Showing posts with label Ishaqzaade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ishaqzaade. Show all posts
In 90% of our commercial cinema, the depiction of fully developed female characters is lacking-Leena Yadav
9:03 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; March 10, 2024)
Leena Yadav, who directed the 2015 drama Parched – the film revolves around three women living in seclusion in their village, who decide to take charge of their lives – tells us that depiction of female desire on screen has increased, which is a step forward because it sparks conversation.
She says, “Female desire is shown from a lot of perspectives, and many of them are not to my liking, but it's fine as long as it's there (on screen) and there is a conversation about it. I think we still have a long way to go. We need to normalize depiction of the female desire. It is still the case that one film on such a subject will come out, there will be some conversation around it, and then no other project on similar lines will follow. In a love story or any portrayal of a relationship, a depiction of a woman’s needs should be normalized. It should be the most normal thing to explore, like we have been exploring the male desire for years and years.”
She adds, “Actors should not have a problem with portraying female desires on screen, but they do, which is fine. After one gets past that, there is society. The societal framework is important to navigate. I remember some sex scenes from Parched were leaked online. That is how suppressed and starved we are for sexuality as a society. At that time, there was another (short) film that Anurag Kashyap had done with Radhika Apte; those scenes were also leaked. I think there needs to be a change at the societal level. Just putting some content out is not enough. We have to create enough awareness and normalize it in society to really progress further."
Addressing the same depravity in society, when Radhika Apte’s scenes had leaked from the Anurag Kashyap short, the director had said, “You try to take a step forward as a filmmaker, they take you five steps back."
‘Depiction of female desire should be normalized; we’ve been exploring male desire for years’
'There are even a few films that pose as feminist films but actually are a male fantasy of feminism'
Leena Yadav says, “To be honest, the depiction of sexuality on screen is a distant goal right now. I am appalled at the content now, where one sees such underdeveloped female characters, at times. If the conversation has progressed to discussing sexuality, let’s at least see female characters being portrayed properly. But we still come across sloppy writing of female characters. Within the setup of any blockbuster, there’s nothing preventing filmmakers from better defining the female characters – it wouldn’t make the film less commercial. But, in 90% of our commercial cinema, the depiction of fully developed female characters is lacking. Therefore, a decent portrayal of female sexuality remains a distant destination."
She adds, "We have to create enough awareness about the female desires and normalize it in society to progress further.”
Kausar Munir, lyricist who has written songs like Doobe Doobe for Gehraiyaan and Main Pareshaan for Ishaqzaade says, "When one thinks of songs portraying female desires in films, the first song that comes to mind is 'Na jao saiyaan' from Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam which had pathos, longing, and oppression, capturing the beauty of the scene. But that song was more about a woman who is wronged and oppressed. Many of Gulzar Saheb's songs, such as 'Aaj kal paon zameen par nahi parte mere,' when looked at from a woman's perspective, are songs about female desire. In fact, 'mera kuch samaan' is tinged with longing, desire, and loss. Gulzar saheb comes out as a champion of (writing) female desires in songs. Even a song like Kajra Re, which is kind of a club song with the line 'aankhein bhi kamaal karti hain, personal se sawaal karti hain', is the ultimate flirtatious line, layered with context where she is asking -'what's next? where do you want to take it now?' Many of Kaifi Azmi's songs have also expressed female desire. One of the best songs on female desires is Jaan Nisar Akhtar's 'Ae-dil-e-nadaan,' with the second line 'Aarzoo Kya Hai, Zustajoo Kya Hai,' beautifully depicts desire."
She adds, "When people, and by people I mean mostly men, think of an item song, it's often very different from what female desire actually encompasses—it's much more varied."
Talking about her songs, she says,"'Gehraiyaan' is particularly fascinating; it goes into forbidden desires. But it is for both men and women. I was asked to capture the film's essence in the song. I coined the word 'besafar' for the song, which many people thought was an actual word. Similarly, I created the word 'Ishaqzaade,' which, in fact, is not a real word. Reflecting on it now, 'Main Pareshaan Pareshan Pareshan' from Ishaqzaade is also about female desire. What else would she be pareshaan about?"
I plan to be in films for 100 more years-Arjun Kapoor
8:22 AM
Harshada Rege (BOMBAY TIMES; November 29, 2022)
While Arjun Kapoor grew up watching his chachu Anil Kapoor’s masala Bollywood films like Mr India and Ram Lakhan, being an actor wasn’t on his radar. He knew that he would be associated with filmmaking but probably as a producer like his parents, Boney and Mona Kapoor. However, as fate would have it, he got an opportunity to stand in front of the camera. He made his Bollywood debut with Ishaqzaade in 2012. His decade-long journey in the industry has been a roller-coaster ride of sorts, with the actor seeing his share of box office success and failure.
Arjun says, “I feel ten years have passed by quickly, but at the same time, it’s been really slow. I’ve done a lot of work. I’ve learnt a lot of things, which I also need to forget from time to time. Sometimes you tend to overlearn, and you are over observed. The most important part is to be prepared and then let go. You need to find that thin line, where you need to follow your impulses and also try and get back to your roots – where I was in 2010-2011.”
Reflecting on the circle of success and failure, which is a constant for most actors, he shares, “It’s important to be cognizant of the situation but also be fearless to take a decision. And don’t be scared of failure. I think I would get very scared when I failed earlier on.”
Arjun adds, “I didn’t enjoy my success enough because I was always thinking of the next step. Just live in the moment and enjoy what you have. You have to be happy about the work that you are getting and learn from your failures. You have to accept that failure will happen to the best of people and also learn that you’re allowed to be happy for your success. You can’t please everyone, but you need to be as happy as possible. It’s a very fickle place and things change every Friday.”
Over the years, Arjun has learnt to enjoy the highs and navigate the lows. He says, “I have seen the highs and lows, I’ve seen stability and the chaos. I think the biggest learning is to just enjoy the moment and be. Ten years have flown by, and I’m still here, aren’t I? I plan to be here for another 100. So, you just have to sometimes live in the present rather than think about the future and worry about what you did in the past. I think I am just learning to be.”
For Beqaaboo in Gehraiyaan, I didn’t know that it would be picturized on Deepika Padukone-Shalmali Kholgade
8:18 AM
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 2, 2022)
Shalmali Kholgade may have built a discography of hits — Balam Pichkari (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani; 2013), Lat Lag Gayee (Race 2; 2013) and Kheench Te Nach (Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui; 2021), but the singer reveals that she does not really get choice of taking up songs in films. “As far as Bollywood is concerned, singers don’t choose the songs,” she says.
Elaborating, she adds, “We can turn down a song if we are not comfortable with the lyrics, but we can’t equate it to actors choosing to take up a role. When you get the call to sing a song for a film, you have to understand what the film and music is saying to you.”
Kholgade also adds that, more often than not, singers nowadays don’t even know who they are singing playback for. “For Beqaaboo (Gehraiyaan), I knew nothing about who is going to be in the song. I didn’t know that it would be picturized on actor Deepika Padukone. I just knew that I needed to have fun and sound sexy. For this song, I didn’t have to ask where it is going to be placed or who is going to be a part of it,” she reveals.
