In De De Pyaar De 2, Meezaan Jafri’s character arrives with swag, as he balances a split across two cars. But off screen, the actor — senior actor Jaaved Jaaferi’s son — doesn’t believe in stunts to grab eyeballs. “I’m here for the next 20–30 years. Slow and steady is my path,” says Meezaan, pleased that his latest release, led by Ajay Devgn, is having a strong run.

Slow is an unconventional choice in today’s age of instant gratification. But the actor believes he has made unconventional choices right from the start, when  he skipped acting school in favour of filmmaking school. It was Ranbir Kapoor who advised him to do so.

“Ranbir was shooting Besharam [2013] with my father at the time. He told me, ‘Don’t apply to the usual places. Go to SVA [School of Visual Arts] in New York. It’s only filmmaking, no unnecessary subjects.’” Meezaan says that the piece of advice was a game-changer for him. “That school shaped how I look at films.”

The Malaal (2019) actor may not have had a breakout film yet, but he is not in a hurry. “Overnight success is scary. If you get a massive hit too early, you set a benchmark. I’d rather build slowly,” he reasons.

A film like De De Pyaar De 2, which sees him share screen space with his father, makes this ride joyful. And sometimes scary, says Meezaan, referring to their dance sequence. “I was terrified. I was dealing with Jaaved Jaaferi in his strongest zone!”

We have seen Neetu Kapoor in bit roles over the years, be it Do Dooni Chaar (2010), Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012) or Besharam (2013). “I did Do Dooni for Rishi-ji. I did Besharam for Ranbir. JTHJ I did for Aditya (Chopra) because the role was a negative role and they needed a positive personality to reflect the part with empathy. But it’s only this film that I am doing for myself,” she says, referring to her next release, JugJugg Jeeyo.

Karan Johar’s production sees her take centre-stage with co-stars Anil Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani. The senior actor admits she signed the movie to overcome her grief, after losing husband Rishi Kapoor in 2020. “I want to be happy. Losing a partner who you met when you were in your teens, shakes you up. I have been with him since I was 15. I was alone for the first time in a long time. I am turning 64 next month. It’s a friendship of that long - from teenage years to now. I don’t want to stress out my children, so working is my way of making sure they know that I am alright. Seeing me enjoy work, chatting with the paps, and promoting the film relaxes them a fair bit.”

The journey of moving away from her own grief hasn’t been an easy one, Kapoor notes. As a primary caregiver to her husband - late Rishi Kapoor, who battled cancer, weighed her down emotionally. The actress admits that after his death, she felt her life had no purpose. “I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been in the shoes of a caregiver can even fathom what  I have gone through emotionally. I was down and gone. We had a dinner party at home and Karan (Johar, producer) was at the dinner. He insisted that he wants to narrate the film. I was at such a low point that I would’ve said no. But the script convinced me. One I said yes, mentally I started preparing for the character. One day at a time, I stopped thinking about what I have lost. It is true that an idle mind is a devil's workshop. The thoughts of what I went through stopped coming back. My life and routine was around Rishi-ji - holidays, lunches, weekends. I didn’t have the one constant person I would turn to. So I became independent in some ways. The film came at a time when I needed it the most. It also gave me the confidence that I can do more of this.”

Showing up on the film’s set on day one made her extremely jittery. “It was horrible. I was shaking at the thought of this film. When your partner has left you, you are not strong. I wasn’t healed when I started working on this. But everything worked out for the best for this movie. The good thing about me is that I have an immense amount of patience. I don’t get tired easily. I have been acting since I was a child. Usually the camera is the problem, but that’s not what was the case with me. I have done some 80 odd films. Camera and sets are like a second home. But emoting requires fine tuning and it needs confidence. This film has been able to fix my faith in myself.”

