After a spate of girl-next-door roles, Yami Gautam to portray playschool teacher who takes 16 children hostage in Ronnie Screwvala's psychological thriller, A Thursday
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; September 4, 2020)

If Yami Gautam witnessed a turnaround in her career last year with Uri: The Surgical Strikes and Bala, the actor seems to be building the foundation for a promising 2021. After earning a place in Pavan Kripalani's horror-comedy Bhoot Police, she is now set to headline Ronnie Screwvala's next, A Thursday. The Behzad Khambata-directed film sees Gautam essay the role of playschool teacher Naina Jaiswal who, on a Thursday, takes 16 toddlers hostage.

The actor is elated that the movie ticks two items off her wish list — being part of a psychological thriller and that of carrying a film on her shoulders. "A Thursday is one of those rare scripts that you just cannot put down. Behzad has written one of the strongest characters for a female protagonist; Naina is both, fierce and endearing," says the actor, who can barely wait to breathe life into the complex character. Khambata, who has doubled up as the writer, says he had written the role with Yami Gautam in mind. "I have never seen her portray an unhinged character. I was thrilled when she agreed to do this film," he says.

One to back high-concept ideas, Screwvala believes the movie — like his earlier production A Wednesday (2008) — will bring to light the failings of our society through the story of a middle-class teacher. He says, "This is one of those thrillers that not only has you on the edge of your seat, but also makes you question many aspects of society. Seeing Yami in a grey avatar will be interesting for the audience." The film, co-produced by Premnath Rajagopalan of Blue Monkey Films, is lined up for a direct-to-web release.

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; April 30, 2019)

It took Behzad Khambata, who has assisted on films like Boss and OMG – Oh My God!, 14 years to bag his first directorial venture. His movie, Blank, which features Sunny Deol and newcomer Karan Kapadia in lead roles, revolves around a suicide bomber, who loses his memory and has a bomb attached to his heart. The anti-terrorist squad has to prevent the bomb from exploding. The director spoke to Bombay Times about working with Sunny Deol in his maiden project, and the pressure of making commercial films. Excerpts:

Why did you choose a topic like terrorism for your debut as a director?
Two years ago, when we thought of this subject, a film on Uri attacks had not been made. In the last few months, there have been many movies based on patriotism and dealing with the topic of terrorism. It does get unnerving because my film also has terrorism as its backdrop. I liked the subject and the uncertainty that surrounded a guy, who has a bomb in his heart. My film is commercial, but if you are waiting for someone to break into a song, that won’t happen. It has a runtime of 100 minutes, and it goes from one scene to another and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I learnt a lot while shooting with a senior actor like Sunny Deol because some people on my team, Karan Kapadia, my assistant director and writer, were all first-timers.

Considering the fact that this is your first film, was it intimidating to direct a senior actor like Sunny?
I had many inhibitions before I started working with him, but once the shoot began everything went smoothly. He insisted that I should correct him or let him know if something goes wrong so that we don’t repent while editing the film. The role of an antiterrorist squad chief suits him. I am thankful that he agreed to do it.

You have shot the film in Mumbai. What kind of an experience did you have?
I remember we had to shoot two scenes in Mira Road. It was a crowded area and was perfect for the shot. On one particular day, after I finished filming with Karan, it was time to shoot with Ishita (Dutta). At around 1.30 pm, when we went on the location, surprisingly, the streets were completely empty. Perhaps it was Eid that day, so people had closed their shops and gone home to celebrate. I was worried as I needed a crowd for my shot. There weren’t any junior artists either. So, we had to cheat and shoot with four-five people behind Ishita. You learn to handle such situations if you have worked as an assistant director. We also shot the movie in Vasai, Dongri and on the sets.

Your first film often paves the way for you in the industry. Are you feeling the pressure?
We have stayed true to the script and given it our best shot. Now, the audiences will give its verdict. It is very tough to make a film and even tougher to release it. With this movie, I have learnt many things about filmmaking, which will be useful when I direct my next project. This is not a big bonanza movie; it revolves around a great script and performances. I am happy that two years ago, when Karan heard the script, he agreed to do it as it is a rather unconventional choice.