However, the singer says that for some tracks, it helps to know who the song would be picturised on. “For a more deeper song, you need to ask what is the context, who is going to be there, etc. For me, songs like Pareshaan (Ishaqzaade; 2012) or Tera Naam Doon (Entertainment; 2014), I had to be told why I had to sing a certain way, but a song like Lat Lag Gayee or Balam Pichkari, it is pretty much about me having fun,” she ends.
Choosing vulnerable characters is embedded in my personality-Arjun Kapoor
8:07 AM
Harshada Rege (BOMBAY TIMES; September 29, 2021)
Right from his first film Ishaqzaade, Arjun Kapoor has always had the image of a macho hero attached to him. However, he tells us that characters with shades of vulnerability draw him. Be it his role in 2 States, that saw him playing a leading man, who is openly devastated post his breakup, or his role as a househusband in Ki & Ka, the actor hasn’t shied away from playing characters that don’t hide their emotions.
Ask Arjun whether these choices are a reflection of his thoughts and experiences derived from his personal life, and he says, “The selection of going against patriarchy or norms is one aspect of it, while the vulnerability is another aspect, and both are subconscious because both are somewhere embedded within my system and personality. However, at the end of the day, Ki & Ka was a known selection of something that you know will make people question certain things, while something like Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar was more about the friction between the social and economic divide, and then there’s a layer of patriarchy and various other aspects.”
The actor feels that his image is largely due to his physicality. “I have never really thought about the macho image because that’s inherently come to me from my first film, it’s not something I have worked towards,”
he says, adding, “For that, I think the physicality helps along with the kind of films I was offered earlier in my career.”
Be it Ishaqzaade, Gunday or Tevar, Arjun has played the typical Bollywood hero, who throws punches and knocks out a bunch of goons within no time. This perhaps was the sort of mainstream hero he had grown up watching in Hindi films. “I built a body of work where I look like I can play that macho, mainstream hero. But there’s also a film like 2 States, which is possibly a nice example of an introverted person who is resilient enough to stay with his mother, and at the same time, has a strong reaction when he has to man up and protect her.”
Reflecting on his choices so far, he adds, “It’s interesting to realise that I have been selecting these parts, but it’s not always been a very conscious endeavour…. barring Ki & Ka, in which the whole structure around it was to create shock value.”
When Pareshaan came out, my friends from college said, ‘that’s not you!’-Shalmali Kholgade
8:09 AM
Despite a shining Bollywood playback career, Shalmali Kholgade has gone back to her college dream of being an English independent music singer-songwriter. Her debut album with producer Sunny M R is unabashedly 'Amy Whinehouse' and could be the gamble that was worth taking
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; May 2, 2021)
It was in 2012 that singer Shalmali Kholgade burst on the scene with the stunning Pareshaan from Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra’s debut film Ishaqzaade. Ever since, it’s been one Bollywood hit after another—her strong voice shining through in Balam Pichkari (2013) and Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai (2016) among other masala numbers. So when we put our headphones on and pressed play on her indie English album, 2X Side A, we didn’t really know what to expect.
A friend, who had seen Kholgade perform at festivals while she was a student at St Xavier’s in Mumbai, offered this perspective—“she has gone back to what she had started out with and it’s so good to hear”.
When we share this with Kholgade on a Zoom call, the 31-year-old singer laughs. “Yes, exactly. This is what I always wanted to do. When Pareshaan came out, my friends from college said, ‘that’s not you!’ This is what I have always wanted to be—a singer-songwriter.”
If the album is anything to go by, Kholgade has crossed over into another realm. Produced by composer and sound engineer Sunny M R, who has composed for many a Telugu movie, and worked as sound designer for Race 2 and Barfi!, the album has an R&B vibe that’s mellow but distinct. When you hear Kholgade’s smooth, yet strong vocals, you may not associate her with the Bollywood songs she has rendered. It’s also been mixed and mastered by Stuart Hawkes, who mixed late British singer, Amy Winehouse’s record-breaking album, Back to Black. The work put in shows, and shines.
“I had started writing the music and lyrics four years ago, when I was at Berkeley, where my instructors told me I had a Soul style of writing. I had even sent Sunny a recorded voice note of the song, Uncool, and he said, let’s do it. And then last October, we got into a studio. It was Sunny who gave it this shape,” she says.
Sunny M R, who loves John Mayer’s musical styling, has a candid take on it all. “We got Staurt to mix the album, because we wanted that Amy Winehouse feel. I think music these days is an amalgamation of all the music we have heard in our lifetime, and there is nothing that’s not really influenced by something.”
At this point Kholgade says, “Yes, I am so glad that he has said that. When I was writing the songs, I had that Winehouse treatment going on in my head.”
When it comes to the lyrics, Kholgade is honest that most songs, like the soulful Love You Double, were inspired by herself and her feelings about love. “I wrote Love You Double after a fight. I felt I had done something wrong, so I said I would love you double [to make up]. Most of these songs are about me—I don’t know how long I will be able to sustain this kind of writing, though,” she laughs.
As far as the business of music goes, both are aware that the market for English independent music in India is limited. But they hope to stay committed to doing what they love. “This is me, and I want to continue doing this. The best thing Bollywood taught me was how to be behind the mic. I am just so happy being here. And it may be at a nascent stage, but I think it will grow. It will for sure,” says Kholgade. “There is a certain kind of freedom in doing this. With music for any film industry, there are constraints you grapple with. But here, there is creative freedom,” adds Sunny M R.
They both are waiting for the release of the second part of the same album, Side B. It will also have six songs, though different in vibe and feel. “They will be less about heartbreak, and more about moving on,” he says.
Arjun Kapoor was my first friend in the industry, and will always be special-Parineeti Chopra
8:33 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (August 3, 2020)
Though Parineeti Chopra’s first film was Ladies vs Ricky Bahl (2011), it was Ishaqzaade (2012) — in which Arjun Kapoor made his debut — that cemented her place in Bollywood. In an industry where people move on quickly after working with each other and find little time to keep in touch, the two actors have remained great buddies all these years. Yesterday, we all celebrated Friendship Day, however, there are many like Arjun and Parineeti, who don’t really feel the need to be constantly in touch to strengthen their friendship. In a recent chat with BT, talking about the unique bond they share, Parineeti said, “Arjun was my first friend in the industry. During the making of Ishaqzaade, I went through a very vulnerable time, and he was going through something very big in his personal life, too.”
It was during the making of the film that Parineeti had her first taste of stardom. She shares, “Ladies vs Ricky Bahl released when I was shooting Ishaqzaade. Overnight, I got success and became whoever I went on to become. I experienced that phase with the crew of Ishaqzaade, so they will always be special for me.” Besides Ishaqzaade, Arjun and Parineeti have also shared screen space in Namaste England (2018) and an upcoming film.
While their shooting schedules and the frantic pace of life doesn’t allow them to meet up often, Parineeti says that her equation with Arjun remains unchanged. “We probably may not end up speaking to each other for three months, and then, I’ll call him one day, and we just start from where we left. It really shows that nothing has changed between us. We’ve done three different films together, and our friendship has only grown. We, too, have grown up as people. I think he’s grown up a lot, and I’ve grown up, too, at least, he tells me that all the time,” she shares.
