Rishi Kapoor's time on the sets of 'Kapoor and Sons': Not a single day without fight!

Most actors deny having trouble with their directors and co-actors and pretend everything is hunky-dory. Rishi Kapoor is not like most actors. His most endearing quality is his candidness. In a career spanning 45 years, he has played everything from bad boy to lover boy. Now is enormously excited about his role as the 90-year old patriarch in Kapoor & Sons. In a freewheeling interview, Rishi holds forth on the joys of getting into his complex get-up.

You enjoyed working in this film as a grandfather?
I didn't have fun working for Shakun Batra in Kapoor & Sons. You see I worked for 30-32 days on this film. Not a single day passed when Shakun and I didn't fight.

Why? A creative fight?
It was not a creative fight. It was something else. We fought because I couldn't agree with his method of working on my role.

Please explain?
Shakun wanted to cover every shot of mine from many different angles. But I am old-school spontaneous actor. I couldn't recreate the same expression several times over for every shot. I respect all schools of acting. But I am not a method actor. With every successive shot I lose my spontaneity. This new style of working where actors give the same shot repeatedly from different angles has gained acceptance because in the digital era no raw stock is wasted. Because they've the facility of editing a film on a digital platform they want more software. Thereby actors have turned into robots. That's not my way of working. I always have an edited pattern in my mind for my performances.

Then how did you come to a compromise with Shakun?
I did not! We were constantly arguing. I told him he had taken the wrong actor. I offered to leave the film at least twice.

What?
Yes, I informed Karan Johar I was leaving. Please understand this was a very difficult role. For 13 hours I had to wear the makeup and emote in contact lenses, etc. I couldn't do every shot from many angles. It was easy for the kids Alia, Siddharth, and Fawad as they don't have any one particular style of working. Rajat and Ratna are from stage, they could do the same shot many times and yet make it look spontaneous. I was the odd one out. My spontaneity couldn't be replicated over and over again. I've worked in 150 films. Ask the directors. They will tell you no two takes of mine are the same. I like to feel the lines. I emote with my heart. I respect method actors. But I am not one.

So how did this problem get resolved?
It didn't. We just fought every day. I sent a word to Karan Johar I will leave the film. I believe the same thing happened with my niece Kareena Kapoor when she worked with Shakun Batra in Ekk Main Aur Ekk Tu. She called Karan Johar from Las Vegas complaining about Shakun's style of working.

Has it ever come to that before?
Yes, once before in Manoj Kumar's Jai Hind. The first scene required me to do a 12-page scene in one shot. And he wanted me to move all across the frame while saying those lines. I asked him why was I shuffling all over the place. There is a difference between a play and a film. It became a battle between two schools of acting. That evening he called up ur mutual friend Prem Chopra. Things were sorted out. From the next day Mr Manoj Kumar first asked me how I want to do a shot and then set up the camera.

Was Kapoor & Sons the most difficult film to do?
Every film is a challenge. But yes this one became a little embarrassing for me. Being the senior-most, everyone would grow quiet when I argued with my director. But finally it was all worth it. I am extremely happy with my work and film. I've no complaint at all with Shakun's way work method. Because finally it turned out fine. Shakun was very particular about my body language and dialogues. I had to strike a balance between walking and talking at a pace that was unhurried and yet not too slow because that would get boring.