Shahid (read Fahid) Kapur’s role in ‘Kaminey’ is a far cry from his real self. Known for his lover boy image and decent ways, Shahid Kapur boldly took on a rowdy and boisterous twin avatar with a prominent speech defect in his upcoming film. Talking to Swati Chaturvedi of spicezee.com in ‘Kahiye Janaab’, the usually reticent actor chatted away about the challenges ‘Kaminey’ posed for him, his break-up with Kareena and his quest for the dream woman.Swati: Whenever I meet you, you look different. How do you manage to change your look every time?
Shahid: I do not go for a different look every time. But when I read a script that requires me to change then I go for it. As an actor you should learn to adapt to different roles. But this happens after you reach a certain level and are comfortable with yourself. With ‘Kaminey’ this change happened and I reached that level when I was comfortable changing according to the demand of the character. I know it’s a risk to try something different but at least I try.
Swati: The number – ‘Dhen Te Nan’ from ‘Kaminey’ sort of represents the film. How did ‘Dhen Te Nan’ happen?
Shahid: ‘Dhan Te Nan’ is completely director Vishal Bhardwaj’s baby. Vishal is a very sweet and soft-spoken person with perfect etiquette and when he asked me to listen to the song, I was expecting something soft like ‘paani paani re’ but I was in for a surprise because the song is in complete contrast to his personality. The song sets the mood of the film. These days, music builds the face value of a film. Music gets promoted first and then the story. So, music should always represent the film.
Swati: Vishal’s ‘Kaminey’ is a departure from his previous films like ‘Omkara’ and ‘Maqbool’ that are adaptations of Shakespearean plays. How did a completely original film like ‘Kaminey’ happen?
Shahid: I met Vishal a couple of years after Omkara. He said he is planning to make a commercial film that will reach the masses. This was a new thing for Vishal. After that he related the script to me and I found it very interesting. The story of twins is very common in Hindi films – it’s a very normal concept but the way the story is said and the characters have come out, is very new. The film belongs to new age cinema.
Swati: Tell us about the alchemy of acting. In your journey from ‘Jab We Met’ to ‘Kaminey’ what change came in your life?
Shahid: Change in an actor’s life starts the moment a script is read. Some scripts give you the opportunity to witness a new world, to experience a new character. When you enter this new world you have to establish a connection with it. ‘Kaminey’ gave that kind of opportunity. The characters of twin brothers ‘Guddu’ and ‘Charlie’ are different from what I am. They are from a different background and suffer from speech defect. Of course, all this is acting but I need to establish some kind of connection with the roles I essay.
Swati: Apart from women, what attracts you?
Shahid: I get attracted to the challenges in my work. I like to take risks and it drives me the most. For example, in ‘Kaminey’, we knew that Shahid here is different from Shahid of ‘Jab we Met’ or ‘Vivaah’. We knew that after the promos I would either be rejected or accepted, its good that we are getting a good response. But the fear of negative response from the audience was the driving force for me for almost a year. If you stay in your comfort zone, then you become complacent and boredom creeps in your work as well as life.
Swati: You are said to be a sort of ‘iceman’, you are reserved and don’t open up easily. People say that you have preconditions attached to everything you do.
Shahid: Yes, I am inherently a shy person. I don’t open up very soon to people. That’s my basic nature. And yes everyone has preconditions and reservations, I make it apparent and others don’t.
Swati: Please tell us about the series of your relationships…
Shahid: I don’t talk about it. Frankly, I am tired of the question. It is like this – If someone comes to your bedroom and asks such question, you tend to say ‘get out’. But I understand the question and I don’t protest or indulge in accusations. But most of the stories people read about me are created by ‘fiction journalists’. There is absolutely no truth in it. I understand I have had a very public break up so people want to make me a family man after tagging me as the ‘ice-man’.
Swati: Have you recovered from your break-up? Do you miss Kareena Kapoor?
Shahid: Yes, I have moved on in life. I don’t miss her. It’s been quite long. I am happy to be where I am. I am not in love and if there is someone, people will eventually come to know. Till then, people should keep patience. However, I will not go outside and wave. I feel very loved by the masses; they want me to get settled for good.
Swati: You were not the first choice of Vishal’s ‘Kaminey’. There were many other actors who were approached first. Is this true?
Shahid: Vishal has clarified on this. At one level, it does not matter whether a film has been offered to others or not. But by that I am not saying that the film had been offered to others. What I am saying is if someone rejected the role, then it was not an intelligent decision. It’s once-in-a-lifetime kind of a role. As far as I know, Vishal approached me first for the role. If it had gone to others, I am least bothered. I am the only ‘Kamina’ for now.
Swati: Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Love Aaj Kal’ is quite a success. I think you would have been wonderful in the main lead. Do you plan to work with Imtiaz again?
Shahid: Yes, why not. He had given me a very special role in ‘Jab We Met’. I have had a great time working with Imtiaz. But an actor-director’s relation is not like marriage, where you have to stay together. A director chooses an actor in accordance with the demand of the script. He wants to stay a story and approaches the right actor. And definitely, if the relationship between an actor and director is healthy then there is more desire to work.
Swati: Amongst today’s leading actors, who do you identify with the most?
Shahid: On a professional level, Aamir Khan, for the kind of cinema he makes. Because of Aamir we have started taking chances and after seeing his success, we are not afraid of not falling in the league. On a personal level, it is Shah Rukh because he made it big on his own without any mentor. Salman is admirable for his hot body and Saif for the kind of cinema he does.
Swati: Please tell us about your dream woman? Have you met her already?