Talking about their journey in showbiz, the actress says, “Arjun has actually seen me as the child that I was back then. So, he will always be special, and I am very protective of him. Nobody can dare say anything against him around me. There is absolutely no formality between us. I don’t talk to him like a co-star, I talk to him like a friend and so does he. He can easily come and say, ‘Yeh mat karo tum, yeh bakwaas hai’, and I can do the same with him. We can have arguments, and we can say anything to each other, and that’s what real friendship is all about.”
I think I can easily write a book on my experiences, which were quite a roller coaster ride-Arjun Kapoor
8:02 AM
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 12, 2020)
Since his debut with Ishaqzaade in 2012, actor Arjun Kapoor is set to complete eight years in Bollywood this year. And evidently, it has been one roller-coaster ride — professionally and personally. The actor readily admits that “a lot has transpired in the last seven to eight years”.
“I think I have changed. Even my outlook (towards life) has changed. I have seen quite a few things in these seven to eight years. Now, I think I can easily write a book on these experiences, which were quite a roller coaster (ride). The priorities as well as the understanding of life have changed. Now, the blacks and whites have become greys,” says the 34-year-old.
The 2 States (2014) actor quips that initially, “life was all about work” but “now, it’s a bit more about finding the balance”. He says, “Earlier, it was all about doing what you wanted. But now you have to look at the bigger picture. All said and done, I’d like to say the core values remain the same.”
However, that doesn’t mean Kapoor dislikes change. After delving into the historical space with Panipat last year, he is now poised to enter a “lighter” world, thanks to Nikkhil Advani-Kaashvie Nair’s yet-untitled next. “Kaashvie is my first female director and I am very excited. It is a nice, full-on happy family comedy,” says the actor, who will be playing a Sikh character again, after Mubarakan (2017).
“But the film, on its own, is not in the Mubarakan space of comedy. This is more like a slice-of-life drama, which is in a very feel-good, warm space, akin to something like Kapoor & Sons (2016) and Badhaai Ho (2018). I play a sardar who comes back home from America, and (the plot revolves around) what all happens,” he says.
Also, Kapoor is set to work on the Hindi adaptation of the Tamil film Comali (2019). “Yes, that is something we have acquired and are working on. But it’s still getting written as of now. When we get closer to making it, we will figure who the director will be. There are no concrete dates yet,” says the actor, who also has Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar coming up for release.
The big screen gives us an illusion of fitness and what we should look like-Arjun Kapoor
8:24 AM
The actor talks about fitness, fat shaming and why it’s important to have a positive body image
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 25, 2019)
Arjun Kapoor, who is working hard on his physique for the upcoming film Panipat, had recently shared his thoughts about his struggle with obesity on social media. He tweeted, “It’s been a tough journey for me ever since I was a kid when it comes to my battle with obesity. Everyone has their own struggles. I have had and continue to have mine. But the whole point of life is that we fall, we get back up and try again... efforts will pay off eventually, if not today then in a week month or even a year (sic)...”In a chat with BT a while ago, the actor shared his thoughts on his fight to fitness and the constant pressure celebrities face to look good.
“As far as trolling me for my weight is concerned, anyone who has been through a journey of weight loss, weight gain and health issues will know how hard it is. Millions of people go through this every single day. It’s just that we are in the public space. The big screen gives you an illusion of fitness and what the world should be like, as everyone looks like models on screen. But that is not real beyond a point. A lot of effort, money and time go into looking that way. It’s important to be healthy. If you can’t encourage and be supportive, you have no right to put people down for trying to be better healthwise, forget aesthetic-wise. Iski shakl aisi hai, height waisi hai, patla hai, mota hai... tum apne aap ko dekh lo yaar,” he said.
Many of Arjun’s colleagues, including Hrithik Roshan, Varun Dhawan and Tiger Shroff, sport six-pack abs — the supposed benchmark of a great body, as far as a man is concerned. When asked about the inevitable comparison, Arjun explained, “No matter how good your body is, it all boils down to whether your films are working or not. Hrithik Roshan is successful for his performance on screen, not for the abs he has. I feel that Tiger is liked more for his vulnerability and action skills. He seems like a man, who will go all out to protect his woman, and he is brilliant at action and dancing. Varun is a fantastic entertainer. As an actor, you need to work towards such achievements, instead of solely looking at your body type. I don’t think that the audience is so silly ke jiski body achchi hai usiki picture chalti hai. I showed my abs in Ishaqzaade (2012), but it doesn’t mean that the film worked because of my abs. It worked because it was a good film. I agree that you should always aspire to look your best, and I try to do that every day. If I have to, I will work towards building my body for a certain film, but I don’t ever feel ki main alag hoon, mera kya hoga? There’s a place for everybody. Today, if you ask me to take my shirt off and stand in front of the camera, I will do that. I have no qualms about how I look. I know that I look fine. But if I compare myself to Tiger, well, 99% of people won’t look good in front of him as far as their body is concerned. That can’t be my yardstick. He is special and we appreciate that.”
When pointed out that actors face immense pressure to look good all the time, and a lot of that stems from what transpires on social media, Arjun reasoned, “Social media is the place where actors want to look a certain way. Today, films have gone beyond looks, you no longer see boys wearing leather jackets and riding bikes on screen. Your personal life, social media, and other events... that’s your chance to dress up and have fun. Many of us don’t take it so seriously; there’s no pressure, it is something that you enjoy as a celebrity. We have created these monsters like... the airport look, travel style and gym look. We want that part of our lives to be highlighted because that’s a part of our image, PR and branding. Films do not need you to look a certain way anymore. Look at some examples in the last 10-15 years. I am one of them. I am not conventional. I am not a clean shaven gora chitta guy next door who is doing romcoms. There’s a distinction. When you are playing a role in a film, you can’t worry about how you are looking. You have to go and play the character the way he is supposed to be. But in your personal life, you can play it up or keep it simple. It is your choice.”
Intelligence officers behave as if they are doing a 9 am to 5 pm job and are not out to save the country-Arjun Kapoor
8:13 AM
As told to Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 13, 2019)
Prepping for a film is not just about physical training, it’s about mental conditioning as well. In my upcoming thriller, India’s Most Wanted, my character is an Intelligence Bureau officer, Prabhat, who is a skilled interrogator, mining information from locals, even those wholive in another country. The role required me to understand the psyche of interrogators and their tactics. It’s all about how they speak with their subject, sometimes playing the good-copbad-cop routine. Raj sir (director Raj Kumar Gupta) and I worked on this a lot because there are scenes where my character is unsure how trustworthy a person is, but he has to ascertain if the information they provide is authentic.
I met Intelligence officers and what struck me about them was the normal demeanor, it’s as if they are doing a 9 am to 5 pm job and are not out to save the country. Their heroism is inherent in the cause and not mirrored in their persona. I realised that while they can look aggressive, they need to be soft spoken, calm and collected. Raj sir did not want me to get too dramatic with dialogues, just be precise and straightforward, as that’s the tonality of an interrogator. Since this one is from Patna, we added a linguistic twang where needed.
I play a cop from Gurgaon in Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar and lived in Delhi for a month, met people in the force and spoke to them at length. I even learnt how to dismantle a pistol for cleaning and put it back for a particular scene.
The big challenge, of course, is Ashutosh Gowariker’s historical drama, Panipat, for which I started horse-riding lessons last November, three months before shooting. It’s important to connect with the animal as there will be good days when the horse is willing to listen and bad ones when it misbehaves. It’s a game.I would go to the Mahalaxmi Race Course at 6 am. It was therapeutic waking up at 5.30, driving to town and sitting on a horse as the sun rose. It allowed me time to introspect and made me comfortable with a horse for the shoot. I’m glad I’m not using a body double.