Do you think that today it has become easier for new directors to get a break?
Yes, I think there is a huge influx of actors and directors in the industry, and everyone has work now. I had a difficult time finding projects as an AD, but when I call people now, they seem to get work relatively easily. This motivates me. I respect makers, who make a film with all the commercial trappings because the pressure to release such a movie is very high. They have more to lose as their money and reputation are at a higher risk. When a big producer fails, it becomes public news. If my movie does not work, I will be washed away because people are skeptical about working with someone whose film has not worked, even if it had good reviews. Luckily, I had Anthony D’souza (director) who guided me. I learnt a lot from him. At the end of the day, this was a great team to work with.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; April 28, 2019)

There’s something cool and pleasant about Karan Kapadia. He says that he’s a regular 25-year-old, who wanted to be an actor and it is was mere luck that he found an unconventional role to debut with. It took him eight years to become an actor after he decided to take the plunge. He’s been there, done that: learnt horse-riding, martial arts in Bangkok, riding a bike, acting workshops and assisted on film sets from the age of 15. “I wanted to be prepared to take on anything as part of my role,” says actress Dimple Kapadia’s nephew Karan, who will make his debut with Blank, where he plays a suicide bomber, who suffers a memory loss. Excerpts from a conversation with the debutant:

It’s somewhat strange that even though you are Dimple Kapadia’s nephew and Akshay Kumar’s brother-in-law, not everyone was aware of your acting aspirations…
Honestly, people still don’t know much about me (smiles). And that’s because I’ve led a very normal life, largely away from the spotlight. I did the Juhu routine – went to Jamnabai Narsee School and then to Mithibai College. My mother, Simple Kapadia (Dimple Kapadia’s sister), was a single parent, who raised me until I was about 11 with my grandmother. Eventually, when she fell sick, my aunt Dimple took over. The kids from film families usually have a circle of their own, but I led a life away from all of them. I didn’t have the chance to hang out with them, and I didn’t miss it either. In my friends’ circle, everyone is a professional like a chartered accountant, lawyer and doctor. The other fraternity kids have known each other for years, but all of this is new to me.

Given that my mother did some of her best work behind the scenes in the latter part of her career, I saw everything from a distance. I went to a few premieres but never tried too hard to socialise. I’ve led an aam zindagi so far. Maybe, with this film, things will change.

Your aunt Dimple, your brother-in-law, Akshay and your cousin Twinkle Khanna are all well connected. Wasn’t it hard to stay away from the limelight?
I have had a lot of anxiety issues while growing up. I wanted to act because it gives me a sense of accomplishment and I will stop acting the day I stop feeling it. I love being in front of the camera, but never in the spotlight. I was such an introvert that I couldn’t even tell my mother that I wanted to act while she was alive. I was never really tempted to break into the film circles until I felt I was ready to be an actor. Maybe, the fact that I had anxiety and suffered from lack of confidence never let me jump the gun. Today, I realise that acting is just 15 per cent of the job. There’s so much more that an actor has to do.

How involved has Akshay been with your professional decisions?
It was his idea that I should train in martial arts in Bangkok for six months. Akshay sir has never given me specific instructions, but he has his way of guiding me, and without that, I wouldn’t have been here. His advice has always been incredible. As a boy, being raised in a family full of women, he was the first male influence, which I value immensely. Even while growing up, I was a fan of his work. He doesn’t mollycoddle or hand-hold me, but I know that he has my best interest at heart. If he had to, he would have produced my first film or acted in it, or done both. He saw the rushes and decided to do a song for us, which speaks volumes. My family believes in supporting one another without spoon-feeding, because they have all led adventurous and struggle-laden lives, which taught them a great deal.

Is that why you chose an unconventional film like Blank to make your debut with?
This was the only thing offered to me, apart from another film, which I couldn’t do. I’m lucky that this movie has turned out fine. Apart from the fact that the film was intriguing, it was the lack of opportunities that made me take on this film. Honestly, I didn’t have the option of picking. This film came when I needed it. Jo mila, woh kiya. When this film came to me, I was in a phase where things were difficult, nothing was coming my way and the auditions were not working out. When Behzad Khambata (director) told me about this film, I was blown away.

Who was the first person to know you were doing this film?
My aunt! She was so excited. My aunt is my biggest fan; she just loves everything I do, including the most ridiculous short film that I have acted in. So, sometimes, I don’t trust her opinion, because I know that she will love everything. I can’t have been good at everything, right? (Laughs!) She and my sister (Twinkle) were particularly happy because they had seen my struggle, up, close and personal. My sister even asked me if I was sure about this film, as there were chances that it could become controversial. I told her, ‘Yeh nahi karun toh kya karun?’ Akshay sir had told me, ‘Kaam bada ho ya chota, you’re starting out, you should do it. Why are you even thinking? People will kill for this role.’ I just took the plunge.

