Salman told me that whenever I turn producer, he'll do a film with me-Sanjay Kapoor
8:16 AM
Sanjay Kapoor talks about his film starring nephew Arjun Kapoor in the lead role
Upala KBR (DNA; March 15, 2014)
Sanjay Kapoor is producing Tevar, starring his nephew Arjun Kapoor and
Sonakshi Sinha. They are currently shooting in Agra. On the set, Sanjay
is a cool producer, comfortable with his unit and at ease with the cast
and crew... no sign of stress. You’d think he was a veteran producer,
instead of a first timer. He reveals that his secret is delegation. Once
everyone knows what they have to do, they handle it. This is a new
start for the youngest brother of Boney and Anil, who was a lead actor
having worked with the likes of Madhuri Dixit in her prime. Here he
talks about his new role, family and his brothers. Read on…
What made you get into production?
Well, being a producer is in our blood. Now I am producing this film but when I was acting in Boney’s films too, I was working as a producer. I have been wanting to get into production for more than 15 years. I had just completed Auzaar with Salman Khan and wasn’t happy with the kind of films that were being offered so I was toying with the idea of turning producer. I was to produce my first film with Salman but Boney got in between! (laughs wryly). I don’t even know if Salman remembers this, but once while we were at Piano Bar, he had told me that whenever I become a producer, he would do a film with me.
Then what happened...
Fortunately or unfortunately at that time Sirf Tum became a hit. Ironically, I don’t even know whether to be happy or sad because if that hadn’t worked, I would have been the producer of a Salman Khan film and by now I would have produced at least four films with him. But Sirf Tum worked and that encouraged me to continue acting. At the time i thought, ‘If I get into production at this juncture, I will be closing the chapter on acting. Also, at that time the trend of actors turning producers wasn’t such a big one as it is today. So I didn’t get into production and continued to act in films like Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche or do a negative role in Qayamat.
Please continue...
At that time Sohail and Salman had approached a couple of big stars for the film but they refused because Salman was there. I said yes and till today both haven’t forgotten that. When Salman and I started out we were on par, but by the time Auzaar released, Judwaa and his other films had become blockbusters and my Kartavya hadn’t done well. I remember when the producer put up the first hoarding of Auzaar in Juhu, it had a very big face of Salman and a comparatively smaller face of mine even though my role was bigger. I have to say this about Salman and Sohail and their family…They called the producer and said that if I wasn’t given equal importance they wouldn’t be a part for the film. These are the qualities in the Khan family, that encouraged me to go to Salman when I was toying with the idea of production. I guess that wasn’t the right time then and today it’s right because I am making a film with Arjun who is Salman’s protégé so if it’s not Salman, it has some connection to him. Maybe sometime in the future I will also do a film with Salman.
Was Boney supposed to produce Tevar?
No, but Boney will always be a part of all films that I do. He has so much knowledge and experience about filmmaking and Arjun is doing his first film with me. For Boney, this is Arjun’s first film for the family. I think it is after 20 years that I am seeing Boney so involved in a film.
Arjun was a natural choice because he is family?
This role required a young boy and when Arjun suited the role so why not him? He is perfect for this role. He’s young, extremely talented and very hard-working. The way he came down from 140 kgs to what he is now, shows he has passion for his craft and wants to do well — so why not him?
What is Tevar about?
It’s the love story of a boy from Agra and the girl from Mathura and how their love story travels. It’s a commercial yet sensible film. We have taken care of aesthetics and detailing and correct casting. Like for the negative role, we have signed a good actor like Manoj Bajpayee. It’s a fantastic role so we have not gone with the trend of signing a hero and making him into a negative character. We have been shooting in extremely difficult locations. It would have been easy to shoot at shooting-friendly locations or on the sets but the director, Amit Sharma, wanted the real locations. Though he is an ad filmmaker of Google’s 45-second ad films, his characterisation and storytelling in those few seconds is superb! We love his work and believe in him and that’s why we are going with his vision. Amit is going to be one of the names to reckon with in the future. I am extremely fortunate to have a director like him.