Sword-fighting is also an integral part of period films but that’s action in your head and that simplifies the process as you work towards it. But riding must come naturally or you will never get it right. The bigger challenge is learning how to ride a horse and use a weapon simultaneously.
For my debut film Ishaqzaade, I had to ride a bike and they gave me a Yezdi which is one of the tougher bikes to learn on. I started a month before the film rolled and over the 60-day schedule, got better at it. Even though I’m not a biker, ironically, I was put on a bike in every film after that. In real life, my sister Anshula doesn’t allow me to spend money on a hobby like biking.
For Ki & Ka, Balki sir (R Balki, director) sent me to attend a 10-day workshop that taught me how to chop vegetables, make eggs, pasta and tea. We used a body double only for the really fast chopping portions for safety reasons. But though I got comfortable in the kitchen, mera kaam hai khana aur mujhe nai aata hai pakana. I can only cook eggs but believe cooking is a beautiful art form.
Arjun Kapoor and Akshay Kumar have a lot of similarities-Vipul Shah
8:16 AM
Meena Iyer (DNA; October 9, 2018)
The walls of filmmaker Vipul Shah’s office in Andheri recount a glorious tale. There are countless posters of movies, some produced by him and others backed as well as directed by him. The man behind mainstream entertainers, which include Aankhen (2002), Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005), Namaste London (2007), Singh Is Kinng (2008) and Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty (2014) was on top of things for over a decade and these framed pictures bear testimony to this fact. However, for reasons best known to him, he took an eight-year-long sabbatical from film direction. He is back now (looking a bit pale though because he is recovering from dengue) with his latest offering, the romantic-comedy titled Namaste England with Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, which releases on October 19, Dussehra.
Confident that he will get the audience interested in his latest offering, Vipul, who is nattily dressed in an orange hoodie, settles in a comfortable-looking chair in his fashionably-done up office and begins to talk. Here’s handing over the mic to him then. Excerpts...
What’s playing on your mind currently?
The lead up to the film is the fact that now it’s all coming together. It’s obviously the most exciting and anxious phase. Now that I’m seeing the entire movie, I’m looking forward to see how the audience reacts to it.
Why the long gap in direction?
When I decided to take a break after Action Replayy (2010), I hadn’t planned it to be such a long one. I had just thought it would be for a year or two. I felt I would utilise the time to learn something that I should, considering the changes that cinema was undergoing. Simultaneously, my other productions were also happening. One day, yeh karte karte, I realised seven years had gone by. I thought I would stop production and get back to direction. Other productions like Force, Holiday and Commando were time-consuming. I didn’t want to do two things — producing and directing — at a time. I kept learning while all this was happening... I believe I have learnt something and hope Namaste England shows that.
Your storytelling has always resonated with an audience or so it seemed, going by your track record.
Subject-wise, even Namaste England, seems like a simple film. But the audience will be surprised. I was talking to my team about running a contest saying that if you guess the film’s interval point, we will send you to London. There’s a lot of content in the movie that is not a part of the trailer. There is a serious amount of twists and turns.
When I talk about learning, I’m referring to the process of evolving. In the last seven-eight years, the digital world has evolved a great deal and with so much content coming in, there are various experiments happening and the format of storytelling is changing the world over. So, I wanted to know if I could adapt myself to this new way of storytelling while keeping my own grain intact. I didn’t want to leave my strength, but at the same time, I also wanted to imbibe something new. People are making films and editing on their cell phones, which is fantastic. The characters have changed, all because of evolution through the digital world. I wanted to learn something new and try to incorporate that into my film. At the same time, I was making the movie for the Indian audience, so I had to balance both. That’s a constant process of reinvention — how you don’t lose yourself but also add something that is dramatic and closer to your roots. Six months ago, what was new is old today.
This film comes after several years since Namastey London.
It comes after a gap of 11 years. We had to have a script to take it forward. In Namastey London, there was a strong point about the girl being able to dream and following it to see where it takes her. When I was writing it with Ritesh Shah and Suresh Nair, a lot of people told me that these kinds of stories don’t work in India. For me, that was a journey of the girl who was forced by her father to marry someone against her will. She fights for her dream and in the process, falls in love with the same guy.
I wanted a female-oriented script that had a strong male lead as well. In this film, Arjun’s character is such that every girl will feel her boyfriend/husband should be like him. He is affectionate, understanding and has a good sense of humour. But he is also someone who can kill for his or his family’s honour. Apart from that, he is able to understand the girl’s dream and fight with the whole world to see that it’s realised. So, it was important to find a story where the girl’s dream becomes a big thing.
There’s a distinction between a girl wanting to work and her wanting to have the freedom to decide what she wants to do with her life. Largely, we have overcome the working issue, but we haven’t come to terms with the issue of giving full freedom to her. We have given it to the boy, but the girl doesn’t have the full freedom to make decisions about her life. When I found a story with this idea at the centre, I thought I must make the sequel and the time is right.
You have stuck to the same writing team all these years.
Yes, all my films are written by Suresh and Ritesh. We get along well. We rarely meet, but the relationship we share is great. I’m happy with the synergy we have and I appreciate the kind of work they put in my scripts.
Did you in any way miss working with Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif?
Akshay and I have worked together so much. I miss him every single day of my shooting. I can’t imagine a day without him. We did six films together. It’s been a wonderful association. He’s such a fun guy, he puts an extra effort to make the set a happy place. He can call me Sundy, Sethji, sometimes he calls me by some random names. That’s how it has been from the beginning. I also miss working with Katrina. She is extremely professional and passionate, the whole drive and passion towards her work are commendable. When I met her for the first time, I was doing Waqt. I told her that ‘I would really like to work with you but your Hindi is an issue for a movie like Waqt.’ And I was truly impressed because the next time she met me, she was able to read Hindi. She had worked hard on it and learnt so much in that short span of time. She blew me over with her dedication.
In Namaste England, I enjoyed working with Arjun and Parineeti equally, if not more. Sometimes you had to tell Arjun to calm down and chill. He is fully charged 24/7. I haven’t seen a moment where he is dull or tired.
He is Ranveer Singh’s best friend, so we’re guessing he has the same energy levels!
Arjun is a cylinder of energy. When you are with him, you constantly feel that please, give me a breather because you are on a different high. He’s extremely disciplined. In that sense, he and Akshay have a lot of similarities. Arjun is never late, he likes to be involved and keeps the environment on the set easy. If someone makes a mistake, he will find a solution. If a shirt is not fitting well, he won’t throw a tantrum or make a fuss. He is like, ‘Fix it and let’s go’. Parineeti, as we know, is a supremely talented actor. One thing I believe is that even if people don’t like the film, they will love the lead actors’ chemistry. Arjun-Parineeti showed it in Ishaqzaade (2012) and I’m surprised they didn’t do another film together after that. They have the capability of becoming one of the most popular pairs.
Their chemistry is liked by Arjun’s grandma (Nirmala Kapoor) so much that she feels he should get married to her. Parineeti is wonderful and doesn’t realise how good she is at what she is doing. It was great fun working with both of them.
Will you wait to see how Namaste England fares at the box office to announce your next directorial?