Dimple Kapadia has a degree of irreverence, apart from being a supremely talented artiste. Have her personality traits rubbed off on you?
Yes, some of it has, because I was very young when I moved in with her. Initially, I was like my mother, who always called a spade a spade. But gradually, a lot of my aunt’s traits became my own. My mom was a lot like the way Twinkle is today. She was outspoken and a bit of a hot-head. My aunt is a lot calmer and it takes a lot to make her angry. Also, she is my best friend and I can talk to her about anything. She once jokingly told me that I should get laid if I wanted to get rid of the zits on my face. That’s the kind of equation we share. She and Twinkle have prepped me for my run in this film industry. Initially, when they told me that nothing will be easy and things will be hard to come by no matter who you are, I thought they didn’t support my idea of being an actor. Soon, I realised that they were right, and nothing ever comes by easily here.

Your co-star Sunny Deol and your aunt Dimple are close friends. Given their equation, was he paternal towards you? Also, your mother worked with him for a very long time…
I have been on his film set when I was a kid. My mother was his stylist. It was surreal to share screen space with him. He was the best thing that happened to Blank. His experience of 30 years has rubbed off on all of us. We’ve had to work very hard to match up to his standard. I don’t know if you can call it being paternal, but he was very caring and accommodating towards me. He’s not the laughing-joking type. As a newcomer, you need a seasoned actor who is patient with you when you ask for retakes. He was patient and didn’t get frazzled ever. On the contrary, he made sure that I was calm and I gave the shot just the way I should do it. He would have done this for anyone. Sunny sir is unlike his angry-man image. His advice to me was that I should not load my head with too many thoughts. I was very nervous shooting with him on the first day (which was an interrogation scene), in fact, I was more nervous than I was with Akshay sir. I had seen Sunny sir since my growing up years; the pressure was too much, coupled with nausea. Gradually, it became easier, but mere director ne pehle hi din, pehle scene mein rula diya.

You’re making your debut in a year which marks the entry of many promising new actors. What do you make of the competition?
It’s inevitable. The only way is to do my own thing, my way. There are such good films being made, but few promising actors. With more of us coming in, filmmakers will hopefully have more options. Healthy competition drives you and keeps you prepared. So, I welcome it. I’m not the plan A and plan B sort of a person. I only have Plan A. I don’t want to have a backup plan, which can make me complacent. Hereon, let’s see how things shape up for me.

Sunny Deol, Karan Kapadia and Karan Deol

Set to play to his physical strength in the actioner, Blank, Sunny Deol on returning to a genre he can never tire of
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; April 22, 2019)

Inarguably among the lot of stars who shaped the way the action genre was perceived in Bollywood, Sunny Deol says that three decades into his career, he can still give the younger lot of actors a run for their money when packing in a punch. "I am not tired of doing action," says Deol, 62, whose upcoming actioner Blank, sees him sprint, kick and punch with the same zest that he had years ago.

"I have never taken numbers seriously, be it my age, or box-office figures. Physically, I can do more than a youngster can. When people give me so much respect, I begin to question myself because I still have a lot to do. I love playing sports, which is similar to doing stunts. Action comes naturally to me. So, I don't think age will keep me from it."

Blank follows the story of a suicide bomber — played by Karan Kapadia — and sees him as an ATS chief roped in to prevent the bombing. Even though it was being helmed by Behzad Khambata, a debutant director, Deol says he knew the film held promise as soon as he read the script. "Having been in the industry for so many years, I can decipher if a script is good. When Behzad approached me, I was intrigued by the plot. I liked the way he discussed details of each character. He was nervous, initially, but I created an ambience that made all comfortable."

Even as he continues to pursue his acting ambitions, the father to Karan Deol had dedicatedly trained his focus on his son's debut vehicle, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, a while ago. Stepping in to direct the offering, the veteran actor says a romantic film was an ideal selection for Karan's first project since it captures the raw emotions of newbies. "There is a certain vulnerability in young kids, and capturing it in a romantic film is ideal since those emotions may be lost as they move on to doing other films. Also, there's more than romance that this film offers."

Dimple Kapadia’s debutant nephew Karan explains why he isn’t a product of nepotism, reveals he gangs up with brother-in-law Akshay Kumar to ‘roast’ cousin Twinkle, says it was surreal to work with Sunny Deol
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 19, 2019)

In hindsight, running into Dimple Kapadia before meeting her nephew, Karan, seems only fitting. The 25-year-old aspiring actor, who is making his debut with the action-thriller Blank, has been living with his aunt since the demise of his actress-mother, Simple Kapadia, 10 years ago.

