‘I DIDN’T WANT TO DO A FILM FOR A SMALLER, INTELLECTUAL AUDIENCE’

Shahid Kapoor has defined the conflicted hero. Now, he talks creative honesty, family validation and bridging the gap between mass and meaningful cinema
Sonal Kalra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 13, 2024)

Actor Shahid Kapoor has played brooding men before, but as O'Romeo releases today, he appears surprisingly at ease. Calm, measured, almost detached from the chaos his character brings to screen. Excerpts...

O'Romeo is your fourth outing with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj. Does the script even matter now, or when he calls, is it an immediate yes?
In spirit, I would say yes to the latter! But from a professional POV, no. I don’t think any artist can give themselves to something unless they connect with it. When the connection is not there, there is always something missing in the product. In O'Romeo, of course it’s the titular part; I play Ustraa. And with Vishal Bhardwaj, it’s always a world that he creates. Ustraa’s attitude is that of Romeo. If, as creative people, you don’t connect, it is wrong for you to do the film. If you won’t be honest, it is unfair for everybody else. I very much connected with this film. I had one preset in my head before I met him, and I was very clear that at this stage in my career, I don’t want to do a film that is too experimental or a film meant for a smaller, intellectual audience and not for a wider audience, who have a simpler mindset and whose approach to filmmaking is that they go to theatres to get entertained. There’s the cinema you love and the cinema that people love. The whole endeavour has been for years to find a Ganga-Jamuna moment between them, to meet a middle ground. This film is an attempt at achieving that; it’s meant for an intelligent audience but also very much like a typical, mass audience.

In terms of intensity, where would you rank Ustraa, alongside Haider and Kabir Singh?
I wouldn’t place him in the same space as Haider and Kabir. Ustraa is a very entertaining character. What’s unique about him is that he is dark yet soft, and can also be very funny. He is a complete laundiyabaaz, yet falls in love to a degree that he loses himself. He’s a gangster but scared of his grandmother, played by Farida Jalal ji.

You want to be thrown into something that challenges you. My scenes with Nana Patekar sir are also special.

Which sequence in O'Romeo was the toughest or made you feel proud?
The toughest real estate in this film was actually my body! It was covered in tattoos; it would take two and a half hours to put them on before I got on set. Triptii Dimri, my co-star, had a no-makeup look. I told her, “In this film, I am the heroine. Tu toh do minute mein ready ho kar aa jaati hai set pe!”

O'Romeo isn’t like a superhero film where 75% of the work is done by costume and VFX. Then we had action sequences at night. I had undergone major hip surgery during one such sequence. That was very challenging.

Whose approval matters the most once they see your film?
First, I need to be happy with what I have done, which is always a challenge. Even above me, it’s the filmmaker. If they are not satisfied, there’s no point to the entire experience. I should be able to add more value than they expected. For me, the filmmaker comes first.

Beyond that, I have a very talented family, whether it’s my mother Neliima Azim, father Pankaj Kapur, brother Ishaan Khatter, or wife Mira Kapoor. They support me unconditionally, and I am always curious to know their views. They’re all very different from each other.

How affected are you by social media today?
Anybody who says they’re not affected, I don’t know... I wonder if they’re living under a rock. But anybody who says it deeply affects them is putting themselves in a dangerous place.

When you go on social media, you don’t know who is writing, under what name, or under what circumstances. It’s important not to live in a bubble. People around you will praise you. You live a privileged life. But you don’t know what the wider audience feels. It’s a difficult journey. Open up, but be mindful of how much you allow to sit in your system.

Main hamesha yeh kehta hoon – aapke bolne ki aukaat honi chahiye, tabhi mooh kholna chahiye. Yeh maine bachpan mein seekha tha.

What trait angers you?
In this profession, people can be very dual-faced with stars. Saamne kuchh, peeche kuchh. I don’t like that. I respect people who disagree and have a reason for it. There are rebels without a cause. Then there are those who stand by what they believe. Honesty and authenticity are very important.

Do your kids know they’re children of a star? Do they watch your movies?
The minute their dad stops doing adult films, I guess! When he decides to do frothy stuff. The next one is Cocktail 2. I did Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024). What ignites me as an actor are shades that aren’t just white.