I’m keen to watch it with the audience to find out whether I’ve been able to reinvent myself in terms of the time and effort that I’ve invested. I’ve got a few scripts ready for my next. But first, I want to see how I have fared as a director and then decide.
I can be myself with Arjun Kapoor; he will never judge me-Parineeti Chopra
8:19 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; October 8, 2018)
The day we meet Parineeti Chopra, she is under the weather. She has just finished a round of interviews and is a little tired. But that doesn’t deter her from speaking to us. “My energy is low, but the content I give will be good, I promise,” she smiles.
Having delivered a hit with Golmaal Again, last October, she is gearing up for her next release, Namaste England that sees her pairing up with her Ishaqzaade co-star Arjun Kapoor after six years. Here, Pari talks about her upcoming film, friendship with Arjun, and the kind of movie she wants to do next...
You and Arjun Kapoor are teaming up again six years after Ishaqzaade...
He is lucky to work with me! After Ishaqzaade, I got a lot of offers, but the moment I would hear that Arjun is in it, I would say no (laughs). Seriously, we were looking for a perfect film to come back together with. Ishaqzaade had set the benchmark high and though many love stories were being made, we wanted it to be something special and in Namaste England we found it. Aur, pata hi nahin six years kahaan chale gaye.
Tell us, what is Namaste England about?
It’s basically about this couple who gets married, and the girl has certain dreams. Usually, this is what leads to conflict but the beautiful aspect of this film is that her husband supports her. My character aspires a certain lifestyle, she wants to be a working woman.
Is this character different from what you have played before?
For me, this movie is different from what I have done before. I haven’t done a film where I am an out-and-out commercial heroine apart from Golmaal Again, which was in that space. In Namaste England, the subject is simple and so is the telling of the story, but the characters and setting are commercial.
Weren’t your earlier films like Meri Pyaari Bindu, Hasee Toh Phasee, etc commercial entertainers?
Those were concept-driven films — with non-glamourous, not the typical just-for-show heroines. Those were movies where the girl was strong, did something new and special. Here, I get to be glam in some way as well as a traditional and beautiful heroine.
You are known for your vivacious roles, but from the trailer, it looks like there are many emotion-laden scenes in the film. Which is more difficult for you?
Both are equally difficult. I am not the vivacious person people perceive me to be. In fact, it was Arjun who pointed out that since I have played those kinds of roles, people think I am that person. But actually, I am a soft and emotional person. As for the kind of characters I like to do, I enjoy doing both.
You and Arjun have a great chemistry off screen. Do you think that can be captured on screen?
I don’t think so because it is so organic. Honestly, I don’t think it can be scripted. Now, because we are speaking on social media, people are realising it. But if you see our seven-year-old history, we have always been like this. On screen, the chemistry comes from comfort. We can do romantic scenes quickly and easily, but that quirky stupidity that we keep doing... (smiles). Arjun and I are the kind of friends who call each other on our birthdays but will never do the formality of wishing one another. We will talk about the world, our lives, etc and smile at the end knowing we are there for each other. I can be myself with him; he will never judge me.
From Ishaqzaade to now, what kind of growth have you seen in him as an actor?
He always had a lot of knowledge about films and know-how about the way this industry works as a producer. Now, he applies that as an actor much more. The way he approaches the scene and the script with all the knowledge that he has, it’s special. I try and learn from him. Ab bas. I can’t give so many compliments to him in a day. I am feeling unwell because of it (sighs).
There is a lot of speculation about Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas having a destination wedding in Jodhpur. Can you throw light on that?
They had gone there for her best friend’s husband Sudeep’s birthday lunch. Since it was his 50th birthday, they wanted to do something special, hence the destination.
While several actors have come in support of Tanushree Dutta, she hasn’t liked the word survivor used in her context. What do you think about it?
That’s her prerogative. But all of us are supporting the fact that a woman is coming out and speaking about her experience. I appreciate her trying to bring it to light, which is a good and brave thing.
I think Baba and Baba are married to each other-Arjun Kapoor on his equation with Ranveer Singh
8:09 AM
Meena Iyer (DNA; September 27, 2018)
With his cheerful and carefree disposition, Arjun Kapoor is not only a hit with the ladies, but is also one of the few Bollywood actors, who has many close friends within the fraternity.
‘I’M EVERYBODY’S FRIEND’
Among the current crop of actors, apart from Varun Dhawan and Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun also shares a good rapport with Tiger Shroff. He exclaims, “I’m everybody’s friend. The other day, I met Tiger. I was happy to see him. When I saw his debut film Heropanti (2014), I felt this guy had something to make it big.”
He adds that rather than competing with each other, one should make the most of being in Bollywood. The Namaste England actor elaborates, “We’re fortunate to be in this industry, people want to be in our position. So, why have any negativity? Sabki filmein chale, hamari thodi zyada chale… We should celebrate that we’re one fraternity. When we can get together when there is a need, why can’t we do so when there is no need? The negativity comes from external factors.”
‘I’M NOT SELFISH’
The actor admits that as he has grown up in the industry, his friends are largely from it. He states, “My friendship with Ranveer began during Gunday (2014) and our bond has strengthened over the years.” The two fondly call each other Baba. He adds, “Varun and I did our acting classes together. I got along with Alia (Bhatt) fantastically during and after 2 States (2014). With Priyanka (Chopra), I can sit and have a conversation about anything. I don’t see any reason to be concerned why I am friends with them, or maybe I should have pals from outside the industry. Kaunsi insecurity hai that two heroes can’t be friends. We support each other. I can think like that because I’m not selfish.”
‘I NEED SOME MORE TIME TO SETTLE DOWN’
Quiz him about factoring in dates to attend his Gunday co-star Priyanka’s marriage and he answers, “Unfortunately, I couldn’t go for Priyanka’s (engagement) party as I was shooting that time. But I told her I was very happy for her. I hope she has an amazing life with Nick (Jonas).”
Ask him about his Baba (Ranveer) tying the knot with Deepika Padukone this November and he jokes, “I don’t know about that Baba (Ranveer) and I don’t know about this Baba (referring to himself). I think Baba and Baba are married to each other (laughs). Hum dono ki shaadi ho chuki hai.”
That brings us to the question of his marriage to which Arjun replies candidly, “I haven’t thought about my wedding. There is Anshula and Rhea. We just had two weddings in the family. Between Mohit’s (cousin Mohit Marwah) and Sonam’s (Kapoor, now Ahuja) nuptials, the designers have run out of creativity. Let’s give them some time and a new season to come up with new collections.”
“I’d like to make sure Anshula is married before I take the plunge, it would make me a calmer person to see her settled. I’m 33, I still need some more time before settling down,” the doting brother says.
‘I CAN TAKE PARINEETI FOR GRANTED’
Talking about his first co-star Parineeti Chopra with whom he will be seen next in Namaste England and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar (SAPF), he maintains, “She is very fortunate to have me in her life. She should thank her stars (laughs). Jokes apart, we started off hating each other during the workshops of our debut film, Ishaqzaade (2012). Then, we realised that we had to look out for each other otherwise hum barbaad ho jayenge. That’s how our friendship started. Everything around us has changed whether it’s people or life in general, but even today when I meet her, there’s the same energy on the set. On the first day of SAPF, we picked up things exactly from where we had left off on the last day of Ishaqzaade. I can take her for granted. We share a certain ease, I hope it continues as that’s rare in this profession.”
