Karan Kapadia: At 12, I knew I wanted to become an actor

Never mind what the world says about nepotism, kids with famous surnames will always be welcomed by the film industry. And even as we look for and point out their similarities with their star parents, we also expect them to be their own people and root for them. Come May 3, another industry kid will make his debut with an action thriller, Blank. Karan Kapadia, the nephew of yesteryear diva Dimple Kapadia and son of late actress Simple Kapadia (of Anurodh fame), is making his debut. Simple, also a famous dress-designer, was Sunny Deol’s costume designer for nearly two decades. 

Given that every newcomer comes prepared, Karan is no different. He went through the drill of preparing to become an actor. He also assisted director Tony D’Souza on Boss (2013), starring Akshay Kumar and acted in a short film that went to Cannes. 

Next, when his friend and co-AD from Boss, Behzad Khamnata, narrated the subject of Blank, Karan not only liked it, but also became a part of its journey from the onset. Excerpts from a chat with the 25-year old debutant... 

When did you realise you wanted to be an actor?

When I was about 11-12 years old. Earlier, I had a lot of anxiety issues. I wanted to take part in plays, etc but I couldn’t muster up the courage to do it. I always regretted it. So, when I act or perform on stage, there’s a feeling of personal accomplishment for me that I was able to overcome this barrier. The feeling you get when you perform in front of people is what drove me. That’s why I started coming out of my shell a lot more. I don’t know what it was in particular, but I instinctively knew this is what I wanted to do.

Would you say Blank is an unconventional debut?

Most definitely. Not many people have come out with their first film, in which they have portrayed a character where there is no specification whether he is good or bad through the trailer. There are so many shades of grey. I personally love that, there’s intrigue about the character. It’s not about me or the family I come from, it’s become about the character,  the film and the intrigue behind it. People are really liking the concept and the story. 

Speaking of which, those who’ve seen the rushes say that for a first-timer, you’re quite confident. Which is hard to believe seeing you talk about anxiety.

I think it’s a great compliment that people think it doesn’t look like my first film. But I know I can grow a lot more and have the potential to do so. When you watch your work, you think you could have done this better or that differently.

That’s different. That you’ll be doing even after 100 films.

That’s inevitable because hindsight is such a thing that you’ll always feel that. But, honestly, I take pride when people say that. Obviously, I won’t let that get to my head. Though I know I have a lot more work to do and do better in terms of performances, better than what I’ve done, in future.

Dimple Kapadia and Karan Kapadia

Talking about family, you’ve been brought up by one of the most beautiful women in the film industry.

Yes, I’m extremely fortunate that I’ve been raised by women. I always say that I was very fortunate to have two mothers. My mom (Simple) was with me till 

I was 15, then my aunt (Dimple) took over and how! She’s absolutely incredible and never made me feel that I missed out on anything growing up. Even my sisters, (Twinkle and Rinke) have always been protective of me. Because of the age gap between us, there are maternal vibes. There is an age gap of nearly 18-19 years between us, as my mom got married really late. 

While growing up, as a kid, I was observing all this. They set the bar so high, especially at that time, because women were not taken as seriously as they are now. I’m talking about the 1980s. So, to do things like that at that time.. of course, they’re the most inspirational people I have in my life and I couldn’t have asked for better role models.

Were you ever able to tell your mom that you wanted to be an actor?

No. The other day I told my aunt that was my only regret that I couldn’t tell my mom (that I wanted to become an actor), so I can’t gauge what her reaction would be like. My aunt said that she would be proud, but I don’t know what my mom would have made out of it. She would have been scared for me because this is a scary industry, I feel. And she was Mr Sunny Deol’s costume designer, so then to see her son in the same frame with him would have been a big thing for her.

Karan and Sunny Deol in Blank

It would have been a little overwhelming for her.

Yeah, it sort of hit me when I was doing a scene with him. I hadn’t thought of it until then. So, yeah, not being able to tell her is one of the regrets I have.

Your mom was also known to call a spade a spade.

Yeah, I liked that. She was so spunky. She was the opposite of what I am. I think I’m more like my aunt. She is calmer and believes in just staying in her space. Maybe because I’ve lived with her for so long, it has rubbed off on me. I was a very naughty child; I was quite a pain. But I’d like to think that my aunt’s personality has influenced me in so many ways.

Do you feel fortunate as an actor that you got the support of Sunny Deol in the film. Also, there’s Akshay Kumar (cousin Twinkle’s husband).

Definitely, that’s a strong support system. I’m a first-time actor, working with a debutant director as well as the DOP. To have someone who is seasoned like Mr Deol — I think it’s his 99th or 100th film — and his experience on the set, obviously, you’re grateful for the position you’re in.

On the set, we were a bunch of newcomers so much in awe of everything going on around us. He just makes everyone better. When I have a scene, I see it as a chance to try to match his level of performance. He brings out the best in the cast, crew everyone on the team. As for Akshay sir, we didn’t know he was doing the song till about two weeks before we shot it.

They’ve always been encouraging. But I think when they saw some portion of the film, they were proud and confident that we did a good job. After that, maybe it was his way of saying good luck. I’m so grateful. None of us could see it coming. I told him, now, I can’t sleep. Then, there was so much anxiety. But we’re glad everything has worked out organically.