Will you be doing a surprise appearance in the film?
No. The three most important roles are being played by Arjun, Sonakshi and Manoj. Basically, the story revolves around the three characters and there is nothing for me to do in Tevar. I have not become a producer to promote my career as an actor. Sometimes when I see actors becoming producers I think it’s a mistake. It’s important to first establish your production house and then pick and choose your part. People like Akshay, Aamir, Shah Rukh, Ajay have established themselves first, opened production houses, and then produced films where they act also. But when people like me get into production we have to take it as an alternative career. Or people will say produce bhi aap karte ho aur act bhi khud karte ho aur picture bhi dekhte aap hi ho (laughs)!
Has acting taken a backseat completely?
No. In fact, I got so many positive reactions to my role in Luck By Chance but I am surprised that nobody offered me a role after that. A couple of years later, at a trial of Krissh, Ashutosh Gowariker took me aside and spoke to me for 15 minutes. We only spoke about my role in Luck By Chance. I am not a superstar that he has to praise me to please me. I only can do good work but if after that I have not signed a film it’s destiny. I want to act but I don’t want to do anything that comes my way. Neither am I expecting main roles to come my way. I am not expecting to do a Gunday, Dabangg or Chennai Express as I have crossed that stage. But I would have loved to do what an Irrfan did in Gunday.
Do you feel your brothers Boney and Anil could have helped your career move?
No. In the long run it never helps. I honestly think that this film industry is not a factory where you are taking over somebody’s business. In fact many people thought that being Boney and Anil’s brother I got good films like Raja and Kartavya. Today I say I am still their brother so why is my acting career still not happening today? Where Anil and me are concerned for the last five years I haven’t done even a single photo shoot with Anil, forget a film. That way I feel good and am happy that I have never piggybacked on Anil — not then and not now. Everything I have achieved is on my own.
You look fitter now than you did when you were an actor. Comment?
I am a happy and positive guy and that reflects in me and my circle. I have some great friends in the industry and because I am positive, people enjoy being with me. I don’t regret things. Nor am I bitter about anything. I take things in my stride. Though we all want to be successful and want certain things in life, I am content with what I did.
Upala KBR (DNA; March 15, 2014)
Sanjay Kapoor is producing Tevar, starring his nephew Arjun Kapoor and
Sonakshi Sinha. They are currently shooting in Agra. On the set, Sanjay
is a cool producer, comfortable with his unit and at ease with the cast
and crew... no sign of stress. You’d think he was a veteran producer,
instead of a first timer. He reveals that his secret is delegation. Once
everyone knows what they have to do, they handle it. This is a new
start for the youngest brother of Boney and Anil, who was a lead actor
having worked with the likes of Madhuri Dixit in her prime. Here he
talks about his new role, family and his brothers. Read on…What made you get into production?
Well, being a producer is in our blood. Now I am producing this film but when I was acting in Boney’s films too, I was working as a producer. I have been wanting to get into production for more than 15 years. I had just completed Auzaar with Salman Khan and wasn’t happy with the kind of films that were being offered so I was toying with the idea of turning producer. I was to produce my first film with Salman but Boney got in between! (laughs wryly). I don’t even know if Salman remembers this, but once while we were at Piano Bar, he had told me that whenever I become a producer, he would do a film with me.
Then what happened...
Fortunately or unfortunately at that time Sirf Tum became a hit. Ironically, I don’t even know whether to be happy or sad because if that hadn’t worked, I would have been the producer of a Salman Khan film and by now I would have produced at least four films with him. But Sirf Tum worked and that encouraged me to continue acting. At the time i thought, ‘If I get into production at this juncture, I will be closing the chapter on acting. Also, at that time the trend of actors turning producers wasn’t such a big one as it is today. So I didn’t get into production and continued to act in films like Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche or do a negative role in Qayamat.
Please continue...
