Showing posts with label Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor interview. Show all posts
Harsh Varrdhan and I have major fights. We had a fight last night also... a big fight-Anil Kapoor
8:18 PM
An animated, cinematic chat with Anil Kapoor and Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
Anshul Chaturvedi (BOMBAY TIMES; July 22, 2023)
Stepping into the midst of an animated discussion between Harsh Varrdhan and Anil Kapoor is reminiscent of a scene from Shakti or perhaps Trishul; the edginess that, despite being very palpable, never gets hostile, the firmness of views held – with the younger generation holding them more firmly – and the familiarity that comes from the two parties being frequent sparring partners. It is interesting, even fun, to be the fly on the wall, sometimes engaging and questioning, sometimes just watching. Here’s what you take away:
Harsh and Anil have a, shall we say, divergent, take on how Harsh has charted, and is charting, his career in cinema. Anil would perhaps like the son to be a little flexible in a few things, but that is the one thing Harsh isn’t comfortable being. “I am very particular about the things I like and dislike,” he tells you emphatically.
“I am very clear about my tastes in all aspects of my life – whether it’s movies, the way I dress, the way I look at my life, and it’s all very clear to me. I have very strong instincts, and I really, really listen to those instincts. The worst thing that you can do is betray those instincts, I feel because in the long run, you know, then you have regrets. When things go wrong, I don’t blame anyone. I don’t say that it was this person’s fault or that person’s fault. There is a complete, 100% accountability, and I am kind of ready to live and die by those choices.”
Anil is watching, expressionless, his face not giving away his take on this “live and die by those choices” sentiment. Is it a challenge as a parent, sometimes, to get across a divergent viewpoint in the face of such strong views? Anil, after all, has seen the ups and downs of the industry and navigated it fairly successfully, staying relevant for over forty years now, still going strong, doing more projects than his son. How does he share a point with Harsh which may differ from Harsh’s own?
“There are times when we have these discussions, and it’s okay... I sometimes suggest, as Sunita said – a ‘come halfway’ kind of situation (referring to an Insta post from her after Ray released). But then, what makes me happy is not the thought that he becomes the biggest star in the country; that’s not my ambition. My ambition is that he is respected, and he’s happy doing what he is doing. And automatically, if you work hard, you do things, you make those choices – and if that is the way bigger success comes, I think that will be much more solid.”
“That’s sweeter and long-lasting,” adds Harsh.
Are you comparing him with his compatriots professionally, because that’s what we do in India, right? Sharma ji ka beta and all that – does that happen? “Obviously, it’s very, very natural.” And do you say it to him?
“I do, but in a very positive way. There are a lot of ways to tell. Not pumping him up unnecessary or inflating his ego... not in a way that it sounds like I am trying to, you know… (pause) if I do it also, he is so sharp, he knows (if I’m praising him excessively) – ‘why are you trying? I can see through you’ (laughs). So I have to be very real with him, and keep on giving a reality check.”
Does Harsh believe in the idea of coming halfway? “I don’t understand the halfway thing. This whole process is not supposed to be about somebody else coming and giving me advice. I mean, one has to identify one’s taste, right? Be clear about that taste and be in pursuit of that. And through that process, make your own learnings and then further continue to apply them. That’s what being an artist is about. Over a period of time, if you keep pursuing your individuality and through that you find excellence, then you create something of your own.”
'WE HAVE MAJOR FIGHTS...'
Have there been difficult moments in working on projects, like, where Harsh has a very strong divergence of take from his father’s? “Ya. Everyday. That’s a daily thing.” And how does that go? Does anybody get angry?
Harsh doesn’t choose the politically correct route here, either: “He (Anil) can’t sit down and talk. He just gets anxious. I am saying, just sit down and talk about it calmly, and you’ll feel better, but then I think we all have different ways of dealing with things. I just like to talk; I like to sit down and talk about it. I really like to get into details of why. Because I think the why is very telling. Do you not like something because you feel that creatively it doesn’t work with the rest of the film? Or do you not like it in isolation because it’s a little abstract? Or it’s not something which you are used to seeing? That sheds so much light on where that point of view is coming from. It’s about the movie, finally; it’s not about him and it’s not about me. I am not here to do vanity projects. For me, it is always about the movie.”