Dressed in pastels, Dimple is fussing over a large canvas, a paintbrush in her hand, as she stands in a corner of her luxurious Juhu apartment. Karan arrives minutes later, in casuals, something “his stylist usually doesn’t approve of.” As if on cue, Dimple soon exits the room, while Karan settles down for a chat.

You were 14 when you confided in your aunt and cousin (Twinkle Khanna) about your acting aspirations. What triggered it?
I suffered from anxiety growing up. While in school, I never had the courage to participate in plays even though I wanted to. When I started doing short films, it gave me a sense of accomplishment, something I wanted to feel all the time. That’s why I chose to become an actor, besides being inspired by my family members.

Were you also inspired by your brother-in-law Akshay Kumar and his Khiladi image?
I have always loved his movies, the comedies more than the Khiladi turns as I was too young during that phase. It was since the Hera Pheri films, when I really started becoming a fan. He was a major inspiration. But I want to be like him in terms of discipline and fitness and not his screen persona. Everyone is different, and I can’t do what he does even if I tried. I must make my own path.

What are your earliest memories of him?
My sister (Twinkle) and he dated for a while before getting married, so I remember the first time he had come home, I was like ‘wow Akshay Kumar is here’. I was nine when they got married (2001). He’d always play with me.We have spent a lot of time together.

Over the years, our relationship has matured. Now, we joke around and pull my sister’s leg together. She is always roasting him, so I try to support him every now and then.

Why’d you choose to play a suicide bomber in your debut?
My director Behzad (Khambata), co-writer Pranav (Adarsh) and I had met on the sets of (Akshay-starrer) Boss. We remained in touch and a few years later, Behzad reached out with the script of Blank, which I loved. He had seen my short film (Crescendo) that had gone to the Cannes Film festival and thought that I could act. I was auditioning a lot when Blank came my way, so the timing was perfect. I took it up as I found it extremely intriguing. What you see in the trailer is just a part of it, I know what happens in the film and after watching it, you’ll know why I took it up.

Your co-star in the film, Sunny Deol, has featured in several films with your aunt and they are still close. What was it like working with him?
My mom was his costume designer for over 15 years. Even when she was sick, she worked on his production Chamku that had Bobby Deol and Priyanka Chopra, with her assistants’ help. Since she was a single parent, she’d sometimes take me along to film sets and that’s when I saw him. I have been to many of his sets, including Indian and Jaal: The Trap. Working with him 20 years later is surreal. Whenever I got flustered because I wasn’t getting a scene right, he would calm me down. I was scared during our first scene together. Fortunately, it was an interrogation scene, so the nervousness helped.

You lost your mother when you were 15.
It was one of the toughest times of my life. Which is also why I am so grateful for my family and for their support. I could have gone down the wrong way. I lost one mother but found another one in my aunt. I am lucky that way.

How would you describe your equation with her?
It’s the way it was with my mother, but my aunt is my friend too, since I am a grown-up now. I can talk to her about anything. Last year, I had a bad skin breakout and a lot of zits. One day, she randomly came up to me and said, ‘you have gone to these dermatologists and tried so many creams, how about you just get laid and see if that helps’. (laughs) That’s the kind of relationship we share. Our relationship is amazing, special and unique.

Why isn’t she taking up more work? The only film she will be seen in next is Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra.
I tell her to do more, but it’s her decision. She wants to do something she would really enjoy. She started working when she was 14. This year, she turns 62. After so many years, its understandable if someone gets tired. She loves to travel, going to Manali, painting, listening to music and hanging out with her friends.

Speaking of relationships, are you dating anyone?
I am not. I was dating someone for a long time, but it’s been about a year since we broke up.

While you have said earlier that you don’t consider yourself a star kid, you can’t be spared from the nepotism debate...
You know, I got my first film because of my equation with Behzad, but I wouldn’t deny that I wouldn’t have been on the sets of Boss if it wasn’t for my family. Nepotism means to use one’s power to help someone out and I don’t think that’s applicable to Blank. You don’t see any of my family members’ name in the credits. No one came to the trailer launch. I always say I am not getting launched, I got a break, so where is the nepotism?