Anshula and I are there for Janhvi and Khushi-Arjun Kapoor
8:19 AM
Meena Iyer (DNA; September 26, 2018)
Arjun Kapoor and his pet, Max, share a bond, which makes you envious. The big ‘friendly’ bulldog and his master horse around for a bit and watching them, you can set new master-pet goals. “I live in Max’s house, he doesn’t live in mine,” explains the actor. Watching that quizzical expression on your face, Arjun adds that he has been out of his home so much in the last year — courtesy back-to-back shoots of Namaste England and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar — that he has started to feel like a tenant in Max’s home. Encouraging his pet to ‘stay’, the 33-year-old star then turns his attention to us and talks about the various aspects of his life.
A PILLAR OF STRENGTH FOR HIS FAMILY
Post Sridevi’s demise earlier this year, Arjun has stood by his family like a rock. He says, “So much happened that we didn’t have the time to figure things out. Having experienced something as harsh as that, I wouldn’t wish it for my worst enemy. I know what it feels like to be in a situation where you’re grasping for life. I was in Punjab when I got the news. I called my maasi and sister immediately. I had to do what I felt was right. That’s what mom would expect of me, to be there for my father and family. If I can be a good brother and a good son, then why not? Mujhe toh kuchh achha hi mil raha hai, I’m getting two more sisters and helping my father feel a little relaxed. People jumped the gun that everything was perfect when it came to my relationship with Janhvi, Khushi, Anshula and dad."
Arjun says, “It was at a nascent stage as we were still figuring out things. But we were comfortable with each other and that was a good starting point. Mujhe darr tha ki zyada baat karne se nazar lag jayegi. I wanted things to take their own course. Janhvi and Khushi are both sorted. Today, we are able to speak one-on-one. I know they will figure out life in their own time, in their own way. Anshula and I are there for them.
The good part is that we have our independent lives, but whenever need be, we are there for each other. That’s how it should be. We don’t have to suddenly become a happy pretentious khandaan, which is why I took some time. Now, I’m talking about it as there’s a certain ease and I’ve been able to figure things out.
I feel we have been able to come together at a time when most wouldn’t have been able to do so. My father’s strength is his family and if he’s there for us, we should also be there for him.
Kabhi kabhi in all the bhaag-daud, you don’t realise how important it is to connect, sit down and have a meal with your loved ones. Somewhere, all of us have been able to get that perspective.”
A LADIES’ MAN
Over the last few months, Arjun’s name has been linked with several actresses. Quiz him about being a ladies’ man and he states, “Women like me for the kind of person I am. When I came into the industry, I was an introvert who was still figuring himself out. Over a period of time, there has been a change in my personality. Even the opposite sex has appreciated me for the person I’m because I’ve allowed myself to develop into that. In this profession, your personality comes to the forefront after seven-eight years. Some years ago, what you saw on the screen, you appreciated. Today, I believe, what you see off the screen creates a certain connect with your fans; they start affiliating/associating you with certain qualities. I feel that’s where your social media presence, your personality and the way you conduct yourself comes in. It’s a 360-degree perspective.
My last release was Mubarakan in July 2017 and my next is Namaste England, which releases on October 19. There is a long gap of 15 months. But just because you are out of sight, it doesn’t mean you are out of mind. You stay connected and engage with your fans through different avenues.”
STARTING OFF AS AN ANTI-HERO
Arjun played a small-town hooligan in his debut film, Ishaqzaade (2012), long before it became clichéd. He explains, “You’re defined by your first film. It sets the tone of the things to follow. I got my opportunity to be in the heart of India as a character much earlier in my career, than be a chocolate boy. I’m an antithesis to everything that is clichéd. Hero banne ke liye clean-shaven hona padhta hai, leather jacket pehanna aur bike pe slow-motion mein entry karni padhti hain... I was none of that and that’s what worked in my favour.
Then my career followed. I never thought I would get female attention with Ishaqzaade. At that time, there was no other bad boy with dishevelled hair, scruffy beard going around in a ganji, with that don’t-give-a-damn attitude. It was refreshing. That’s the kind of feedback I got. When Aditya Chopra signed me on for Ishaqzaade after my audition, he said, ‘Don’t think you’ll be a loverboy and women will be swooning over you. You just do your work’. You can’t predict what the audience connects to. Adi and I were happy with the feedback of women after seeing Ishaqzaade. The rest is history (smiles).”
A DIVERSE TRAJECTORY
Ever since his debut, the Kapoor lad has acted in films that are distinct from each other. He explains, “I have persevered and been patient. I’ve earned my stripes to be able to headline films, add value to them rather than just have my name attached to projects for the sake of it. Today, if you want to continue being a mainstream hero, you need to bring something to the table. I think with every film, I’ve tried to bring that equity to the audience. It’s not that I’ve planned everything, but I’m more aware as I’ve grown up in the industry, understanding the kind of films I like, what the audience likes, and using that to whatever advantage I’ve.
Whether it’s a person with me or someone whom I meet halfway across the world, if I can narrate a film in two lines, that itself makes the movie widely appealing.
It’s important that every film I do, the audience watches it and it makes money for the producer. It’s an entertainment medium, you can’t be overly indulgent about making movies for selfish reasons. Having said that, I did Finding Fanny when I wanted to experiment. After Ishaqzaade, I signed four different films — Aurangzeb, Gunday, 2 States and Finding Fanny — within a month. I wanted to see where the audience appreciates me more.
I didn’t know 2 States would work. Aurangzeb is the quintessential Hindi film drama, which we could have marketed differently. It had the potential of becoming a mini-series of seven-eight episodes. Maybe we didn’t do justice to the thought and the premise. At that point, I didn’t know which of those four films would work better. Now that I know, I try to add value to my movies and profession.
AN ECLECTIC MIX OF FUTURE PROJECTS
The actor has an interesting line-up of projects such as Namaste England, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar (SAPF), India’s Most Wanted and Panipat. He elaborates, “You’ll be surprised by how funny Namaste England is, you will smile and laugh a lot, it’s more in the realm of 2 States than Half Girlfriend. Namastey London had conflict, but it wasn’t done in a melodramatic way. Our film has drama, but it has tongue-in-cheek humour and banter, too. What you see of Parineeti (Chopra) and me as people, we’ve incorporated that in our characters. It’s a light, breezy entertainer.
SAPF, which releases next March, is the complete opposite of what Parineeti and I are doing in Namaste England. While in Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s film, we are the quintessential love-struck couple, in Dibakar Banerjee’s movie, there is pure hatred and class divide. It’s a well-written thriller and I’m excited about it.
Raj Kumar Gupta’s IMW is a special film for me. It’s something I’ve never done before. I never wanted to do a patriotic film where I’ve to go around shouting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. I feel you can’t force people to be patriotic, you have to make them feel it in a subtle way.
IMW is about all those unsung heroes, who are out there protecting us. We forget to acknowledge them and understand their importance. Raj Kumar is the perfect director for a subject like this. Also, it’s my most masculine character yet. I feel IMW is a transition for me as an actor because of the genre. It’s an espionage thriller. There is human emotion where you are manly without having to raise your hand and beating up someone. You can have a certain stoic nature as an actor.