We turn back to Anil, who is today playing the strong, silent type. Is it that simple? If your son is disagreeing with you on a creative element, and you have been in this space, this industry, for a very long while, you are his professional senior, is it easy to have your point of view put aside? “We have major fights. We had a fight last night also... a big fight.”
That wasn’t tough to guess. But there is always a softer tone when Kapoor senior is making his point. “See, obviously, being an insider... I’ve been very... how do I put it, there is a certain way of (pauses) – of always finding a way which is slightly out of the box, but still a little safe. And the fact is that I have more years than he does, he has fewer responsibilities and I have got more responsibilities, so obviously there are times when I make decisions and I react because of the kind of responsibilities and priorities that I am answerable for – and he has fewer, you know, things to be responsible for.”
Harsh doesn’t quite agree. “But I also think that I have lot at stake. Because ultimately, if I make a decision and it doesn’t work out in my favour, I have to bear the consequences. If I decide to go against the grain, and if I really believe in something and I push it and it doesn’t work, ultimately, he’s going to move on, right? He’s gonna have other work. But it’s me, na? I am not trying to self-sabotage and be regretful later. I am just trying to kind of bring to life what I really feel is exciting. So I think everybody has responsibilities and everybody involved has things at stake, and it’s just different, you know?”
‘... BUT I’LL BACK HIM TILL THE END’
Anil has been talking about reinventing himself for a decade or more. Isn’t Harsh, in a way, talking about the same – not wanting to do what is stereotyped?
“Not just the last decade. I have been doing this all my life, my entire 40 years. I would, every once in a while, do what the industry wanted me to do and what was the right thing to do according to what the current market was. And then one project, I would do what I felt like. I always did that. I started my career with Mani Ratnam, Baapu saab and M S Sathyu, and all those kind of films. So it wasn’t difficult for me to reinvent myself, over and over. To a certain extent, I guess somewhere this trait of mine is there in him (laughs).”
Harsh joins back in the conversation. “He balanced that work with very commercial films that made him a household name. But what I’m saying is what if today somebody became a household name by doing something that is not expected? There are so many tags – action or comedy or romantic hero. I don’t want those tags. That’s not who I am, so I won’t be able to sustain it. I won’t be able to be happy. You want to keep doing this for 10/15/20/25 years. I don’t want to have one good weekend or two good weekends, and then be like that’s not who I am, and now they expect this from me, and I am stuck!”
“What I tell him is that take a step, do something which is slightly mainstream,” Anil counters. “Then you will be able to do your kind of films, even more of them. It won’t be so difficult to make your kind of films (as it is right now)...Gaps itne bade nahin honge. Like, for example, he can do more work. He is doing relatively less work now.”
Harsh: But it’s like running a boutique as opposed to a shopping centre.
Anil (patiently): “Don’t become a... (pauses, leaves it unfinished) thoda beech mein aake dekho, then you will be able to do slightly more work, enjoy more work and will spend more time being on set. To a certain extent, jo doosre spaces bhi hain, initially, these studios came and these platforms came, they were still encouraging. Abhi unn pe bhi pressure hai to give results – more subscribers. So they are also, to a certain extent, wanting things which are a little more, you know, simplistic. The pressure is for everybody. I’m moving around and meeting people, so I know. That’s why there’s lesser work (in sticking to specific genres). You can do more work, that’s what I am saying. There are exceptions, lekin India mein waise options kam hain. And that’s why I keep on telling him – thoda aadha raaste aa.. Main toh itna nahi bolta, Sunita bolti hai …”
There’s a small pause before he basically overturns everything he’s said so far, and ends this with a simple “But I’m ready to back him till the end.”
His tastes and social likes and dislikes are very different from mine: Anil on how different he and Harsh are
‘NOT EASY TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS'
Harsh moved out of his parents’ Juhu home one day, a decision about which he informed – rather than consulted – them. It was not the easiest task to convince them. “I started the process of moving out without telling anybody”, he recalls. “I started going and looking for homes because sometimes you have to just do it as opposed to sitting down, having a conversation, getting approval.”
