Sushant Singh Rajput on his FALLOUT with Aditya Chopra and his Shah Rukh Khan hangover

Sushant Singh Rajput has delivered a massive hit with Dhoni, but for some reason, he is not spoken about in the same breath as Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra. He did not have a dream launch. He made his debut with Kai Po Che, with an ensemble cast. He won Best Debut that year. He did two films after that all with YRF (Shuddh Desi Romance and Byomkesh Bakshy). Then, he had a fallout with Aditya Chopra and walked out of Paani after waiting for almost a year. He was told his career would be over. He delivered his first Rs 100 crore film with his next release. However, the industry is not acknowledging and celebrating his success like it should. And he understands this. He accepts it and perhaps, secretly enjoys it. Because that allows him to be the dark horse. Here he talks about the Paani chapter, the nepotism in the industry and “being Shah Rukh Khan” in his head. Read on for excerpts...

Working on your sixth film. Are you still trying to come to terms with the film industry?

I think it’s easy to understand. People talk about nepotism but I think we are just touching the subject superficially. We are just saying that outsiders find it hard to break into the industry and insiders get it easy, that’s the first thing. No one talks about how your successes and your failures are perceived and that is nepotism, too. If I do something and that’s going and you say...

Please explain..

It is not that insiders are not good, they are. But I also did something which is good but you would just punctuate that hundreds of times and you justify it. And the insiders would do anything and so nobody would question them because he or she was good. But that doesn’t take away from somebody else who was good, too. But that is there and just the room of that faith, hear what I am saying. Some failures are easily forgotten, some aren’t.

You mean that your failures are highlighted more, and your success is not celebrated as much?

I think all this is also nepotism. Anybody who says it isn’t is either very ignorant or very powerful. That is it. I have no complaints because I have done five films that I wanted to do, I have signed some as well. Not that I didn’t have options... so, I can’t complain. But at the same time, I know that no matter how good friends I am with somebody, if my films don’t work...

...you won’t get offered their films, but you will get invited to their parties, correct?

(Smiles) Yes, that is something that has started happening lately. I am invited to parties. So I finally feel that I’ve arrived. I wouldn’t name him, but this maker just offered me a film after we had a tiff last year and just because my last film did well. It is such simple mathematics and there is nothing wrong to it. It is a money-making thing and if you are saleable — I don’t mean to emphasise that we need to network to get work — but it is expected and sometimes necessary.

SRK and you both hail from Delhi, both made it big after working on TV. Have you subconsciously imbibed his style? You are accused of having a Shah Rukh Khan hangover.

Really? If it is working, I won’t complain. (Pauses) If that is true, then it is probably because we had the same acting teacher — Barry John. In fact, I got a chance to finally do a dance song in Raabta and I did his signature — arms spread — move.  I’ve always wanted to do it. Because I am a big Shah Rukh fan. He’s the only reason I started.

You have often said that.

I remember coming to Swades ka set, to get his autograph, and I couldn’t meet him, unfortunately. I had come from Delhi, he was shooting in Mumbai and a few years later I was dancing behind him when I was with Shiamak and I said, ‘Hi’ and he said ‘Hi’ back. And then, a few years later, when I made my debut, we were at the IIFA, he called me to his room, we sat there for 45 minutes and chatted. I was like, ‘This is it. I can’t get beyond this.’

You and SRK also have the Aditya Chopra connection. Though your experience hasn’t been as nice as his. Do you regret waiting so many years for Paani to take off?

Yes. It was very unfortunate because I remember saying no to many films I really wanted to do at that point of time, just because I trusted somebody who was telling me, ‘No matter what, the film will be made.’ I can also understand that I am a newcomer and a filmmaker is putting in so much money, so he will have doubts, but it doesn’t take away the fact that if you decide not to do that film, you cannot not give me another film just because you know I have said no to so many films. That didn’t happen.

Did you really struggle with the decision to walk out of the film?

No, that was a very easy decision. I see few changes in myself that have happened in last four years. I am completely fearless about the consequences. I just don’t care. You will have a great time working with me because there are things I am sure of — I am professional and if you ask me to do nine things, I will do 10. You will be happy, but if it’s anything else that doesn’t contribute to what we are trying to do, then I will not take that sh*t, no matter how big or small you are. As simple as that. I think everybody who works with me, knows this and appreciates this.

How long did you wait for Paani to take off?

That was 11 months of the second year since making a debut. I did three films before that in one year and then I just had one year of doing nothing. But I shouldn’t say I wasn’t doing anything, because I was spending time with Shekhar and that did a lot for me. After waiting for nine months, in the tenth month, I got to know that it won’t happen. I waited for another month, so I would get another film but it didn’t happen. I said, ‘Fine! Let’s find out for myself.’

Did you feel you’ve burnt your bridges with him?

That’s for him to decide.

Shraddha Kapoor also had a problem with Aditya Chopra, but he recently offered her Thugs of Hindostan. So maybe he doesn’t have that ego, and he will approach you if he has a film for you.

If he offers me a film that he thinks I will do a good job in, I will do it.