Sanjay Kapoor says he tried to stay away from 'crappy roles' in Bollywood: 'It becomes impossible to come back'

Not the lack of offers, but the dearth of substantial roles made Sanjay Kapoor take a step back from his career as a hero, says the actor, who is now happy to have found his groove with performance-oriented characters. Sanjay started his acting career with Prem, which began filming in 1989 but released in 1995. He followed it up with popular titles such as Raja, Auzaar, and Sirf Tum, before he decided to wait for "correct projects".

"It is important to be patient. I am not saying a miracle happens, but if you are sincere and hard-working you will get those opportunities. That's what happened to me, I am a living example of it. You have to be ready when your time comes," he told PTI. "As an actor, I did not do something that I will not be proud of to be associated with. Hits and flops are not in your hand, but to be part of the correct project is in your hands, and that's what I did."

In the 2000s, the 57-year-old shifted towards character roles, starring in Darna Mana Hai, LOC Kargil, Luck By Chance, Lust Stories, series The Fame Game, and The Gone Game, among others. Sanjay said he tried his best to steer clear from "crappy roles" as "once you get into it, then it becomes impossible to come back."

Close to two decades after his debut as a hero, the actor said he has finally reached a stage where he can avoid being repetitive. "With every role, there is something new that I am giving as an actor. It is not repetitive. For instance, The Fame Game, and The Gone Game are all different."

Sanjay's latest film is Bloody Daddy, which started streaming on JioCinema on Friday. The actioner, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, features Shahid Kapoor in the lead role. It follows the story of Sumair (Shahid) as he faces off against Gurugram's white-collar drug lords, deceitful friends, a ruthless crime boss, murderous narcs, and both corrupt and honest cops, all during one fateful night. Sanjay plays the role of the drug lord named Hamid.

"I was happy he (Zafar) thought about me to play Hamid. It sounded very exciting when I heard a few scenes at that time. I have played negative characters but not someone, who is suave and has some sort of kinkiness (to him)," he said. The actor's upcoming slate includes Sriram Raghavan-directed thriller Merry Christmas with Vijay Sethupatji and Katrina Kaif, Homi Adjania's Murder Mubarak, and series Laal Batti with Prakash Jha. 

Working with some of the best storytellers in the film industry has helped him evolve as an artist, said Sanjay. "When you work with a good director, they always bring out something new. You also discover something new about yourself. You learn all the time when you are on set. In recent times, I have worked with some fantastic people. I am busy and I am getting great opportunities (now)", he added. Bloody Daddy also stars Diana Penty, Ronit Roy, and Rajeev Khandelwal.

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