Shahid: Well, I have thought about it. My dream woman is someone who is real. By real, I mean honest and straight-up…someone who tries to understand me as a person and does not care for the persona. Someone, who is very simple. No, I don’t think I have met her. Love cannot be planned and it happens. It can happen now, it may happen five years down the line. My search continues…
Shahid: I do not go for a different look every time. But when I read a script that requires me to change then I go for it. As an actor you should learn to adapt to different roles. But this happens after you reach a certain level and are comfortable with yourself. With ‘Kaminey’ this change happened and I reached that level when I was comfortable changing according to the demand of the character. I know it’s a risk to try something different but at least I try.
Swati: The number – ‘Dhen Te Nan’ from ‘Kaminey’ sort of represents the film. How did ‘Dhen Te Nan’ happen?
Shahid: ‘Dhan Te Nan’ is completely director Vishal Bhardwaj’s baby. Vishal is a very sweet and soft-spoken person with perfect etiquette and when he asked me to listen to the song, I was expecting something soft like ‘paani paani re’ but I was in for a surprise because the song is in complete contrast to his personality. The song sets the mood of the film. These days, music builds the face value of a film. Music gets promoted first and then the story. So, music should always represent the film.
Swati: Vishal’s ‘Kaminey’ is a departure from his previous films like ‘Omkara’ and ‘Maqbool’ that are adaptations of Shakespearean plays. How did a completely original film like ‘Kaminey’ happen?
Shahid: I met Vishal a couple of years after Omkara. He said he is planning to make a commercial film that will reach the masses. This was a new thing for Vishal. After that he related the script to me and I found it very interesting. The story of twins is very common in Hindi films – it’s a very normal concept but the way the story is said and the characters have come out, is very new. The film belongs to new age cinema.
Swati: Tell us about the alchemy of acting. In your journey from ‘Jab We Met’ to ‘Kaminey’ what change came in your life?
Shahid: Change in an actor’s life starts the moment a script is read. Some scripts give you the opportunity to witness a new world, to experience a new character. When you enter this new world you have to establish a connection with it. ‘Kaminey’ gave that kind of opportunity. The characters of twin brothers ‘Guddu’ and ‘Charlie’ are different from what I am. They are from a different background and suffer from speech defect. Of course, all this is acting but I need to establish some kind of connection with the roles I essay.
Swati: Apart from women, what attracts you?
Shahid: I get attracted to the challenges in my work. I like to take risks and it drives me the most. For example, in ‘Kaminey’, we knew that Shahid here is different from Shahid of ‘Jab we Met’ or ‘Vivaah’. We knew that after the promos I would either be rejected or accepted, its good that we are getting a good response. But the fear of negative response from the audience was the driving force for me for almost a year. If you stay in your comfort zone, then you become complacent and boredom creeps in your work as well as life.
Swati: You are said to be a sort of ‘iceman’, you are reserved and don’t open up easily. People say that you have preconditions attached to everything you do.
Shahid: Yes, I am inherently a shy person. I don’t open up very soon to people. That’s my basic nature. And yes everyone has preconditions and reservations, I make it apparent and others don’t.
Swati: Please tell us about the series of your relationships…
Shahid: I don’t talk about it. Frankly, I am tired of the question. It is like this – If someone comes to your bedroom and asks such question, you tend to say ‘get out’. But I understand the question and I don’t protest or indulge in accusations. But most of the stories people read about me are created by ‘fiction journalists’. There is absolutely no truth in it. I understand I have had a very public break up so people want to make me a family man after tagging me as the ‘ice-man’.
Swati: Have you recovered from your break-up? Do you miss Kareena Kapoor?
Shahid: Yes, I have moved on in life. I don’t miss her. It’s been quite long. I am happy to be where I am. I am not in love and if there is someone, people will eventually come to know. Till then, people should keep patience. However, I will not go outside and wave. I feel very loved by the masses; they want me to get settled for good.
Swati: You were not the first choice of Vishal’s ‘Kaminey’. There were many other actors who were approached first. Is this true?
Shahid: Vishal has clarified on this. At one level, it does not matter whether a film has been offered to others or not. But by that I am not saying that the film had been offered to others. What I am saying is if someone rejected the role, then it was not an intelligent decision. It’s once-in-a-lifetime kind of a role. As far as I know, Vishal approached me first for the role. If it had gone to others, I am least bothered. I am the only ‘Kamina’ for now.
Swati: Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Love Aaj Kal’ is quite a success. I think you would have been wonderful in the main lead. Do you plan to work with Imtiaz again?
Shahid: Yes, why not. He had given me a very special role in ‘Jab We Met’. I have had a great time working with Imtiaz. But an actor-director’s relation is not like marriage, where you have to stay together. A director chooses an actor in accordance with the demand of the script. He wants to stay a story and approaches the right actor. And definitely, if the relationship between an actor and director is healthy then there is more desire to work.
Swati: Amongst today’s leading actors, who do you identify with the most?
Shahid: On a professional level, Aamir Khan, for the kind of cinema he makes. Because of Aamir we have started taking chances and after seeing his success, we are not afraid of not falling in the league. On a personal level, it is Shah Rukh because he made it big on his own without any mentor. Salman is admirable for his hot body and Saif for the kind of cinema he does.
Swati: Please tell us about your dream woman? Have you met her already?
Shahid: Well, I have thought about it. My dream woman is someone who is real. By real, I mean honest and straight-up…someone who tries to understand me as a person and does not care for the persona. Someone, who is very simple. No, I don’t think I have met her. Love cannot be planned and it happens. It can happen now, it may happen five years down the line. My search continues…
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