As for Panipat, we haven’t started shooting yet. Ashutosh (Gowariker) sir has been prepping for it for a year. He is one of the nicest people I’ve interacted with and I’m excited to work with him.”
On my 33rd birthday, my grandmother issued a threat/request/command that I get married-Arjun Kapoor
8:05 AM
Arjun Kapoor opens up on marriage, how his first film defined his career choices, and the potential he sees in Janhvi who impressed him with her debut performance
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 8, 2018)
Arjun Kapoor, who has been busy with the filming of Raj Kumar Gupta’s India’s Most Wanted, based on a true-life capture of a terrorist without a single bullet being fired, is quick to point out that it’s not a typical espionage thriller but an emotional roller-coaster, showcasing what these unsung heroes go through when on a dangerous mission for the country so we can sleep peacefully at night. “As actors we don’t usually get to experience these emotions which makes this film close to my heart,” he says, admitting Gupta and he have wanted to collaborate for a long time, and almost did on the screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s novel, Revolution 2020. “But I believe this is the right project for us to come together.”
About terrorism, Arjun agrees that this is not the safest time to be alive. “The internet spreads negativity fast, and both people and countries have an abundance of opinions which creates more turbulence. Also, in our selfishness, we try to protect our boundaries rather than resolve issues,” he reasons, adding that while he doesn’t condone violence, he’s proud that India has one of the best armies. “So, while we hear of some terror attacks, many were thwarted quietly because of agents who work tirelessly so we feel safe.”
Meanwhile, Namaste England is gearing up for a Dussehra release, and Arjun promises this film too will make us feel proud to be an Indian. “It unfolds 10 years after Namaste London. Times have changed and thought processes have evolved, but if you liked that film, you’ll enjoy this one too. It’s vintage Hindi cinema in contemporary desi form with a videsi touch and will make you believe in love,” Arjun promises, adding that while Ishaqzaade didn’t offer much scope for romance between Parineeti Chopra and him, this time it blossoms.
Reuniting with his first co-star, he admits, will always be an emotional journey. “But while a lot has changed in these six years, in a strange way between us, kuch nahin badla hai (nothing has changed). The fear and anxiety of a debut is gone, and the comfort level is higher,” he says.
Reminiscing about his debut, he admits that for a boy born and brought up in Mumbai, it was an eyeopener living in Lucknow for four months, understanding the problems a guy like his character, Parma, faces at the grassroot levels, walking the galis where real stories are born. “Without Ishaqzaade I’d have never understood our country or cinema. It defined my career and my choices as an actor. My journey would’ve been very different had I been launched with a typical romcom, and with Namaste England I’ve come a full circle,” he asserts, pointing out that it’s flattering to go out into the world and see that because of social media, the attitude to India has changed in the last five years. “Fifteen years ago, I’d have to explain our country and film industry in detail. Now, India is no longer perceived as a country of snake charmers, but as a power to reckon with, and Bollywood is a big draw,” he says.
However, the actor is peeved about our crumbling infrastructure and has been ranting against Mumbai’s potholes. “As a taxpayer, I have the right to be concerned, more so since as a Mumbaikar I want it to be the best city in the world. I’m not asking for new roads, but the ones that exist need to be maintained better. Every time the monsoons arrive, we have a deluge of reactions. Knowing they come every year, why can’t we be better prepared, let some people take accountability?” he grouses.
Meanwhile, on his 33rd birthday, his grandmother, Nirmal Kapoor, issued a “threat and a request, a bribe and a command” that he get married. Laughing, he says, “Dadi has never articulated her feelings so firmly. Before this, it was all said in jest, this time she’s put a tick to it, and since dadi has few expectations from me, I intend to fulfil this demand at the right time with the right person,” he says. Pointing out that he’d like his sister Anshula and cousin Rhea to settle down first, he adds,“Besides, there have just been two weddings (Mohit Marwah and Sonam Kapoor) and we should give the family time too, else they’ll get tired attending weddings. Mujhe bas thodi si mohlat de do (just give me some time), please.”
Talking of family, it was beautiful the way he welcomed Janhvi (right) into
the industry on the social media, offering brotherly advice and apologizing for not being by her side on the eve of the trailer launch
of Dhadak. Pointing out that he got a chance to interact with Janhvi and
Khushi recently, more with the former because she had a film coming up,
he’s come to realise that she is a sensible girl who has everything
sorted in her head and conducts herself with dignity. “All these are
important attributes for a good actor. None of us start out being
perfect, I didn’t, but in Janhvi’s case the foundation is strong, she’ll
build on that and get better with every film. I see tremendous
potential, Dhadak was just the tip of the iceberg,” he insists.
Arjun is impressed with her performance, particularly post interval, when she’s fighting with her husband and becomes a mother. “She’s very young and it was her first film, but I saw nuances you’d expect from someone more mature. When Janhvi was on screen, you couldn’t take your eyes off her,” he raves, pointing out that Dhadak was the right launch for her and its success proves both Ishaan (Khatter) and she have been accepted. “She’s an introvert and needs time to come out of her shell. We are really proud of her and while as a family our reasons are emotional, I can say as an actor that Janhvi Kapoor is here to stay,” he states confidently.
A few months from now, Arjun will go back into history for his first period film, Panipat, and is impressed with Ashutosh Gowariker’s attention to detail. “Our few interactions have taught me so much. And with Sanju sir (Sanjay Dutt) and Kriti (Sanon), there will be great energy on the set. It’ll be a battle royal,” he says.
Arjun Kapoor-Parineeti Chopra celebrate Shri Krishna Janmashtami with gusto
8:19 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 2, 2018)
Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor will romance each other on screen six years after their first outing, Ishaqzaade. They may be pairing up after a long time, but the duo seems to be making up for it by doing two films back-to-back — Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s Namaste England and Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. Since the former hits the screens first, the actors are gearing up to promote their romcom. And what better occasion than the auspicious festival of Janmashtami! Here, Parineeti, who grew up in Ambala and Arjun, a Mumbaikar, talk about the festival, their memories associated with it, their friendship and more.
What are your memories of celebrating Janmashtami in your hometown?
PARINEETI: In the North, we celebrate Diwali, Dussehra, Lohri, Holi and Janmashtami in a big way. For Janmashtami, I used to visit the mandir jahaan bhagwan ko jhoola jhulate the aur doodh pilate the. I loved going there with my parents and brother. We would go at 1 am, take milk in small bottles and sing songs the whole night. It used to be a school holiday the next day. The best part of the festival was going to the temple at night. They are lovely memories.
ARJUN: In Mumbai, we have dahi handi. I remember we used to have a half-day at school and that too because we used to celebrate it there. While returning at around 10.30 am, we would see the festivities begin. I think, visually, it’s the most appealing festival in Mumbai and in a strange way, youthful, too. Now, as an actor, I have travelled across cities and I see, it has become an adventure sport fest, with prizes for various things like how fast they break the handi, how many attempts they make, etc. But it brings people from various age groups together, which is what a festival does ‑‑‑ bring people from different communities together.
Arjun, were you ever tempted to be a part of the pyramid to break the handi?
ARJUN: If you had seen my size then, you wouldn’t have asked this question! If I would have got onto somebody, uska dahi ban jaata aur woh life mein dahi handi nahin celebrate kar paata. So, to protect other people’s necks, shoulders and backs, I had to sacrifice my dahi handi celebration. But I used to have a handi of dahi at home to celebrate.
