The wedding of Anshula Kapoor and Rohan Thakkar was among the most talked-about celebrations of the week. Boney Kapoor has spent decades creating some of Hindi cinema’s biggest spectacles, but nothing, he says, compares to watching his daughter begin a new chapter with the man she loves.

Talking to us about what it felt witnessing his daughter’s wedding, Boney says, “It is difficult to put into words what I felt watching Anshula get married. Her decision to have her mom’s (Mona Kapoor) photo by the mandap and to wear her dupatta, made the moment even more special because it would have been incomplete without her blessings. I’m sure this is exactly how Mona would have wanted to see her daughter celebrated.”

Boney adds, “Anshula is a piece of my heart and seeing her so happy makes me feel fulfilled. Looking back at the celebrations, I think what has stayed with me the most are the smiling faces, the love that surrounded us, and the happiness everyone shared with us. Your daughter teaches you to be the best version of yourself. Seeing her begin this new chapter with Rohan was an emotional moment for all of us. As a father, you prepare yourself for this day, but when it finally arrives, you realize how special and overwhelming it truly is. As a family, we feel incredibly fortunate to have witnessed this beautiful beginning with the love and blessings of everyone around us. Watching Anshula begin this new chapter of her life was one of the most emotional moments I have experienced as a father.”

The celebrations began with intimate family rituals before culminating in a grand reception. Over three days, family and friends came together to celebrate the couple, with blessings pouring in from every corner.

“My heart swells with love and gratitude for my brothers and their families and extended families, my sister and brother-in-law with their family, my son Arjun, and daughters Janhvi and Khushi, who all stood behind me and witnessed this beautiful milestone moment. Having all my children by my side made the moment complete,” he shares.

For someone who has spent decades bringing stories to the screen, he says this was one occasion where life itself felt like the most beautiful story. “People often ask me what success means after all these years. For me, these three days were the answer. The greatest thing you can earn in life isn’t fame or success, it’s goodwill. Seeing Anshula so happy, surrounded by people who have been part of our lives for so many years, is an unforgettable memory. Watching her grow from holding my hand to holding the hand of the person she loves the most, is one of my life’s cherished moments. She will always be my little girl, no matter how empowered or old she gets. Today, I see her not just as my daughter, but a kind-hearted, super confident and compassionate woman.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, Boney concludes, “I want to say this to my lovely daughter Anshula... A big thank you, for filling my life with your laughter, lessons and unconditional love. You will always have a sweet home in my heart.”

Boney Kapoor, among the busiest filmmakers today, is set to appear as an actor in his first full-fledged role. The producer-actor recently came to Delhi to shoot for his upcoming film with director Luv Ranjan, which stars Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia. Asked about the experience of facing the camera, he tells us, “It’s good to know what happens on the other side of the camera (laughs). I’m enjoying it. It’s a happy atmosphere on set, and it’s with Dimple. I’ve known her for a long time... I’ve seen Ranbir grow. I didn’t interact with him much (when he was growing up). Same with Shraddha. Her father Shakti (Kapoor) has worked in my films.”

Talking of work amid the pandemic, the 65-year-old adds that one has to live with the situation. “There has been a first, then second wave, and the fear of the third wave. One has to get used to living with safety in mind,” opines Kapoor. He further says that precautions will be followed in the future, not just for Coronavirus.

That said, the filmmaker asserts that the economy has to be revitalised, too. As a producer, he has five films on floors right now, all on pause. “I just restarted a Tamil film, only 10 days of shoot is left. I have another Hindi film, with my daughter, Janhvi. Then another film with Ajith. Too many things are lined up, and they can’t be kept on pause for a long time. One has got to get used to this kind of life, keeping the safety factors in mind,” Kapoor concludes.

On Friday, mid-day reported that the Maidaan set, built at Madh Island, was among the many properties destroyed by Cyclone Tauktae (The ruined playing field, May 21). This comes as a severe blow to producer Boney Kapoor who has spared no expense for the ambitious Ajay Devgn-led sports drama. Only months after the film went on floors in August 2019, the producer zeroed in on a 16-acre plot in Madh Island, where a huge makeshift stadium was built to shoot the football matches.

A unit member recounts that the set was first dismantled in May 2020 in the wake of the first lockdown. “After things improved, we rebuilt it in November 2020. The unit resumed work on February 14 this year at a Powai studio, and went on to shoot four crucial football matches at the Madh Island set-up. But the filming was stalled soon after due to the junta curfew,” says the source.

