Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; January 18, 2019)

Living in the shadow of a renowned father and an A-list sibling is not easy. Siddhanth Kapoor, however, is a different breed. He’s unaffected by the fact that often, people introduce him as Shakti Kapoor’s son or Shraddha Kapoor’s brother. In fact, he holds those descriptions in high regard and is waiting for the day when he’ll make them proud, too. His upcoming film Bombairiya was in the making for long and the actor talks about carving a niche in the film industry, on his own terms. Excerpts:

You’ve had to wait for two years for Bombairiya to release. That must be a huge relief for you?
Yeah. I am looking forward to the film’s release. Bombairiya has been edited a couple of times in these years and the current version looks good. It’s a comedy with a series of misadventures that give it the feel of a serious thriller. It’s like a Guy Ritchie film, which throws light on the problems in our country, but with a fresh spin. Actually, we had finished shooting for this film before we started work on Haseena Parkar (2017). I’m glad the makers took two years to edit the film and make it sensible and justify the characters. Also, it’s an indie film that needs screens for a decent run and finding that space is never easy. It’s a bit of a struggle, although things are changing now. It’s actually coming out at the right time.

You’ve been appreciated for your acting chops, but your choice of films hasn’t always worked in your favour. Do you agree?
I feel, my best is yet to come. Yes, some decisions have gone against me, about 30 per cent of the films that I have acted in have fielded negativity and controversies. In some cases, we started on the wrong foot and in some cases, the publicity went wrong. But the characters, irrespective of the screen time, have won me some good reviews. What can I say beyond that? I worked in a film called Fattak, which is one of my best works, but the film couldn’t release because the producers went bankrupt. Things like these happen in our industry and that makes life difficult for people like me. I am not a star and I wasn’t introduced as a star kid, nor am I the type of actor who is high on hero roles. I’ve had an affinity for dark and slightly, edgy characters. Not everyone likes playing ugly characters, but I love them. So, I’ve realised this will take a little time, but things will work out for me. Also, I’m not the type of a guy who just hangs around in Bollywood. I have my circle and I do my own things. I don’t hang out with industry people to get work.

Your father also started off playing some really insignificant roles, but he gradually rose to the stature of a supporting actor who was loved and adored by the masses. Earlier, actors got more opportunities and time to prove their worth, which is not the case today. Does that worry you?
It does, but when I look around, I have a lot of contemporary examples of actors who have made their way up, brick by brick. Look at Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Yes, my father is a brilliant actor and the way that the industry functioned in those days was different. It’s true that people today, run out of patience pretty easily, but I am a different guy. I perceive cinema differently. I want to be subtle with my choices and work at my own pace. I don’t really want to prove a point to anyone. If the content and character work for me, I take it up. I haven’t got the right opportunities to display my range as an actor yet, but that day will come. I am Shakti Kapoor ka beta and Shraddha Kapoor ka bhai and I am mighty proud of both of them. And there will be a day when they, too, will be proud of me.