I was hungry as an actor: Pankaj Kapur

It’s after three years that Pankaj Kapur will be back to acting with the upcoming film Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. Kapur, who turned director with Mausam, is teaming up with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj after Maqbool and The Blue Umbrella.

“Yes, it’s after a long gap that we are working together. Vishal was busy with other projects, and I was concentrating on my debut directorial venture. I was hungry as an actor and Vishal offered me an interesting role, so I took it up,” says Kapur. The film has him playing the character of Mandola a pompously rich man whose only weakness is alcohol.

“He is a high-spirited, full of life character, extremely fond of his daughter (played by Anushka Sharma),” informs Kapur who for the first time is seen dancing in the film. “Not just dance, Vishal has even made me sing a couple of songs — one is on snoring (khurrate) and the other appears in the climax,” smiles Kapur adding that the role has given him an opportunity to explore other dimensions of acting. He confesses to doing several rehearsals for the dance number and at times even improvising on the sets. “It’s all a part of filmmaking process,” he explains.

Though Kapur is hailed as one of the best actors with a couple of National Awards in his kitty, his debut film as a director got him more brickbats than bouquets and failed at the box-office. “It’s unfair to compare my body of work as an actor for 30 years to my first film as a director. Having said that it’s a learning process and I am ready to correct all the mistakes I made. Creativity is a life-long process,” he philosophises.

Ask him about Shahid currently undergoing a bad phase in his career with two flops in a row and the proud father retorts that ups and downs are part of a star’s career.

“Also, it depends on several factors like the release and marketing. Shahid is young, a very good actor and a star in his own right. A couple of more films and he will be up there, but what’s important is doing good work,” says Kapur.