The year 2022 has brought much joy to the Kapoor family as her son Ranbir tied the knot with Alia Bhatt in April. There’s a renewed sense of stability in her professional and personal life, says the senior actor. “Work came pouring in once I signed this movie. Some I have said yes to and will start this year. But my life doesn’t depend on work. I am going to do one project and then take a vacation. I am looking for impactful roles and not the usual mother-trope fare. On the home front, I am so happy to see Ranbir and Alia married. I wanted Ranbir to be married before I go. It was a wish to see the person my son will spend his life with. Alia is such a lovely person. Alia and I have a great connection; we give each other space but are always in touch. Riddhima and I have the ritual of having breakfast together on video chat every morning no matter where we are.”

Neetu Kapoor bid adieu to a promising film career following her marriage with Rishi Kapoor at the age of 21. The actress, who returned to the big screen with Love Aaj Kal in 2009, finds herself in the spotlight again – this time, for her television debut with Dance Deewane Juniors and most importantly, her son, Ranbir Kapoor’s marriage to Alia Bhatt next week. Expressing excitement in an interview with BT, she adds that she hopes to share with her bahuthe same outstanding relationship that she shared with her saas, Krishna Raj Kapoor. Excerpts...

Kids are my weakness. I love them. They all dance so beautifully, I get confused while deciding who performed better. The experts in dance are Marzi Pestonji and Nora Fatehi and I enjoy learning from them. We weren’t perfect, but we learnt from our mistakes. Even the public would give us second chances ki yeh film nahi chali toh doosri chalegi. Today, they are trained and perfect. So, you can’t tell who is good and who is bad. Of course, we encourage them. But otherwise, all of them are outstanding and are doing something new. I am learning from them, and it is amazing.

I had no inclination to return to acting, but the makers of Do Dooni Chaar needed me. So, Rishi ji requested me to become a part of the film, which I turned down initially. However, he suggested that I hear the script before I made up my mind. I loved the story, agreed to be a part of it and the film was appreciated by people. I did Besharam because mera ek laalach tha kyunki usme Ranbir aur mere husband dono the. Unfortunately, the film didn’t work at the box office. I wasn’t keen on returning to working, as I was busy. Rishi ji would keep me so busy that I didn’t get time for anything else. However, after my husband passed away, my children (Ranbir and Riddhima) told me to work as they didn’t want me to sit around at home. That’s how I was pushed to do JugJugg Jeeyo and a couple of other shows. I started enjoying the process. I started building my confidence which was zero, when I started shooting for JugJugg Jeeyo. My kids encouraged me to do something. I have also become quite social. I would hardly invite people home or go out. My husband’s friends were my friends. I rarely went out for lunches and dinners. But now, I am socialising all the time, because this is what I want to do now. Life gets too sad and I don’t want to be sad. I want to be happy.

I started working in films at the age of five. I had enough of it by the time I turned 21. I had no life as a child or a teenager. I didn’t have any friends. I would work three shifts in a day and did 80 films in seven years as a heroine. I earned a lot of fame at the age of eight with Do Kaliyaan (1968). Fame bhi mil gayi, sab kuchh mil gaya, so I just desired to have peace of mind then. Back then, acting was like a job for me. I never desired to become an actor. I had to do it for my family. Now, I want to be busy and happy. The only thing I know is to be in movies and that’s what I am doing. More than it being a tool to divert my mind, I am enjoying the process. I derive happiness from it. I enjoy getting ready, meeting people, thinking about the film and learning my lines. I have to put in extra effort in memorizing, as after a certain age, memory thodi weak ho jaati hai (smiles). I remember those days when I would read my dialogues once and give the shot. I was so quick. Even for my dance performances, I would rehearse just once and give the take. There were no rehearsals. Aaj kal toh 10-10 dinn ek gaane ki rehearsal karte hain. I am more excited today as an artiste than I was in those days. I am looking forward to each phase. I want to travel as well.