The multi-crore makeshift stadium was retained in the hope that director Amit Ravindernath Sharma would shoot the remaining matches at the venue as soon as the restrictions were eased. Hardly had anybody anticipated a cyclone that would leave the site — comprising eight make-up rooms, a hall for junior artistes, a standalone room for production control and 26 toilets — ravaged. The source adds, “Boney has suffered serious losses. Almost 80 per cent of the site is damaged. About 10 days of landscaping will be required to revamp the ground, but the surrounding areas will take more time. The monsoon will pose another problem. The set will have to be recreated by September so that the pending four matches can be wrapped up.”

Though devastated, Kapoor is grateful that those present on the premises were not hurt. “We had a team of curators, staff members and security at the venue. Thankfully, nothing happened to them,” says the producer, before taking stock of the damage to property. “I will have to build the set for the third time. It took us six months to construct it the first time, and a couple of months to rebuild it last year. Hopefully, this time, we’ll reconstruct it in one-and-a-half months.” The film is eyeing an October release.

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Even before the entertainment industry could recover from the blow dealt by the Covid-19 last year, came its second wave. And now, cylcone Tauktae. While it hit the western coast hard, particularly hit has been the set of Ajay Devgn-starrer Maidaan. Recently rebuilt by producer Boney Kapoor after it was dismantled last year, it will have to be rebuilt again

“Now, I will have to construct the set for the third time as due to the cyclone 70-80% of the set has been destroyed,” says Kapoor, adding, “What I am going through is horrible. I don’t want to be reminded of it. If I think about the pressure or feelings or loss, I will start crying. If I think about the budget overshooting and expenses piling up, I might go into depression. Mera dil hi nahin kar raha ke set dekhun abhi. All I know and I am doing is staying positive and thinking positive. Thank God, there was no casualty and no one was injured. Luckily all 40-50 people who were on the set were fine. It would have been worse had anything happened to anyone.”

When they built the set this year, they were able to shoot 50% of the matches for the film. Then the lockdown was announced and shoots were halted. Now, shoot for 20 odd days is left and it needs particular sets to shoot the matches. “Last year, when we dismantled, materials could be reused. But after destruction in a cyclone, hardly anything is salvageable. I had eight makeup rooms, 26 bathrooms, different sets, but most of it is gone. We had an eight-camera setup and specialised equipment to capture players while playing,” he shares.

As several films are stuck due to theatres being shut, Kapoor says he can understand what producers are going through. “Someone’s pain is bigger than others but we are all affected. Everyone is going through this painful journey. I might be the most affected person in the industry right now. It is not just about many projects of mine facing delay in release but also having to put up a set for the third time. Imagine that! I am a theatre person and will release my films in theatres. I am waiting for them to open,” ends the 65-year-old.

On Monday, S S Rajamouli announced that his magnum opus RRR, starring Ram Charan, NT Rama Rao Jr and Ajay Devgn, will hit theatres on October 13. Boney Kapoor is seeing red at the decision - after all, his sports drama Maidaan, starring Devgn, had already booked the Dussehra weekend.

“We had announced last year that Maidaan will release on Dussehra. Despite knowing this, Rajamouli lined up his film for the same [weekend]. This, when Ajay requested him and RRR producer [DVV Danayya] to talk to me about the release dates,” exclaims Kapoor.

The producer adds that the makers had kept Devgn in the dark about their release plan. “They informed Ajay only a day before they made the announcement. [In clashing with my film], you are disrespecting not only me, but also Ajay who has graciously been a part of your movie. When I called Rajamouli, he said it was not his call but his producers’ and distributors’. Having made 40 films, I can tell you that no distributor can [dictate terms] to a producer.”

Kapoor reveals that Rajamouli and he have been on bad terms since the Baahubali days. The South filmmaker had approached Sridevi for Sivagami’s role in the 2015 blockbuster. “Producer Shobu Yarlagadda had offered her a fee that was less than what she had got for English Vinglish [2012]. So, we let the film pass. But after Baahubali’s release, Rajamouli said that Sridevi’s unprofessional approach was the reason [for her exit]. He claimed that she demanded an entire floor to herself, and wanted a huge entourage. Sridevi clarified later that esteemed filmmakers, including Kamal Haasan and K Raghavendra Rao, wouldn’t have worked with her if she was so unprofessional.”