And how did your dad take it? “He was like, why don’t you wait for some more time? But... I just think that tomorrow never comes. Just got to jump into and take a leap, if you feel like. Don’t betray your instincts. Even on a personal note, even though at that time it was hard to imagine, but I think moving out, living by myself, has been better for me, and for them as well, because I feel like they also need the space, they just didn’t want to admit it.”
How does Anil respond to that? “We are happier.”
That’s not what I was expecting. Then he continues. “Yes it was difficult; Sonam got married, she left, then Rhea got married, and she left. Rhea and Harsh going together at the same time – toh uss waqt thoda sa, we felt it’s too…(long pause) difficult. And then, at that time, everybody outside was reacting much more than Sunita and I were reacting. Now, it is like actually, he’s right, we feel we too are happy, I guess. We meet each other, but we also definitely need that space sometimes. It’s a good balance now. Obviously, there’s some worry always because he is living alone. But it’s very close by…”
“I am also not a very outgoing person”, Harsh adds. “I kind of always just like quiet and alone time really. There are people that use their place, maybe, to entertain a lot. I don’t. It was also about having my own space physically, just have some separation, while you’re still living just 25 minutes away.”
Is it slightly difficult for young Indians to sometimes explain to their elders that wanting space is not disrespect? “Absolutely”, says Harsh. “I have a lot of my friends and acquaintances who feel almost trapped in a way where they feel like they want to break out and have a space of their own, but they are not able to have that kind of conversation with their parents because they don’t think that their parents will understand.”
What does he advise them? “It’s like you have one life, and you are going to be young just once, so you have to fight for that. At least for me, I need my space to just think and to exist. I don’t think I would have been able to do the work that I have done if I was still living here (in the parental home), honestly. It pushes you, right? It pushes you to be more responsible for yourself.”
'THE THINK TANK WE HAVE IN OUR FAMILY IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC'
How headstrong were you Anil, at his age? “At his age, I was very naïve, vulnerable, gullible. Main thoda sa bewakoof tha,” Anil smiles. Do you ever wish you could have fought a little bit more like he can fight today? “Yeah, I wish…”
Is that why you sort of back what he fights for, finally, even when you don’t agree with him? “No... ya, of course. At least, he should do what I couldn’t do to a certain extent.”
We see the divergence in cinematic choices, but it is a reflection of father and son being very different personalities, right? “Yes, it's not only cinema. I think his tastes and social likes and dislikes are very different from mine. Except for a few things, which are random… but for most things - like the way he has done his house, his passion for the kind of clothes that he wears, the kind of places that he wants to visit, the kind of friends that he has, the kind of games he likes. Kya kya cheezein hoti hain. I am more external in my emotions, and he is more internal. He might be much more sensible than I am. Mera sensitivity nazar aata hai, iska nazar nahi aata. He might be, andar se, shayad mere se zyada (sensitive) hoga. Mera emotion nazar aa jata hai- ‘kitna achha aadmi hai Anil yaar’ - lekin shayad ye mere se better aadmi hai.”
He's clearly very sentimental about his son. “Aisa nahi hai… every father is.”
Have your parents been indulgent or lenient, we ask Harsh. “In the middle somewhere. Not very strict at all, but not very...”
“I toh have been very lenient,” Anil is emphatic.
Harsh laughs and confirms that. “Yeah, he is very lenient. But also very honestly, I am not into alcohol and I’m not into drugs and I don’t like to party. I don’t like to smoke up. What are my interests - health and fitness, fashion in the last 4-5 years, and always making movies. That’s it. I am not really coming here and saying that let's have a party with 200 people and spend a ridiculous amount of money, buy me a first-class ticket. I barely travel also.”
Last year, in response to a query on whether he would be a doting grandparent, Anil had said, “I don’t know, I was never a doting parent.” But everything that one has seen in this interaction goes against that – he sounds and acts like a very doting parent.
The ostensibly ‘not-doting’ parent takes a moment to think it over. “That’s what my wife also feels, actually. But I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Is this just a demonstration of how Indian fathers find it difficult to be expressive? Is Anil reticent, or, in reverse, very demonstrative about defending Harsh?
“I’m not very physical, and I am not very expressive, even with people or ideas… What I want him to do is to that he should do more, interact more, meet more people… In any case, it is not as if I am his guide. I have gained more from Harsh and Rhea than they have gained from me in my career, in life, in so many things.”