It takes time to gain the confidence back. Maybe, I am not 100 per cent there, but I am getting there. It has changed me as a person. I have become stronger. I was always strong with my husband, but today, I have to look after my house, finances, etc. Earlier, my husband looked after these aspects, but today I have become the man of the house. So, I have become stronger than I was when my husband was alive, as I was dependent on him. Today I am looking after everything.

I hope ho jaaye. Mujhe kuchh pata nahi hai. I would like to celebrate and say it out loud, but kids today are different. Both of them are private people. Kab kar lenge pata nahi, but hogi zaroor and I wish jaldi ho jaaye because I love them both. Alia is such a lovely girl. I just adore her. She is a beautiful person. Ranbir and Alia are made for each other. They are quite similar. Ranbir is pure-hearted and uncorrupted. He sees things in a positive way. There is no jealousy with anybody or negativity. I see the same quality in her. Both are confident and don’t have bad things to say about anybody — even if somebody’s movie is doing well or is better looking. They complement each other.

I hope I do in the future… when they get married. My relationship with my mother-in-law was outstanding. She loved me more than her son. We were friends. We spoke about everything under the sun, and I would complain about my husband to her (laughs!). We were very open. I hope I have the same equation with Alia because she is also outstanding and amazing.

After making a successful debut with Ishq Vishk, which marked the acting debut of Shahid Kapoor, Ken Ghosh followed up with the romantic thriller, Fida, and the dance drama, Chance Pe Dance.

The last film was a debacle and eight years later, Ken returned on the digital platform. “Films are boring, very boring, as compared to OTT. You go back to the same circle of writing a script with an interval, the occasional songs and a climax. I’m happy directing web shows, but never say never,” he laughs.

After winning a National Award for the cop drama, Sarfarosh, which opened in ’99, John took six years to complete Shikhar. But while Sarfarosh is still remembered for Aamir Khan’s performance and the gripping narrative, Shikhar, despite the presence of Ajay Devgn and Shahid Kapoor, was not a patch on it. His third film, A New Love Ishtory, with Himesh Reshammiya, after a long delay, had a small release in 2013. After that John has disappeared, with stray rumours of him scripting a Sarfarosh sequel for John Abraham. The writer-director however admits that nothing is happening on the direction front at the moment. “I am working on multiple scripts and hoping to start one,” he says shortly.

Arbaaz Khan took forward the Dabangg sequel and Part 2 resonated with the audience. “There was an opportunity to direct Dabangg 3 too, but Salman and I wanted a fresh outlook so decided to go with an outside director,” shares Arbaaz, who is concentrating on acting and production for the moment.

“I don’t know when I will direct my next film, but it will happen. And it need not be a big film, it can be small too,” he points out.

In 2010, Dabangg, directed by Anurag Kashyap’s younger brother Abhinav, went on to rewrite box-office history with Salman Khan’s Robinhood cop, Chulbul Pandey.

Abhinav turned down the sequel and went on to direct Besharam with the Kapoors, Rishi, Neetu, and Ranbir. It was a disaster and no one has heard of Abhinav since.

When Mirror called, he rang off abruptly, saying, “I don’t talk to the media.” Ah well, we just wanted to know when he’d be back in action.

Rajiv Rai ruled the ’90s with blockbusters like Tridev, Mohra, Vishwatma and Gupt, then, went into a sabbatical following personal setbacks. He tried to return with Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat and Asambhav but they tanked and Rajiv vanished again.

“I didn’t want anyone to lose money on my films; the break was a calculated decision as I’d got complacent. I self-isolated myself, and in the last 15 years have penned multiple ideas and two scripts. I’ll be back soon. I’m planning a film now,” he promises.

With Dhoom and Dhoom 2 Sanjay Gadhvi gave Bollywood one of its biggest action franchises. Followed by another action thriller, Kidnap, then, a romcom, Ajab Gazabb Love, with Jackky Bhagnani. Then, he went into hibernation. “I refused 23 films since 2011 and bravely waited out the lean period. There are talks of a feature film right now in a space that excites me. I have my fingers crossed,” he exults. 