Ask him if their history has any bearing on the current scenario, and the filmmaker says, "Your guess is as good as mine. All I can say is it's unprofessional of them to do this."

There has been a lot of speculation around when Sridevi and Boney Kapoor’s younger daughter, Khushi, will step into Bollywood. The aspiring actress is already quite popular on social media and wows her followers with pictures that are high on fashion and glam. Now, we have it that Janhvi’s younger sister, Khushi, will be making her Bollywood debut soon and a big announcement is underway.

Recently, during a chat with BT, when we asked Boney about his younger daughter’s debut, he said, “Yes, Khushi is also keen on acting. You will hear an announcement soon.” While Boney is a well-known producer, and now an actor, too, he clarified that he won’t be launching Khushi. Janhvi and his son Arjun Kapoor were launched grandly in Bollywood, but not by their father’s production house.

Talking about why he won’t be launching Khushi, Boney said, “I have the resources, but I would rather have someone else launch her because I am her father and one tends to get indulgent. You can’t afford to do that as a filmmaker and nor is it good for the actor. Anil (brother Anil Kapoor) was still an established actor, so it didn’t affect him much, but I think I became an indulgent brother with Sanjay (Sanjay Kapoor) when he made his entry into films.”

Sanjay was launched by Boney in Prem (1995), where he starred opposite Tabu. “I think it may have gone against him. I am glad he is doing some amazing work in the OTT space now. He’s playing interesting characters that he truly deserves to portray and can do justice to. Likewise, I would want Khushi to find her own footing. She will be launched by someone I respect and someone I feel secure and safe about,” said Boney.

Over the years, one has seen Boney Kapoor back some of the biggest movies in Bollywood as a producer, but at the start of 2021, his career in the film industry is about to take a new turn. He will be making his acting debut in Luv Ranjan’s upcoming film, which stars Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor in lead roles. This week, Boney joined the cast and crew of the movie in Noida, where a set has been created for the shoot.

While this will be his full-fledged acting debut, he recently did a cameo where he played himself for a film on a digital platform. In an exclusive chat with Bombay Times, he says, “Acting never crossed my mind. My hands were full as a producer. I have been an AD (assistant director), assistant editor, production controller, producer, and now, I am an actor. Yes, I am playing Ranbir Kapoor’s father in the film. He is a terrific actor as we all know, and I am an amateur, but let’s see how it goes. I am excited to work with him. I was apprehensive about juggling between acting and production. I have five films lined up as a producer. Initially, Anil (brother Anil Kapoor) was also reluctant about this as he knows the kind of responsibilities one has as a producer, but later, he told me to go ahead.”

The filmmaker’s actor-son Arjun Kapoor played a pivotal part in pushing his father towards acting. Boney reveals, “I had said no to Luv Ranjan. He reached out to Arjun, and he, along with my three daughters (Anshula, Janhvi and Khushi), convinced me to do it. Arjun told me that Ranjan had me as a reference point — that of a ‘Punjabi father’ — when he wrote this part. So, he thought I was ideal for it. Acting requires you to do what the director asks you to, so I wasn’t sure, but Arjun said that I just need to be myself. He even told me that this would be a good change and also an opportunity to stay away from production stress for a bit.”

Not many are aware, but Boney was first offered a role by Yash Chopra in Lamhe (which starred Sridevi and Anil Kapoor). “I wasn’t sure if Yash ji was serious, but he had offered me the part in Lamhe, which was eventually played by Deepak Malhotra (Sridevi’s husband in the film). I never took it seriously. I guess he knew that I just wanted to be close to Sri (smiles),” he shares.

That’s not all. Boney was also supposed to play Anil’s father in a college play when the two were studying in St Xavier’s College. He says, “Amjad Khan had directed the play. Anil fell ill on the day of the play, and some other guy played his part, but I was supposed to play his father in it. I remember Satish Shah had a crucial role in it, too.” He concludes with a smile, “At least seven-eight members from our family are actors now! My children are excited for me, and that makes me happy. Isn’t that great?”