How is that? “In my choice of films, in my thought process – jab kabhi atak jata hoon, I turn to them. I’ll ask Rhea ki yaar, is film ko kaise market karoon? And she’s like - just keep quiet. Baat hi mat karo (laughs)! You know what I'm saying? Things like that. Wherever actors or fashion is concerned or where marketing is concerned. I get different perspectives (from Rhea and Harsh). They bring newcomers to our projects, people I wouldn’t know. Anurag, Vikram (Vikramaditya Motwane) and some other filmmakers that I am working with – they connected to me via my children. The think tank that we have in our family is absolutely terrific.”
I see the same repackaged films, you can replace any actor with anyone-Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
8:20 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 2, 2022)
Since his debut in 2016 with Mirzya, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor has steered away from conventional Bollywood cinema and the typical “hero” image that comes with it. Any regrets? No. In fact, the actor says that with his choice of films, filmmakers can see that he has set out on a different route. After turning producer with his last project, he now wants to try his hand at writing, too. In a chat with BT, Harsh Varrdhan opens up about his new-found love for photography, the joy of becoming a mama soon and his views on the way our cinema is shaping up and more. Read On…
It’s been nearly six years since you set out to carve a different path for yourself in showbiz with your choice of roles and movies, which have been far from typical. Now that we are increasingly seeing actors taking the leap and dabbling in different kinds of films, do you feel a certain sense of validation about the choices you have made so far?
I have always received appreciation for my projects like Mirzya, Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, AK vs AK or Spotlight (Ray) from a certain section of the audience and I am happy about that. I have always been picky and patient. I don’t mind waiting for the right project to come my way. Even for my last release, Thar (which he also produced), I received positive feedback. I got great reviews from the international media as well. There was a lot of positivity on social media too. I couldn’t hope for more. A response like this has certainly been like a validation for me for sure.
With this, one can be sure that the audience is ready for this kind of content. We are in times where you can experiment with content which wasn’t the case 10 years ago. With my choice of projects, filmmakers can see for themselves that I have set out on a different route. There are filmmakers who have appreciated me and my choices. People cannot predict my choices. This is what makes it exciting for me and there is no plan or strategy in that sense.
Currently, we are seeing that it’s mostly commercial films that are ruling the box office. The unconventional movies, the ones made on a smaller scale, are taking the digital route. Don’t you want to surprise your fans by doing heroic things on the big screen where people whistle at your dialogues and dance on your songs in theatres?
First of all, I don’t think I have any fans. I have a certain section of audience who has liked my work and my choice of cinema. They would be disappointed if I do the typical commercial films. These are the people who count on me for not doing the typical stuff and giving them a different kind of an experience with my projects. Obviously, that audience might not be even 5 or 10 per cent of the fan-following that a huge star in our country enjoys. Whatever it is, I want to keep the trust and loyalty of that audience. In the end, I want to do my kind of cinema whether it releases on OTT or in theatre, that doesn’t matter.
Recently, in an interview, Varun Dhawan said that you are the one that started a parallel cinema movement, and he immediately got trolled for his statement on social media. What was your reaction to that?
These days people just take off on the internet as they don’t have anything to do besides making fun of famous people. They don’t know how humorous Varun Dhawan as a person is. His humour is very tongue-in-cheek. I am sure he meant that I have been doing off-beat, alternative films. He just framed his statement the way he did, and then you have these people sitting there on social media to pull you down. For someone who has been in the industry much longer than I have, it was very encouraging of him to say that. His words have been very reassuring. Once again, let me put it out straight, I don’t think what I do is parallel cinema. I think I do very normal films. It is just that my movies are a little different compared to the typical Bollywood masala format. That doesn’t mean they are parallel films, but are just regular films that anybody can watch and understand.
Going by your posts online, you seem to have been exploring photography as a hobby. Is that how you relax and unwind?