There was a lot of hype and hoopla about her launch with Ranbir Kapoor in Besharam (2013), but with the film's box-office failure, her career fizzled out, too. However, Pallavi Sharda, a nonresident Indian who wanted to make a mark in Bollywood, didn't give up easily. In an exclusive chat with BT, she talks about her role as Gulabo in Srijit Mukherji's Begum Jaan. Excerpts...

Your beginning in Bollywood was rather bumpy. It hasn't been an easy ride for you. Do you think Begum Jaan will change the course of your career in Bollywood?
I didn't see it in that manner when I signed the film because I was working overseas when Srijit contacted me. I had an interesting kitty of indie and non-indie films, but there was something special about Begum Jaan. It's only after seeing the trailer that I realised that it is larger than life. It is very rare to see something transcending the script on screen. And that for me, is a fulfilling experience.

The film conveys a strong message...
It is about dignity, which women don't assert, fearing backlash from patriarchy. When you say 'my rules' in the context of India, patriarchy comes in - whose rules are they? It is a complex matter. I am still trying to understand how the conversation on self-determination can be taken forward. But I think aspiration is a great word and that's what women in this film stand for. Many young women who hail from less fortunate backgrounds don't have aspiration and that makes me sad.

Does the movie reiterate the idea that in reality, there is no country for women?
They are marginalised everywhere...We have had a male-dominated government and bureaucracy for the longest time and it's still a reality. Somebody recently asked me, 'Is feminism an overused word?' I said, 'We have the responsibility of keeping the flag flying high even if the word is taken out of context at times; we cannot be complacent'. Women's liberation started in the 1920s, which means we are only a hundred years into fighting for our right to equality. So for me, it highlights something which was and is still a reality.

Let's rewind a little and talk about your first lead role in Besharam. How did you deal with the film's failure?
I was not prepared for the business of cinema. My aspiration was to be a Bollywood actress and it's sheer determination and self-belief that has brought me here. I had no mentors. Even before Besharam happened, I was doing a musical and two plays. Then, I was cast in a film with Ranbir Kapoor. My director told me to leave everything else and concentrate on the film, because we were pandering to the business of cinema and the system of Bollywood. That changed the course of who I was as an actor, albeit for a short while. But after Hawaizaada (2015), I went to back to who I was. I am an actor and I am not necessarily here to work within a system... attend functions and dress a certain way because XYZ will see me and cast me. I don't understand that way of thinking. I come from a background where work begets work. It's been over three years and people haven't been able to get over my association with Besharam; I feel proud about it. But I don't think anyone else associated with the film gets asked about its failure as much as I do. That's a little unfair. I had to bear the brunt of Besharam a lot more than the others. After the film released, the media was very scathing. They even cast aspersions about why I got the role. While I was in New York, the media here wrote that I was spotted with the film's director in a Lokhandwala cafe. It was heartbreaking. But despite that, I did bag Hawaizaada and then Begum Jaan on my own merit.

Was it daunting for you to come to Mumbai and make a mark on your own?
I was optimistic and had self-belief. It got daunting only when I realised the reality of how difficult it is. I have lined up with hundreds of aspirants for auditions. Some of my friends and contemporaries cannot believe the kind of stories that I share about my earlier days because a lot of them haven't experienced that. I have turned up at a press conference pretending to be a journalist just to speak to a filmmaker. I would wake up in the morning and ask myself, 'What are you going to do today to make this happen?' Waking up in that state of mind for years together is hard. I have done it the hard way, so I am very comfortable in my skin today.

Do you think being an opinionated actress in Bollywood is a disadvantage?
I was 20 years old when I came here and people advised me not to tell anyone that I was a law graduate. Though I was very confident when I came here, I suddenly became unsure of myself. I am glad I went through that because it helped me realise who I am. There was an attempt to Bollywoodise me, but I resisted it. Maybe I have done a disservice to myself career wise. I guess my life would have been different if I had been malleable, but I am not. I don't want to try and please people. I have been told to keep quiet as I have not established myself, but if my process is not authentic, then my output will not be authentic either.