There is another Kapoor on the block, ready to test his acting skills. Before you think of a 20-something star kid, let us tell you we're talking about producer Boney Kapoor. The filmmaker, who was recently seen in a cameo in brother Anil Kapoor's film AK vs AK (2020), will essay a full-fledged role in Luv Ranjan's yet-untitled next featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor. He will play Ranbir's father in the romantic comedy. Interestingly, the actor's great-grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor and Boney's producer father Surinder Kapoor were cousins.

Recounting how the acting offer came his way, Boney says, "When Luv and his team were writing the script, they had a simple reference point for the character of Ranbir's father — 'somebody like Boney Kapoor'. One fine day, they thought, why not have Boney play the role?" When Ranjan approached him initially, the producer turned down the offer as he had his hands full with several projects, including Ajay Devgn's Maidaan, Tamil film Valimai and Telugu offering Vakeel Saab.

While he understood Boney's dilemma and started scouting for other actors, the director came knocking on his door again in December — having watched AK vs AK, he was confident that Boney was perfect for the role. "Luv insisted I do the role. He reached out to Arjun, who persuaded me for it. While the team will be shooting at a stretch in Delhi, they have given me the liberty to fly down to Mumbai and attend to my productions," he says.

Boney's late wife Sridevi, brothers Anil and Sanjay, and children Arjun and Janhvi have all had a long romance with the camera while he stayed behind the scenes. Is he nervous about shifting gears, as he joins the unit in the capital this week? "I don't have butterflies in my stomach. I have been calm during life's ups and downs, so why should I feel apprehensive now?"

It was an imaginative story of an aam Hindustani, who went on to become a superhero of sorts. In a generation that had not seen anything like this on the silver screen, Mr India, directed by Shekhar Kapur, starring Anil Kapoor, Sridevi and Amrish Puri, achieved cult status. As the film completes 30 years this month, India's invisible man, the mighty Mogambo and the sizzling and haughty Ms. Hawa Hawai remain iconic and unforgettable. The man, Boney Kapoor, who was called the “Hero of the film“ for showing sheer guts for backing it as a producer, reminisces the making of the film and the magical effect of Mr India. Read on...


'PICTURE AISI BANAO KI LOGON KO THEATRE JAANA HI PAD JAAYE'
We had a dream team for Mr India, and at that point of time, I think I was the youngest guy behind the scenes. The spirit of the team was fantastic, including all the kids. We had created a classroom kind of space for them, so that their friends and family could join them. There was a lavish menu on the cards every day. We shot the film for over 350 days. Back then, a film with an A-list star (Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna and Vinod Khanna) would cost nothing above Rs 40-50 lakhs. I'm talking only about the single-hero projects; of course, films like Sholay and Karma were multi-starrers and were made on a different scale. I spent close to Rs 3.80 crores on Mr India. I don't think that even a big film like Karma spent this kind of money (Subhash Ghai will hit me for this).

Films would take around 80-100 days to shoot, but we took three times more than that. Sri's (Sridevi) mother would allot 35-40 days for most of her films, but she made an exception for us. We were shooting for so long that there was immense curiosity about the project. So many actors like Jeetendra and Shashi Kapoor would drop in on the sets that we had erected in Versova (by the beach) for months, just to see what it was all about. Jeetuji said, 'Tum log bana kya rahe ho? Jitne mein meri picture banti hai, utna tumne sirf iss set pe kharcha kiya hai'. Around the time Mr India had released, international circuit mein piracy bahut zyada thi. Everyone was talking about it, but I said, 'Let's make a film that people would be forced to watch on the big screen'. Picture aisi banao ki logon ko theatre jaana hi pad jaaye.


'SALIM-JAVED WERE TO PRODUCE MR INDIA WITH AMITABH BACHCHAN'
I had the guts to back Mr India when no one did. I never had a budget, I was just passionate about the film and I went all out. I was mighty impressed with the way Shekhar narrated the film in just five-six minutes. I signed him up the next day for Rs 70,000, while at that time, the signing amount was about Rs 10,000.

Initially, Salim-Javed were supposed to produce Mr India with Amitabh Bachchan. There was even talks that Ramesh Sippy was considering it, but he felt it was too expensive for a single-hero project. In fact, Javed saab was the one who suggested Shekhar's name, and we all decided to go ahead.