At that time Sohail and Salman had approached a couple of big stars for the film but they refused because Salman was there. I said yes and till today both haven’t forgotten that. When Salman and I started out we were on par, but by the time Auzaar released, Judwaa and his other films had become blockbusters and my Kartavya hadn’t done well. I remember when the producer put up the first hoarding of Auzaar in Juhu, it had a very big face of Salman and a comparatively smaller face of mine even though my role was bigger. I have to say this about Salman and Sohail and their family…They called the producer and said that if I wasn’t given equal importance they wouldn’t be a part for the film. These are the qualities in the Khan family, that encouraged me to go to Salman when I was toying with the idea of production. I guess that wasn’t the right time then and today it’s right because I am making a film with Arjun who is Salman’s protégé so if it’s not Salman, it has some connection to him. Maybe sometime in the future I will also do a film with Salman.
Was Boney supposed to produce Tevar?
No, but Boney will always be a part of all films that I do. He has so much knowledge and experience about filmmaking and Arjun is doing his first film with me. For Boney, this is Arjun’s first film for the family. I think it is after 20 years that I am seeing Boney so involved in a film.
Arjun was a natural choice because he is family?
This role required a young boy and when Arjun suited the role so why not him? He is perfect for this role. He’s young, extremely talented and very hard-working. The way he came down from 140 kgs to what he is now, shows he has passion for his craft and wants to do well — so why not him?
What is Tevar about?
It’s the love story of a boy from Agra and the girl from Mathura and how their love story travels. It’s a commercial yet sensible film. We have taken care of aesthetics and detailing and correct casting. Like for the negative role, we have signed a good actor like Manoj Bajpayee. It’s a fantastic role so we have not gone with the trend of signing a hero and making him into a negative character. We have been shooting in extremely difficult locations. It would have been easy to shoot at shooting-friendly locations or on the sets but the director, Amit Sharma, wanted the real locations. Though he is an ad filmmaker of Google’s 45-second ad films, his characterisation and storytelling in those few seconds is superb! We love his work and believe in him and that’s why we are going with his vision. Amit is going to be one of the names to reckon with in the future. I am extremely fortunate to have a director like him.
Will you be doing a surprise appearance in the film?
No. The three most important roles are being played by Arjun, Sonakshi and Manoj. Basically, the story revolves around the three characters and there is nothing for me to do in Tevar. I have not become a producer to promote my career as an actor. Sometimes when I see actors becoming producers I think it’s a mistake. It’s important to first establish your production house and then pick and choose your part. People like Akshay, Aamir, Shah Rukh, Ajay have established themselves first, opened production houses, and then produced films where they act also. But when people like me get into production we have to take it as an alternative career. Or people will say produce bhi aap karte ho aur act bhi khud karte ho aur picture bhi dekhte aap hi ho (laughs)!
Has acting taken a backseat completely?
No. In fact, I got so many positive reactions to my role in Luck By Chance but I am surprised that nobody offered me a role after that. A couple of years later, at a trial of Krissh, Ashutosh Gowariker took me aside and spoke to me for 15 minutes. We only spoke about my role in Luck By Chance. I am not a superstar that he has to praise me to please me. I only can do good work but if after that I have not signed a film it’s destiny. I want to act but I don’t want to do anything that comes my way. Neither am I expecting main roles to come my way. I am not expecting to do a Gunday, Dabangg or Chennai Express as I have crossed that stage. But I would have loved to do what an Irrfan did in Gunday.
Do you feel your brothers Boney and Anil could have helped your career move?
No. In the long run it never helps. I honestly think that this film industry is not a factory where you are taking over somebody’s business. In fact many people thought that being Boney and Anil’s brother I got good films like Raja and Kartavya. Today I say I am still their brother so why is my acting career still not happening today? Where Anil and me are concerned for the last five years I haven’t done even a single photo shoot with Anil, forget a film. That way I feel good and am happy that I have never piggybacked on Anil — not then and not now. Everything I have achieved is on my own.
You look fitter now than you did when you were an actor. Comment?
I am a happy and positive guy and that reflects in me and my circle. I have some great friends in the industry and because I am positive, people enjoy being with me. I don’t regret things. Nor am I bitter about anything. I take things in my stride. Though we all want to be successful and want certain things in life, I am content with what I did.
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