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| Edited By: Meena Iyer |Source: DNA |Updated: Sep 26, 2018, 06:00 AM IST
Arjun Kapoor and his pet, Max, share a bond, which makes you envious. The big ‘friendly’ bulldog and his master horse around for a bit and watching them, you can set new master-pet goals. “I live in Max’s house, he doesn’t live in mine,” explains the actor. Watching that quizzical expression on your face, Arjun adds that he has been out of his home so much in the last year — courtesy back-to-back shoots of Namaste England and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar — that he has started to feel like a tenant in Max’s home. Encouraging his pet to ‘stay’, the 33-year-old star then turns his attention to us and talks about the various aspects of his life.
Post Sridevi’s demise earlier this year, Arjun has stood by his family like a rock. He says, “So much happened that we didn’t have the time to figure things out. Having experienced something as harsh as that, I wouldn’t wish it for my worst enemy. I know what it feels like to be in a situation where you’re grasping for life.
I was in Punjab when I got the news. I called my maasi and sister immediately. I had to do what I felt was right. That’s what mom would expect of me, to be there for my father and family. If I can be a good brother and a good son, then why not? Mujhe toh kuchh achha hi mil raha hai, I’m getting two more sisters and helping my father feel a little relaxed. People jumped the gun that everything was perfect when it came to my relationship with Janhvi, Khushi, Anshula and dad.
Arjun says, “It was at a nascent stage as we were still figuring out things. But we were comfortable with each other and that was a good starting point. Mujhe darr tha ki zyada baat karne se nazar lag jayegi. I wanted things to take their own course.
Janhvi and Khushi are both sorted. Today, we are able to speak one-on-one. I know they will figure out life in their own time, in their own way. Anshula and I are there for them.
The good part is that we have our independent lives, but whenever need be, we are there for each other. That’s how it should be. We don’t have to suddenly become a happy pretentious khandaan, which is why I took some time. Now, I’m talking about it as there’s a certain ease and I’ve been able to figure things out.
I feel we have been able to come together at a time when most wouldn’t have been able to do so. My father’s strength is his family and if he’s there for us, we should also be there for him.
Kabhi kabhi in all the bhaag-daud, you don’t realise how important it is to connect, sit down and have a meal with your loved ones. Somewhere, all of us have been able to get that perspective.”
Over the last few months, Arjun’s name has been linked with several actresses. Quiz him about being a ladies’ man and he states, “Women like me for the kind of person I am. When I came into the industry, I was an introvert who was still figuring himself out. Over a period of time, there has been a change in my personality. Even the opposite sex has appreciated me for the person I’m because I’ve allowed myself to develop into that. In this profession, your personality comes to the forefront after seven-eight years. Some years ago, what you saw on the screen, you appreciated. Today, I believe, what you see off the screen creates a certain connect with your fans; they start affiliating/associating you with certain qualities. I feel that’s where your social media presence, your personality and the way you conduct yourself comes in. It’s a 360-degree perspective.
My last release was Mubarakan in July 2017 and my next is Namaste England, which releases on October 19. There is a long gap of 15 months. But just because you are out of sight, it doesn’t mean you are out of mind. You stay connected and engage with your fans through different avenues.”
Arjun played a small-town hooligan in his debut film, Ishaqzaade (2012), long before it became clichéd. He explains, “You’re defined by your first film. It sets the tone of the things to follow. I got my opportunity to be in the heart of India as a character much earlier in my career, than be a chocolate boy. I’m an antithesis to everything that is clichéd. Hero banne ke liye clean-shaven hona padhta hai, leather jacket pehanna aur bike pe slow-motion mein entry karni padhti hain... I was none of that and that’s what worked in my favour.
Then my career followed. I never thought I would get female attention with Ishaqzaade. At that time, there was no other bad boy with dishevelled hair, scruffy beard going around in a ganji, with that don’t-give-a-damn attitude. It was refreshing. That’s the kind of feedback I got. When Aditya Chopra signed me on for Ishaqzaade after my audition, he said, ‘Don’t think you’ll be a loverboy and women will be swooning over you. You just do your work’.
You can’t predict what the audience connects to. Adi and I were happy with the feedback of women after seeing Ishaqzaade. The rest is history (smiles).”
Ever since his debut, the Kapoor lad has acted in films that are distinct from each other. He explains, “I have persevered and been patient. I’ve earned my stripes to be able to headline films, add value to them rather than just have my name attached to projects for the sake of it. Today, if you want to continue being a mainstream hero, you need to bring something to the table. I think with every film, I’ve tried to bring that equity to the audience. It’s not that I’ve planned everything, but I’m more aware as I’ve grown up in the industry, understanding the kind of films I like, what the audience likes, and using that to whatever advantage I’ve.
Whether it’s a person with me or someone whom I meet halfway across the world, if I can narrate a film in two lines, that itself makes the movie widely appealing.
It’s important that every film I do, the audience watches it and it makes money for the producer. It’s an entertainment medium, you can’t be overly indulgent about making movies for selfish reasons.
Having said that, I did Finding Fanny when I wanted to experiment.
After Ishaqzaade, I signed four different films — Aurangzeb, Gunday, 2 States and Finding Fanny — within a month. I wanted to see where the audience appreciates me more.
I didn’t know 2 States would work. Aurangzeb is the quintessential Hindi film drama, which we could have marketed differently. It had the potential of becoming a mini-series of seven-eight episodes. Maybe we didn’t do justice to the thought and the premise. At that point, I didn’t know which of those four films would work better. Now that I know, I try to add value to my movies and profession.
The actor has an interesting line-up of projects such as Namaste England, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar (SAPF), India’s Most Wanted and Panipat. He elaborates, “You’ll be surprised by how funny Namaste England is, you will smile and laugh a lot, it’s more in the realm of 2 States than Half Girlfriend. Namastey London had conflict, but it wasn’t done in a melodramatic way. Our film has drama, but it has tongue-in-cheek humour and banter, too. What you see of Parineeti (Chopra) and me as people, we’ve incorporated that in our characters. It’s a light, breezy entertainer.
SAPF, which releases next March, is the complete opposite of what Parineeti and I are doing in Namaste England. While in Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s film, we are the quintessential love-struck couple, in Dibakar Banerjee’s movie, there is pure hatred and class divide. It’s a well-written thriller and I’m excited about it.
Rajkumar Gupta’s IMW is a special film for me. It’s something I’ve never done before. I never wanted to do a patriotic film where I’ve to go around shouting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. I feel you can’t force people to be patriotic, you have to make them feel it in a subtle way.
IMW is about all those unsung heroes, who are out there protecting us. We forget to acknowledge them and understand their importance. Rajkumar is the perfect director for a subject like this. Also, it’s my most masculine character yet. I feel IMW is a transition for me as an actor because of the genre. It’s an espionage thriller. There is human emotion where you are manly without having to raise your hand and beating up someone. You can have a certain stoic nature as an actor.
As for Panipat, we haven’t started shooting yet. Ashutosh (Gowariker) sir has been prepping for it for a year. He is one of the nicest people I’ve interacted with and I’m excited to work with him.”