'I HAD SEEN SRIDEVI'S CHIFFON SAREE LOOK IN JAANBAAZ, SO I ASKED SHEKHAR... "CAN WE BETTER THAT SONG?'''
It was a perception that Anil would be missing in the film. They thought he was crazy to play a man who keeps disappearing and I was crazy to make the film. In fact, Anil is there throughout the film. Mr. India is his most iconic character. Nobody could do the role like him. I don't know how it would have been if Amitabh Bachchan had done it. Maybe, it would be designed differently, because at that point, he carried the image of the angry young man. I remember that we picked up Anil's jacket from Mumbai's famous Chor Bazaar, it wasn't customised. He wore his old jeans and only his shirt was stitched. For the song Kaate Nahin Kat Te, we got an elaborate outfit designed for Sri, but I changed my mind. I had seen her chiffon saree look in Jaanbaaz, and Feroz Khan had picturised it fabulously. So, I told Shekhar Kapur, 'Can we better that song?' I wanted everything to be handled aesthetically. Also, all that you see in the film was shot in real-time. From the special effects to the fight-sequences, nothing was done in post.

'MR. INDIA WAS THE LAST RELEASED FILM THAT SALIM-JAVED WROTE TOGETHER'
When the script was narrated to me, we didn't have the villain's track, that was reworked later. It so happened that Pramod Chakravorty (director of films like Love in Tokyo and Dream Girl) had a mahurat planned with Amitabh Bachchan for some film. Somehow, he couldn't reach the event, and Amitabh's recorded voice was played on the speaker. That's where they got the seed of the idea and then, they worked on the script. Unfortunately, they (Salim-Javed) parted, and I think this was their last released film as co-writers, but actually, they had worked on the structure way before I started shooting.


'ALMOST EVERY VILLAIN IN THE INDUSTRY WANTED TO BE MOGAMBO'
Those days, superhero films like Superman and Batman were gaining popularity here, and Shekhar wanted something on those lines which was larger than life. Almost every villain in the industry wanted to do this part. Javed saab said that his takia kalam would be 'Mogambo khush hua' and we all jumped at it. He even predicted that the line will be remembered for as long as film industry exists. The challenge was to create the aura that Sholay's Gabbar (Singh, played by Amjad Khan) had, or come as close. While we had auditioned a couple of actors, Amrish Puri was at the back of my mind as Hum Paanch had just catapulted his villainous stature in the industry. A massive set was constructed at RK Studios to shoot Mogambo's sequences.

'I'VE BACKED MY DIRECTOR'S VISION'
I am blamed for being overindulgent, but I'm not. I am just very honest, and I like to give everything I do, my all. I have been blessed that actors have backed me and I have backed my directors' vision. I have been brought up in the backyard of Raj Kapoor; my entire childhood was in their house, seeing Shammi Kapoor and Raj Kapoor reacting to their films. My father (film producer Surinder Kapoor) started his career as an assistant to K Asif, so I grew up hearing conversations and stories about how lavishly they shot and envisioned their films, including Mughal-E-Azam. Perhaps, subconsciously, it stayed with me always. My father was a large-hearted person. He encouraged Anil and me and had blind faith in us, without ever questioning our decisions. I have done over 30 films and not every film has been lavish. Some films need that kind of scale. For Pukar, we went to Alaska and Mexico, which was rare back then. I have shot 12 of my films in North America. Also, in those days, A R Rahman was the biggest prize catch for a film, but for Pukar, without talking money and dates, he straightaway gave me a confirmation, saying, 'You are the producer of Mr India, I will do it'. Mr India is one film that opened on a Wednesday in some centres, because there was a rush and theatre owners couldn't control the crowd.


'SRIDEVI DANCED TO HAWA HAWAI ON STAGE, IT WAS HER FIRST LIVE PERFORMANCE AS AN ACTRESS'
People talk about branding and marketing now, we did such exciting promotions years ago. For Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, I got singing and dancing dolls made of Anil and Sri. Before Mr India released, there was an India-West Indies match at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium, where Anil landed in a helicopter in his Mr India get-up. Sridevi performed on stage as an actress for the first time during the Hope '86 concert in Kolkata, where she danced to the song Hawa Hawai. She was nervous before the show, and it was also the first time that out of sheer shock or joy, or whatever the emotion was then, she came off the stage and held me. I was crazy about her, and that made my day.