These days I have taken to photography using a film camera. The last few pictures I posted on social media were clicked using a film camera. You load a roll, do the settings, make sure the light is right, shoot and then develop the roll before you get to see the final picture. It isn’t instant like the digital camera we use these days. I find this process very beautiful. I began exploring this after Rohan Mehra (actor, son of Vinod Mehra) gifted it to me a couple of months ago. Likewise, recently my family got me a film camera from Germany, too. While that works as a way to relax and unwind, I also like to put on music and go for walks around my house in Mumbai. I like to lift weights, travel and watch a lot of movies. I play sports like football and cricket. I love playing both the games, but I don’t as I am scared if I get injured, it will result in my work schedule going haywire.
You turned producer with your last film on OTT, are you going to back more projects? Would you also like to explore writing?
Honestly, I don’t know what’s the next thing I am going to produce. In the near future, I see myself only taking up projects strictly as an actor. Oh yes, at some point, I would definitely like to write something for myself. It is on my career’s to-do list for sure. I do write a lot. In fact, I went to college to be a writer.
You are going to be a mama soon with your sister Sonam expecting her first baby. Are you excited about it? Are you good at handling kids?
Yes, I am excited. Let’s just hope that the delivery is normal and Sonam is okay. Honestly speaking, I am not good with kids. It is a new experience for all of us. So, let’s see how it goes.
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Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 2, 2022)
While his father, actor Anil Kapoor, and sister, Sonam K Ahuja, are mainstream film actors, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor chose to not take the same path. The actor has been doing unconventional projects and is proud of the way his career has shaped up so far. “I see the same repackaged, rehashed version of most films. I find them really boring and feel all actors are interchangeable in that format (mainstream cinema). There is no novelty to any of it. It’s a cycle of the same thing, with a couple of alterations here and there,” says the 31-year-old, who was last seen in the film, Thar.
Harsh says there is no dearth of good content, but such subjects either get stalled or go to the “bigger stars”. The actor explains, “Sometimes, such films (movies with unconventional storylines) don’t even get shot. Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018) and Thar are the kind of films that make very little compromise in terms of creativity. That’s why they stand out.”
Since he is particular about the kind of projects he signs, the actor, who began his career with director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya (2016), has only done a handful of films so far. “I am not the kind of actor who has to do back-to-back projects. It takes time for all my films, because they are not typical Bollywood films,” he ends.
There’s nobody who’s anybody’s fan in our house-Anil Kapoor
8:24 AM
Anil Kapoor and Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor get candid about their dynamics as co-actors and their father-son equation
Monika Rawal Kukreja (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 24, 2022)
It’s not everyday you have this father-son duo talk about their equation as co-actors, and the bond they share off camera. As Anil Kapoor and Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor gear up to share the screen again in the Netflix film Thar, two years since their first onscreen outing together in AK vs AK, they get candid about collaborating with a family member and if at all it changes anything on set. Excerpts:
When family members come together for a film, there’s always more buzz. As actors, what changes for you?
ANIL: What really excited me about being part of Thar is that we’re not playing father and son. We play characters. With Sonam (Kapoor Ahuja; actor-daughter), in The Zoya Factor and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019), I was playing her father. If given a choice, I’d rather do a film [with my kids] where we’re actually strangers.
HARSH: When you do maybe a more star-driven film, then you’re a little more conscious. But Thar is a character-driven film, so you just kind of try and submit to the world you are a part of.
What is it like to be superstar Anil Kapoor’s son on a film set? Do directors treat you any differently?
HARSH: The directors I’ve worked with — Vikramaditya Motwane, Vasan Bala and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra — couldn’t care less. They’re not starstruck in any way; they’re focused and proud of their work. I’ve not been in any starry-kind of films, so I don’t really feel like I’ve been treated differently. I’ve just been like any other actor on set.
What advice did you give to Harsh and Sonam early on in their acting careers?
ANIL: You would be surprised, but I don’t give much advice to my kids. I just let them be. All the films that Harsh and Sonam have done so far, they have got them on their own. I had no contribution. I am not one of those fathers who sits down with a stick and gives gyaan. In fact, the whole family is very independent and has their own point of view and tastes in food, films, clothes, and aesthetics. There’s nobody who’s anybody’s fan in our house.
For Thar, Harsh came on board first and convinced you to join the cast. What was this process like?
ANIL: For me, it’s always a combination of who I’m working with, who the director is, and, of course, the material has to be good. Somewhere, I think, through Harsh, I’m getting an opportunity to work with the younger filmmakers and let them navigate me.