But Akshay features in a special song from the film…
That happened after we wrapped up shooting. It was also after he saw most of the film, told me that he was was proud of me and that the song was his way of wishing me luck. And as far as the support goes, if someone opens a sweet shop, won’t their family help them publicise it?

Has your cousin Twinkle’s writing talent rubbed off on you?
I have been writing a sci-fi script with Behzad and Pranav for almost two years now. I never fancied myself a writer, but I thought this idea had potential and began developing it. It’s not about flying cars but it’s a humane story. We will pitch it to a digital platform as its very detailed and can’t fit in two and a half hours. I am excited about it.


Then and now: After meeting Sunny Deol on film sets as a kid, Karan shares screen space with the actor in his action-thriller

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 5, 2018)

Late actress-designer Simple Kapadia’s son Karan will be making his Bollywood debut in Behzad Khambata’s action-packed entertainer in which he plays a 26-year-old boy trying to find his way in the world. Sunny Deol will also feature in the film.

Confirming the news Tony D’Souza who is jointly producing the film with Shrikant Bhasi, Nishant Pitti and Vishal Rana says that when Behzad finished the script, he felt Sunny was apt for a particular role. “It’s very different from his current lot of films, including Poster Boys and Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se and takes him back to the action genre. He is in the forces and will start shooting by the end of this month,” informs Tony.

Sunny has done many films with Karan’s aunt Dimple, including David Dhawan’s Aag Ka Gola, N Chandra’s Narsimha and Rahul Rawail’s Arjun. He has also worked with the debutant’s brother-in-law Akshay Kumar in Rajkumar Kohli’s Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani. “Behzad is a huge fan of Mr Deol and has grown up watching his films. The first time we went to meet him, he was so nervous to meet the actor who he has worshipped all his life that he was almost speechless. He told me later that all through the meeting the dialogues of Ghayal kept playing in his head,” chuckles Tony.

Karan will start shooting for the film from today and Tony adds that while launching a new boy is a tough job, more so when he comes from a lineage of actors like Karan, they are all excited. “We are nervous but we trust Behzad. The entire film is set in Mumbai and we plan to wrap up the entire shoot by April-end,” Tony signs off.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 29, 2017)

Simple Kapadia’s son Karan was 14 when he confided in his actress-aunt Dimple Kapadia and cousin Twinkle Khanna that he wanted to act too. “They were initially surprised but understood that having grown up around their sets as a child, it was inevitable that I’d want to follow in their footsteps. They pointed out the risks involved and warned me I should be ready to work hard. And since then they have been very supportive and helped me get ready for the road ahead,” informs the 24-year-old actor-to-be.

He also reveals that he had earlier been obese at 112 kg but following regular gymming, he is now a fit and healthy 88. “I’ve learnt to ride a horse and the bike, I’ve been swimming and I trained in martial arts for six months in Bangkok,” informs Karan, who having learnt acting at the Jeff Goldberg Studio is now gearing up for his Bollywood debut to be directed by Behzad Khambata. It will be an action-packed entertainer, produced by Shrikant Bhasi, Nishant Pitti, Vishal Rana and Tony D’Souza. Karan had assisted Tony on the 2013 Akshay Kumar-starrer Boss.

He knew Tony was working on this film but was shocked when he approached him to play the protagonist a few months ago. “I have known Tony and his team for a while now. Working with people you’ve known for a long time is great. I play a 26-year-old boy who is trying to find his way in the world. As soon as I heard the script, I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” says Karan who starts shooting in January.

The debutant lives with his aunt Dimple who has been both a mom and a dad to him. “I lost my mom when I was 15 but I feel extremely lucky to have two moms. I can talk to my aunt-mom about my girlfriends, fights with my friends and work too,” he says.

Prod him about his mother who succumbed to cancer when she was 51 in November 2009 and Karan says emotionally, “She was amazing, the toughest person I’ve seen. To date when I’m on a film set, people come up to me and start talking about my mom. She spread love and happiness around and left an impression.”

Karan is also “super close” to his cousin Twinkle who turns 43 today. “She lives a minute away so we see each other all the time. She’s awesome and was destined to be a famous writer. She’s killing it!” he gushes, as connected with Rinke too, noting that being almost 20 years older that him, they organised his birthday parties, took him for meals, swimming and movies.

Twinkle is in Cape Town with actor-husband Akshay Kumar to ring in the New Year. “I couldn’t join them as I am busy with prep but I will Skype to wish her,” he smiles, admitting the best tip came from Akshay who told him that no work is big or small. “Work is work.”