Deepika Padukone is on top of her game right now. Ranbir Kapoor's past few film choices may have come in the way of his superstardom, but there is no doubt that he is the best actor the industry has and it's just a matter of time that he attains his superstardom. Ranbir and Deepika have been in a relationship together in the past, but today, they have moved on and are both happy in their respective relationships. Yes, they share one of the most electric chemistries onscreen together, yes they care for each other, but above all, they are both strong, independent individuals who are ambitious about their career and responsible towards their work. They bring out the best in each other onscreen and make for a commercially exciting film. Excerpts from a conversation with these ex-lovers who have today become mature friends and co-stars.

How difficult was it for the both of you to work with each other, given your relationship in the past?
Deepika: It was not difficult at all. I think we are very fortunate, because given that we are very passionate about our work and given the equation that we have, there has never been any sort of awkwardness as we both know how to separate the two.
Ranbir: I have worked with almost every actress in film industry, but when I work with Deepika, there is a certain sense of respect I have where her work is concerned or her as a person or her journey. There is a sense of admiration and respect but no awkwardness. I think we both are ambitious and owe it to our work and understand the value we both bring to the movie. We are examples of breaking that stereotypical syndrome that people who have shared a relationship in the past cannot work together.

Deepika, do you still love Ranbir?
Of course I do. I don't think that every feeling has to be broken down as I don't believe that emotions are unidimensional anyway. Feelings and emotions are very layered. He is someone I have always loved and someone I will always be extremely possessive about and very protective about. When I read about him, when I see his work, good bad whatever it is, I have my own monologue that is going on in my head and which I do share with him. I might even pick up the phone and talk to him immediately. There was a phase he was going through where I felt that his behaviour had changed a bit (I didn't know it was intentional or had he become that person or it was misinterpreted). But it bothered me a lot. We are not in each other's lives to know whether the change was permanent or it was completely fabricated. But the point is the things about him that were being reported, I felt that I had the right to pick up the phone on him and tell him that what was going on was not correct. Similarly with his film, the minute I see his work, I will tell him. Likewise, he will see my films and tell me what he liked and what he didn't like. I can pick up the phone on him and say that why did you do Besharam. Of course, we are individual people at the end of the day and will still do what we have to do, but we have that comfort with each other where we can say that to each other.
Ranbir: I remember we were no longer together that time but before she had signed Cocktail, she was still living at her old home and me and Ayan had gone to her house and after everyone left, I had a conversation with her. She was confused and I remember telling her that she had a potential to be a very big animal in this industry. I didn't think that Cocktail was the right film for her and I even told her that but she was clear about her choice. But the point is that she had given me the leeway to tell her that.

Ranbir, do you love Deepika?
Yes of course. The amount of love I have for Deepika is like family. It's very warm, it's about care, about being proud of her. The facet of love, care and respect has changed but changed for the better. It's not your immature I love her kind of feeling. It's mature and that's come with age. Also, we have both positively moved on with our lives.

Ranbir, what qualities of Deepika do you like the most?
Her values that come from her parents. She can many a times say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, be obnoxious, can be rude, can be sweet but, it's all coming from a place of organic sense of things, I don't think she is ever saying something because somebody else has said it. It's coming from what she thinks and she is very positive. If you are doing an interview or a scene with her there is a lot of care she will take for her co-actor or director. She does not have a hero-centric mind and is not a superstar who likes to steal the limelight from others.

What don't you like about her?
That she is a flirt. That she is working too much and should not burn herself out. She should take more holidays and breaks and should reserve herself, which she has started doing now.

Deepika, what do you like the most about Ranbir?
There are more things I don't like than like about him. I like that he is very very respectful towards people. He is also someone who does not get visibly affected by people and by situations. He is someone who can detach.