HARSH: For quite a long time, I’ve been working with director Raj Singh Chaudhary, to make sure that this happens. I came on board in 2018, then we got dad towards the end of 2019. We shot it last year and now it is set for release.
How do the dynamics change when you’re also producing the project?
HARSH: There’s definitely more responsibility to ensure things are how we dream them to be. There’s no room for complacency or wasting time because time is money, especially on a film set.
ANIL: When I’m on the set, I’m not a producer, I’m just an actor. Also, I’m not a very intrusive or confrontational person.
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Sonam will make a passionate and a perfect mum, says father Anil Kapoor
I was very emotional on hearing the news [of Sonam’s pregnancy]. She’s a perfectionist in whatever she does. I’m sure she’d be a perfect mother, too. The way she has been, she has taken the aesthetics from her mother, grandmother, and her maasi (Kaveeta Bhambhani Singh), who’s an interior designer. So, all the women in the house had that [good taste]. And they’ve all been great mothers, wives, and homemakers, and Sonam will also be like that. Even professionally, all of them have worked all their lives. Sonam also loves working. She’s a very passionate actor, wife and daughter, and would be a passionate mother now. She’s very generous and very giving. People just love her. She hasn’t had a [film] release for quite some time, but I’m sure she’s going to do even better films after she delivers and gets back to work. She’s looking forward to getting back to work soon.
For Hrithik Roshan to take out time, get my number and text me was incredible-Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
8:09 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 5, 2021)
Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor’s slow, but steady approach towards his career seems to be garnering him a lot of support, both from within, and outside the film industry.
Last seen in the web anthology Ray, he reveals the response has been “overwhelming”. “I always knew that Spotlight (a segment in the four-part anthology) was an offbeat film, compared to what I’ve done so far in my short stint. It was the most progressive of the lot. I loved it, but was unsure how people would respond. I expected it to be polarising, but didn’t expect it to be liked so much,” he says.
In fact, Kapoor found an admirer in actor Hrithik Roshan and shares the words of appreciation that he received from him. “I was up early morning, shooting for my upcoming film, when Hrithik messaged, ‘Hey Harsh, is this your number?’ Then he said, ‘I watched Spotlight and thought the film was terrific. Keep doing what you’re doing, it’s the right way. It’s not stereotypical, which audiences are used to, which is why it’ll pay off in the long term’. That’s something I’ve always believed in as well,” shares Kapoor, who feels it was a nice and thoughtful gesture on part of Roshan, which he’ll always treasure in his heart.
“For him to actually take out time, get my number and text me — that was something incredible. A lot of other people... Nandita Das, Ram Madhvani, Sujoy Ghosh, Anurag Kashyap have all reached out. It has been amazing and I’m grateful for it,” he says.
The actor shares that his choice of projects has got to do with the kind of person he is, and he actually listens to the “voice inside” him carefully.
“We are artistes, our confidence does fluctuate, we can feel on top of the world... and then there are days you feel the opposite of that. Within those ups and downs is the unwavering belief in myself, and the path I’ve chosen. I enjoy that challenge,” Kapoor concludes.
I am on a bit of a different journey and I don’t expect mainstream media to understand this-Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
8:02 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 1, 2021)
His first two films, Mirziya (2016) and Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018), didn’t work at the box office. However, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor did win appreciation for his second outing. Five years since his debut, the actor is already exploring the cinema space with an interesting mix of content on OTT platforms, and he is revelling in that. In a conversation with BT, he talks about his unconventional career choices, the kind of cinema he wants to be associated with and working with his famous father, Anil Kapoor. Read on…
The two lockdowns during the pandemic slowed down the pace of work in the industry. How did you stay busy during this time?
Throughout last year, I was actually quite busy. One of my digital projects that featured me with my dad was released, then I prepped and shot for a Vasan Bala directorial and another film that features me with my father again. It was only for a couple of months that I wasn’t working. Otherwise, I have been busier in times of the pandemic (laughs!).
Your debut film Mirzya didn’t do well at the box office, and though you were praised for your performance in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, the film was unable to bring in the numbers. How did you deal with that?
