you feel it’s difficult to live. Even if we have lost we should go beyond that and get truly attached to someone. That’s the most beautiful feeling when you love someone truly and completely. So you should not miss out on that. But be careful about who you are doing it with.

Shahid’s five fave directors.

Prabhudeva: King of mawaali-panti.

Raj Kumar Santoshi:  A great actor other than a great director

Vishal Bharadwaj: The Dark knight

Imtiaaz Ali: Prince of romance

Karan Johar: King of romance.