'WOULD I LIKE TO MAKE MR. INDIA 2? YES, I WOULD LOVE TO'
In every era, there are films that open doors like Awara, Barsaat, Ganga Jumna, Sangam, Bobby, Sholay, Kranti, 3 Idiots, Dangal and Baahubali. I don't follow any benchmark, I only trust my instincts. Yes, I went through major lows, but there was nothing that could stop me. I was also fortunate to get an opportunity to work with some of the biggest stars of the film industry. Would I like to make Mr .India 2? Yes, I would love to. I am itching to make a few more films like Mr India, Wanted and No Entry.

'SRI AND I NEVER CARRY OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP ON THE SET. WHILE SHOOTING FOR MOM, WE WERE STAYING IN THE SAME HOTEL, BUT ON DIFFERENT FLOORS'
The dynamics are not different when I am working with my family. For instance, when we were shooting for Mom (his next production, starring wife Sridevi in the lead) in Noida, Sri and I were in same hotel, but we were staying on different floors. She wanted her space and I wanted mine. We never carry our personal relationship on the set and Sri is too focussed and dedicated to get distracted by anything.

Boney Kapoor, 59, has been making films for the past 39 years, ever since he was 22. He has always been straightforward, honest and sincere, who has and will always put his family before everything else in his life. He is passionate about cinema, but can get indulgent in his execution. He has never been selfish and has always played a big brother to others, assuming that he could always take care of himself come what may. While he is emotional and has always made decisions from his heart, he wants his son Arjun to learn from his mistakes and balance his heart with his mind in his life. The father and son duo give their first joint interview ever to Bombay Times. Excerpts:

CONVERSATION WITH ARJUN KAPOOR ABOUT HIS FATHER:

Talk about your dad?
As a father, he has always had implicit trust in me and has allowed me to make my decisions, which is why I am here today. He respects that I have an opinion. He knows that I am young and hotblooded and pretty much how he must have been when he was my age. I know that I represent him and would like to follow the right path. Unfortunately, we have not spent too much time together to have too much conversation about this, but I know that if I do something wrong, he will pick up the phone and shout at me. So if he has not shouted at me so far, I have done things the right way. He has always been patient with me. I only remember once during the promotion of Wanted, he had raised his voice at me as I had made a mistake. But if he has to think twice before shouting at me, then there is something wrong with our relationship. I would love him to correct me. I never needed to ask anything in life so far as my parents were concerned. There was always sufficient or more for me. I have lived a very good life regardless of my father's ups and downs or the personal ups and downs that my parents encountered. That never affected my lifestyle or the way we have enjoyed our growing up years. Maybe we had to encounter his stress just looking at him, knowing what he was going through and hearing about it. But he never let it out on us or used it as a weapon to not be a father for us. The only thing he could not give us as much, was time and I know that unfortunately, you cannot get time back. But now, being an actor, I understand in this profession, your time is not always yours. And he is that kind of person that even whether he is going through his ups or downs, he wants to do lots for other people. Also, I always loved what he did. It's not that if he could not give me time, he was faffing. I would be on set with him, would go to his office to meet him, would travel with him, so we found a middle path. I was always enamoured by cinema and always wanted to be part of what he was doing.

How does it feel to have worked in a film that is produced by him?
Today, having done a film with him, life has come a full circle for me. If something was to happen to me, there would be a sense of content that one of the desires I had in my bucket list has been achieved. I would like it to happen as often as possible, but it is something I wanted should happen very correctly and organically and not that this producer is making a film for his son.

He has a reputation of being very generous but indulgent as a producer?
If you ask anyone, they will tell you, 'Ask Boney Kapoor for an Ambassador and he will send you a Mercedes Benz.' I wanted him to enjoy making Tevar without pulling a Boney Kapoor, though he has pulled a Boney Kapoor even in Tevar. He shot the Radha Nachegi song as if it was a film. I wish I could curtail that but I could not. But he does not spend the money to prove a point. Sonakshi is a big star and he was trying to show her in a way that she has not been shot before. But I think I am pragmatic when it comes to filmmaking. We come from different generations in the way films are made. This is the fastest film my father has made, otherwise he would shoot his films for a year. We made this in six months.

What do you look upto him for?
He is very selfless and very emotional in ways that I feel I must not be in this profession. He has been there for other people more than himself and more than they have been there for him. He gives a lot, is fearless and has battled all his demons and his ups and downs all by himself, always wearing a smile on his face. When you meet him, you will never get a sense that he is carrying a burden, whatever it might be. That's a big quality. He has always taken the responsibility and the onus of whatever his choices were. And I can be proud that I am his son and I wish I can become like that, holding my head high regard less of the ups and downs of life. I would like to believe that I am as level-headed as him and as emotional as him, but I am a little more detached when it comes to decision-making in the profession, as he was not like that and I have learnt from that. He has made a lot of decisions keeping emotions over mind and I have seen that lead to a lot of heartache.