I think Bhavesh Joshi Superhero is one of the most underrated films in the last few years. But I think it has found its audience, and I have even been getting requests on social media to do a sequel. When it comes to the box office numbers, I have never really been obsessed with them. It is something that doesn’t really reflect the quality of the film, but the consumer’s desire to consume the movie. So, you might be excited to go and watch the film, and once you see it, you realise it was a disaster. I have realised that the way I look at things is probably a bit different. For me, Mirzya is an art-house film, which also happened to be my Bollywood launchpad. It was never supposed to be a mainstream film. However, since Anil Kapoor’s son was making his debut and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra was directing it, people expected it to set the box office on fire.
Did this lead to a change in the way you picked your forthcoming projects?
Mirzya was an abstract musical. In the end, it was not a conventional film, so it cannot or is unlikely to get conventional results. I think it is my responsibility as a young actor to try different things. I am not here to repackage and rehash ideas.
I don’t want to be a typical Bollywood hero. I will not pick up films only to move ahead. If I do a mainstream film, it will be by accident and not by choice. I am trying to chase excellence. If I do a film that ends up reaching a larger audience, I will be very happy. I would have done it organically then, instead of following a strategic master plan of becoming a star. The viewers, who are intelligent to understand my choices, loved me and my work. I am on a bit of a different journey and I don’t expect mainstream media to understand this. People are obsessed with the box office performance of a film, and it puts out a wrong message. This trend basically makes it harder for me to make the choices that I make. I find it a bit hypocritical and contradictory as there are people who say, ‘All you actors are doing the same films’, and then you have someone doing something different and all you can talk about is the box office numbers! I don’t get that. One cannot neglect the fact that the whole world has changed in the last 18 months, and as you see the box office is no longer as relevant. I must say things have kind of worked out in my favour in that sense.
You will once again be sharing screen space with your father in your next web project. Does acting alongside your father, a senior actor, intimidate you?
I don’t feel intimidated when I work with my dad. I just do my own preparation, and he does his. Then we see each other on set and do a scene just like other actors working on a project and that’s about it.
You say your choice of cinema is different. Your father has often mentioned in his interviews that you grew up watching a different kind of cinema, too. What kind of films have influenced you?
I grew up watching world cinema. I also enjoy watching arty movies. I like the kind of films that are screened at film festivals. I have consumed a lot of Bollywood films like Udaan, Rang De Basanti, too. I like the works of filmmakers like Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Anurag Kashyap, with who I ended up working. I also like Vishal Bhardwaj’s work.
My first shot was for a polo sequence. I was on a horse and hitting the balls, it was exhilarating-Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
8:17 AM
As told to Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 3, 2020)
When it’s a Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra film which launches Anil Kapoor’s son, you expect a mainstream debut. But that wasn’t the case with Mirzya.
I was in college when I met Rakeysh sir on the sets of Delhi-6, featuring my sister Sonam (Kapoor) in the lead. He thought I was good-looking and offered me the role of a crazy young lover. The film was written by Gulzar, with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy doing the music. At that time, I wasn’t experienced enough as an actor to take on that role, so I turned it down. But after that, I trained in acting abroad, came back home and auditioned for Bhavesh Joshi Superhero in 2012. Vikram (director Vikramaditya Motwane) thought I was too young and raw for the character, and I lost the film.
In 2013, Rakeysh sir was editing Bhaag Milkha Bhaag when I went to meet him again. He was still passionate about this film about the crazy lover and this time, I said “yes”.
For the prep, I had to shift to Delhi for a year-and-a-half. Six days a week, I would wake up in the morning and ride horses. The same routine would continue in the evening. Before that, I had never even sat on a horse. I also learned archery, followed by archery on horseback, and how to play polo. By the end of it, I had become a very competent rider and archer. An acting coach came from New York to work with me. My character was very quiet as the film was all about silences, music and visuals, which was a very different way of story-telling.
The first day on the set of Mirzya was nerve-wracking, but after a couple of hours, I got comfortable. That security came from my prep; you know in between action and cut, you will be okay. I ended up enjoying the process of creating something.
My first shot was for a polo sequence. I was on a horse and hitting the balls, it was exhilarating because I had an iconic filmmaker behind me. Since it wasn’t a performance shot, it took just two or three takes to get okayed. The making of the film was unbelievable and it will be difficult to top the experience.