Deepika, what don't you like about Ranbir?
The fact that you can't pin point what he is feeling or thinking all the time. At least that was my experience at the time when we were together. I couldn't really figure him out completely. I am not saying that he is not an emotional person or sensitive person. He must be but it doesn't come out and it's not visible. I wish he expressed more.

Who is more emotional between the both of you?
Deepika: Me
Ranbir: Not necessarily. It's just that I don't know how to express myself. I don't have an outlet yet. I don't know if there is some thing wrong in my brain as I have not figured myself out to express myself yet. I am still struggling with that. I don't know whether it is a mental disease or a handicap. I do feel things but don't know how to express or address it.

Deepika, over the years of your knowing him, has Ranbir changed in any way?
He has matured a lot. But in that maturity, I feel he has gone even more into his shell. Also, now he has a lot more clarity about his decisions and how he wants to live his life.

Ranbir, has Deepika changed over the years?
Yes, she has changed in terms of her level of confidence and her exuberance. There is a shine and aura that has now developed around her and that is something she deserves as she has earned it.

Amongst the working actors (barring Amitabh Bachchan), who do you rate the best three actors (note actors and not stars)?
Deepika: Ranbir, Irrfan, Ranveer.
Ranbir: Deepika, Anushka, Alia.

Tell us about Tamasha?
Tamasha means 'Spectacle', the spectacle we make of our lives. In the film, two people go on a holiday, they meet, they decide to have fun at an amazing place, they decide to be different people and decide that they will not spoil it with identities and burden it with pressures of making out, of being together in a relationship or having a sexual relationship. Post the holiday, they both decide to go their own separate ways. After 3 years, the girl realises that she is still in love with him. While she has dated other people, she realises that there is something special in that guy. She does not know him but finds out that he is in Delhi. She goes to find him but when she sees him, he is a different animal. He has become a robot and has become the worst side of himself. He is doing chamchagiri of his boss in the most idiotic way and there is no passion in him. She hates him and when he proposes to her, she tells him, 'No, I don't want to be with you. I was waiting for that guy.' She leaves him, ruins his life and she disturbs him inside. Now it's about his metamorphosis and him realising what this girl has said, and how she becomes his inspiration to realise what he does. And it's a happy ending.

Director Imtiaz Ali is a person very dear to the both of you. Talk about working with him?
Ranbir: Imtiaz is someone who has broken down himself with this film. He is such a successful director and has made both intelligent and entertaining films but he chooses to not become a prototype of his own movies. When he made a Highway, he understands its reach. Rockstar was not a widely accepted film and he accepted and understands all that. For me, to just see that endeavour to be the best version of himself is very inspiring. He is a very big director and can easily make big commercial happy films, but he is still taking risks in the engaging format of cinema and I have a lot of respect for that quality of his.
Deepika: My equation with Imtiaz is beyond my actor-director relationship. He is in a large way responsible for who I have become today both as an actor and as a person. He was the one who kept knocking and saying that there is more to you as a person than you are being, let yourself go. He figured me out even better than I knew myself or that I knew myself but didn't want to accept it or come out of that shell.

Given that Tamasha is an expensive film, is there an expectation for you from the box office number?
Deepika: As an actor, the only way I can give back to a big budget film, an Imtiaz Ali film, is to be honest to my performance and then to promote it in the way your producer wants you to. The numbers will follow if it has to, but as an actor, there is only that much you can do.
Ranbir: Box office numbers are very important but I did a film called Rocket Singh - Salesman Of The Year, which makes great sense to me. We all chase numbers but once you make people happy, the numbers will follow.

Will we see you both in a film together in the future?
Ranbir: We both have our identities because of our hard work and don't want that to be burdened with our history. I don't want to lose the opportunity to work with her due to headlines about us. I understand the value she brings to a film not just commercially but also to my performance.