Did your mother ever want you to work with your father?
On the first day of shooting Tevar, there was a simple scene where my mother in the film (played by Deepti Naval), is saying to me, 'Sambhal ke jaana, it's cold outside' as I am leaving the city. That day I just spoke to my mom for a few seconds, as I knew that working with my father is something she always wanted me to do. And she always knew that I would and that it was inevitable that we would work together. She knew him better than anyone else, from a time when he worked with Anil chachu through his trajectory and made opulent films like Mr India. My mum was with him in those phases, so she knew how he is as a filmmaker and she knew that I am his son. I wanted to ensure that my dad enjoyed making Tevar but that he did not make the mistake of going overboard.

Who do you love the most in the world?
My sister Anshula. She is the one who gives me the drive to do things. I have good and bad days. I know dad is there and he has a family also, we are all working in the same profession and that gives me a lot of comfort, but she is the one person who has no expectations from me. She is my grounding factor and I see mom in her. She has learnt from mom, is very honest and has her ideologies. Dad and me are sometimes diplomatic and politically correct, as our profession makes us that. There needs to be someone honest in your life. I am like that with dad. While I was growing up, I was not that honest with him, but as I have got some confidence now, my equation with him has evolved into being honest with him and he sometimes gets irritated with me for that. Today, there is a lot of honesty and transparency between us. He is my father and I am his son. I am 29 and I understand that just because he was not around does not mean that he has not seen me grow up. And while I might look like mum, my behaviour and personality is like my dad. One of the biggest compliments I have got in my life is how I am as respectful as him towards others.

Are there things about you your father wants to correct?
He feels that my shyness is looked at as my arrogance and he would like to change that. He is very warm when he enters a party or a room and he always makes people comfortable. Apparently, I tend to make other people uncomfortable due to my silence. My face is deadpan and it constantly gets assumed that I am thinking about something, though I do think a lot. He always tells me that when you enter a place, you must make everyone warm. You can have a bad day, but they don't need to suffer on account of you. Dad is very patient, I tend to get impatient being young and that's the one thing I would love to learn from him. I also think too much and procrastinate my decisions a lot. He has the ability to keep people engrossed when he talks and listen, when others talk. But since I am so similar to him, with time, I will become more like him in this too.

CONVERSATION WITH BONEY KAPOOR ABOUT HIS SON ARJUN:

Do you feel that he did not get enough of you as a father?
I don't think so. I was always there for him. I am sure he realises or he will realise that these are things that no one has 100% control over and there are situations in a man's life, where there is a possibility of a swing for various reasons. I have always tried to give him the best. I have always been there emotionally in whatever he needs and requires. I don't think I have failed in any manner. Definitely we have not stayed together after a certain period, but even when I had separated, there were school days when he wanted me there, like for his cricket matches, and I would always be there. He loves me a lot and has never made me feel unwanted. He sees the same emotion from me too.

What is Arjun for you?
Arjun for me is my world. He is one of the major sources for me to have had the drive to do films the way I did them. Every minute of my life I pray that he prospers, does the right things and does well. His problem is that he is constantly thinking, in fact over thinking which is why he is sometimes anxious. I want him to have more warmth as that will make him more of a charmer. He is very bright, he is there. He can sometimes be a little stubborn and then you need to reason out with him.

He is a very focussed person and he has a lot of determination and will power which is why he is in the shape he is in and while he may be anxious at times, he is not insecure at all. He has self-belief which is what I like in him. He too, like me, can get carried away , but he has the sense to correct himself. I see him as a good mix of Dharmendra and Salman. He can carry any role. You don't need to write a script according to his personality. You write a good script and he will fit into it. Arjun may not be as good-looking as Salman and Dharamji, but he has a charm that has not been exploited so far.

Have you thought of getting Arjun married?
Yes, of late I have started thinking. I feel he is professionally settled and I would like him to be settled in personal life too.

Who is your emotional anchor?
My wife Sri (Sridevi). And to an extent now that Arjun has grown up, I tend to depend on him too.