There were a lot of people who didn’t find the film appealing, but it will always be my most creative experience, which also got me my second film. Vikram saw some rushes from Mirzya and signed me for Bhavesh Joshi. I really wanted Bhavesh Joshi to be my first film, but the stars aligned in a way that I got to do both.
OTT release is like playing at the World Cup as opposed to playing at Ranji Trophy-Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
8:45 AM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 3, 2020)
Amid the ongoing crisis, OTT platforms have seemingly become the preferred place for producers to release their finished projects. And actor Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor isn’t surprised by the rise in the number of films opting for a digital route. “Good that it’s happening; now it’s all about what people are saying about the film. Box office is no longer that much of a benchmark. It’s not that a film made so much money so it must be good. It’s a different way of judging now,” he says.
Looking at the brighter side of the situation, Kapoor, 29, feels that getting an OTT release means one is on the world stage and competing with content all over the world. “It’s like playing at the World Cup as opposed to playing at Ranji Trophy... I want people from all over the world to be able to watch my work,” he explains, adding that he doesn’t think his films must release in a theatre. “The films I like to do, my sensibilities are a little bit offbeat. So, I don’t have that obsession that my films have to release in a theatre, that my film has to make this much money and sell this many tickets,” adds the actor, who was doing a lot on OTT platforms even before the lockdown.
Talking about how his 2018 film Bhavesh Joshi Superhero got a new lease of life when it landed on an OTT platform, Kapoor says that the quality of a film is reflected in how long people talk about it after its release. “It’s all about the longevity of the film and how deeply it affected them. If 10 lakh people watched Bhavesh Joshi..., then at least seven lakh were affected by it to the point that they keep asking for a sequel... No one remembers the weekend collection,” he asserts.
Abhinav Bindra biopic will be a game changer-Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
8:01 AM
Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor on plans to reach a wider audience
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 10, 2020)
Through the 75 days of the Coronavirus lockdown, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor has been determined to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But the actor’s heart goes out to those who are suffering. “It makes you feel helpless. There’s only so much charity you can do. It’s difficult to see a better future right now, but things will turn around,” he says, adding that the confinement has also made it difficult for him to practice photography.
Harsh, who debuted with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Mirzya in 2016, has since appeared in only one other film — Bhavesh Joshi Superhero. But that doesn’t bother him. “I didn’t become an actor to be India’s biggest star. I knew that my path would be different from others. Besides, I am still in my 20s; I have time.”
Unlike his peers, Harsh has refrained from socialising much. “I can’t pretend to be someone I am not. The world today is full of fake people, so it’s my responsibility to be myself. My relevance will build over time, with my filmography. I don’t have to be constantly papped or make online videos for that. No amount of money, fame or validation can make me compromise on my individuality,” he asserts.
The Vikramaditya Motwane directed Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, which released two years ago, failed commercially, but has found acceptance online. “There wasn’t an appetite for the film when it released. The media and the industry didn’t support us as well. Many films get their due later on; it has happened often in my father’s (Anil Kapoor) career too,” he argues, adding, “When you call a film Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, people expect something like Krrish, not a two-and-a-half-hour story of a common man. When it released, I had said that I couldn’t wait for it to come online.”
Owing to its second lease of life, there are queries about a sequel. “We had planned to make more than one film, but then it didn’t make money. With the film receiving so much love now, Vikram might want to revisit it in the future. The fans deserve a sequel,” Harsh says. The actor has multiple digital projects lined up. “I am doing a period thriller set in Rajasthan, written by Anurag Kashyap, and have a small part in AK vs AK, alongside my father,” he informs. So, how was it acting with him? “I was so into my zone during the scene; I didn’t see my father but just another co-actor,” he reminisces.
Harsh’s next big screen project is the Abhinav Bindra biopic, in which he plays the titular character and shares screen with Anil. “The film is still being scripted, and the prep was to begin by the year-end, with the shoot starting next year. It’s nowhere close to the stage for me to start the prep. Right now, my focus is mainly on talking to my writer and director to understand their vision,” he shares.
The future seems uncertain to him but Harsh has high hopes from the project. “I haven’t been able to reach the conventional Hindi film audience yet, but this film will be a game-changer. It is a universal story of a man who got the first individual Olympic gold for India,” he points out.
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