Actor-filmmaker Rajat Kapoor talks about his directorial ventures not working at the box office and how he moves on from that
Rajat Kapoor is known for his acting chops but the veteran actor is also a filmmaker, having directed a number of films over a three-decade long career. In a recent chat with DNA, the actor-director got candid about the box office failures of his films and how he moves on from that.
Kapoor made his directorial debut with the short film Tarana in 1994 and moved to feature film direction with Raghu Romeo in 2003. He has since directed Mixed Doubles, Hamlet: The Crown Prince, Mithya, Nothing Like Lear, Fatso, Ankhon Dekhi, Kadakh, and RK/Rkay. While all his films have earned acclaim and even awards, none of them have worked at the box office. Talking about them, he says, “I have made 8-9 films so far (as a director). Almost every time, when they release, it’s depression. With great excitement you go to a cinema hall and watch some 20 people sitting there. And you wonder that after giving three years of your life, this is what it ends with. There is definitely a week or two of being depressed. But that is not the success you are looking for.”
Ankhon Dekhi is perhaps his most talked-about film. The 2013 release is often considered a cult classic with it finding a place on several lists of ‘films that deserved better’. Talking specifically about how the longevity of the film helped him overcome its box office failure, the actor tells us, “Ankhon Dekhi was similar. I remember that Friday and wondering if this is it. But now, even today, I meet people on the road thanking me for making that film. That is the success of the film. It has lived and it will outlive me. It’s not about the money even though it might affect you at that time.”
Then how does he overcome that feeling of sadness? Ask him and the actor promptly replies, “What matters is that you make your next film or move to your next project. If nothing, you write your next script. It’s work that keeps you going. If the world doesn’t allow you to make a film, they can’t stop you from writing. I am an optimist. I don’t get bogged down for more than a week or two. I resurface.”
Rajat Kapoor is starring in the new Disney+ Hotstar thriller Lootere. The show, directed by Jai Mehta under showrunner Hansal Mehta, sees Kapoor play the captain of a trade ship that is hijacked by Somali pirates. Lootere is currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar with a new episode dropping every Friday.
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