PARINEETI: (Laughs) I knew he would say that.
You both have been friends for six years now, but when you met, what was your first impression about each other?
ARJUN: She was in awe of me, ‘Wow, what a guy!’
PARINEETI: I met him in 2011, when he was a nobody and the same goes for me, I was not an actor then. We have known each other since our first film together, everything associated with our journey and ups and downs. If you see our friendship now, you won’t believe that initially, we never got along. I thought he didn’t talk, was khadoos and always in a bad mood. But when I got to know him, I discovered that he is anything but that. He is one of the funniest and nicest guys I know. Ten minutes with him and he will leave you in splits.
ARJUN: Parineeti used to laugh even when I said serious things. Actually, she would just say ‘Lol’. I would tell her, why don’t you just laugh — ye kaunsi pagal ladki hai jo ‘Lol’ bolti hai. I thought there was something wrong, but I had no choice, as we were doing the film together, so we managed. Ishaqzaade was my first film, but she had already faced the camera for Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl. So, she was more relaxed during the prep. This is not to take away her hard work. I was in an more emotionally vulnerable state as my mother had cancer and her therapy was underway. So, I took time to warm up to her. But we became comfortable with each other within a week. It was a difficult film; we had to look out for each other and make life simpler, which we did. Now, I am not worried ki kya sochegi? There’s nothing hidden, there are no agendas. There’s an honesty between us, which comes from doing our first film together and that has translated nicely in Namaste England.
Ishaqzaade was a hit and your pairing was liked, so why did it take so long for you to team up for another film?
ARJUN: We did not get a script that both of us would have wanted to do together. We can’t do a film only because log pairing bhool jayenge, jaldi se karo. Kitne pairs aise aake chale gaye, they don’t have that equity. Not that we wanted to wait for six years to do a film.
But when you pair up again, you are doing two back-to-back films, Namaste England and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar...
ARJUN: Yes, but both are completely different. Namaste England is a quintessential romance. Ishaqzaade didn’t have that. It was a brief romance and more about the trials and tribulations of wanting to be together, a more realistic take on heartland India. Namaste England is more of a celebration of Hindi cinema — boy meets girl, they fall in love, yearn for each other, their special moments in between, song and dance, conflict, being apart -— it has all the things a love story entails. It will make you smile and also bring a lump to your throat. It has the residue of our personalities. It’s too early to talk about Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, but in that we hate each other. All I can say is that we are not repeating ourselves.
Is there any quality that annoys you about the other?
PARINEETI: Sometimes, Arjun is too nice a guy. He doesn’t know when to say no or draw the line and people take advantage of that. Also, he doesn’t smile that much though he is one of the most hilarious guys in the world. He is disconnected from people and it takes me 10 days to understand what is going on even though I know him so well. But now I get his pulse faster.
ARJUN: Lambi list hai! You’ll have to do another interview for that. She overthinks even while taking simple decisions. She keeps weighing the pros and cons so much that it stops her from enjoying herself. On screen, she is spontaneous, but off screen, she is not. Most of the time she keeps herself aloof, she is timid and scared. She is a gharelu type of girl, too simple. But now after having gone on world tours, she is having more fun and is relaxed.
It intrigues me to play such a role in India's Most Wanted-Arjun Kapoor
8:02 AM
Arjun Kapoor on collaborating with Raid director, Raj Kumar Gupta, for a thriller based on India's 2012 secret mission to capture India's most wanted terrorist
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; May 11, 2018)
With Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, Namastey England and Panipat, Arjun Kapoor will be seen straddling diverse genres of romantic thriller, romantic comedy and period drama. Now, the actor has given his nod to Raj Kumar Gupta's next, India's Most Wanted. The thriller is said to be inspired by a secret mission that was conducted between 2012 and 2014 to capture one of the country's most dreaded terrorists.
Arjun Kapoor, who plays an intelligence officer, tells mid-day, "The film revolves around an event that transpired recently, but not a lot of people know about it. My character is straight out of a real-life incident. It intrigues me to play such a role." The youngster believes that it will be exciting to collaborate with the Raid director who belongs to the school of gritty cinema. "He was the first director to call me after watching Ishaqzaade [2012]. He said he was looking forward to working with me some day. When he narrated the script of India's Most Wanted to me, I felt proud of my motherland and its unsung heroes."
To be shot between Nepal and Delhi in a start-to-finish schedule in July, the movie is slated to hit screens in May 2019. Gupta says, "I am looking forward to my collaboration with Arjun and producers Fox Star. He is a sincere actor and the best choice for the role."
Ishaqzaade actress Charu Rohatgi passes away
7:40 AM
MUMBAI MIRROR (January 16, 2018)
Veteran actress Charu Rohatgi, who has featured in TV shows like Pratigya, Uttaran and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon as popular actor Barun Sobti’s grandmother, passed away in the early hours of Monday morning following cardiac arrest.
The actress, who was also seen in a pivotal role in Arjun Kapoor’s acting debut Ishaqzaade, has also made appearances in other Hindi films including 1920 London, Second Marriage Dot Com and 15 Park Avenue.
“RIP, Charu Rohatgi ma’am. Your presence in Ishaqzaade will always be recalled fondly. My prayers and strength to the family as they deal with this loss,” Arjun had shared via Twitter later in the day.
Rohatgi had started her acting career with the TV show Ladies Special and was subsequently seen in Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se, among others.
I can even kill for Arjun Kapoor-Parineeti Chopra
7:58 AM
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; January 13, 2018)
Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor started their careers almost around the same time when they paired up for Ishaqzaade. While Parineeti’s debut film Ladies vs Ricky Bahl had already hit screens, it was Arjun’s maiden release. Now, six years later, the two actors are teaming up yet again not for one, but two consecutive films. They have begun shooting for Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar and have also signed Namastey England, which they begin right after.
Parineeti is thrilled about reuniting with her favourite co-star. “Arjun is lucky. He gets to work with me in two back-to-back films again,” she laughs. Pari adds, “My relationship with Arjun is such that I can kick him and tell him, ‘Just shut up and behave yourself’. He can do the same with me as well. That’s because we share a very special bond.”
The actress also explains that their friendship stemmed from an area of vulnerability. “Both of us bonded at a very vulnerable time in our lives. His mom was ill when Ishaqzaade was coming out and I wasn’t even an actor by then because Ladies vs Ricky Bahl had not released when we were shooting that film,” she continues, “If anybody says anything negative about him, I’m there in the front row, fighting for him and defending him. I can even kill for him. I can’t hear anyone saying anything bad about Arjun because I have this undying love for Arjun.”
Ask her about doing two back-to-back films together and she reasons, “They are two completely different films. They are from two different schools altogether.”
I am very proud that I hail from the film fraternity. I am never apologetic about it-Arjun Kapoor
8:06 AM
Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; July 24, 2017)
In a span of less than five
years, Arjun Kapoor has managed to make a mark in the film industry with
a variety of roles. Despite wanting to be a mainstream Hindi film hero,
he has not shied away from experimenting with niche films. As he says,
“When you have survived for four-five years and have a body of work,
you should only look towards making more inroads. You cannot be stuck in
personas of being massy, urban, classy, sophisticated or rustic.
These are tags that you can break.“ In a candid chat with BT, ahead of
the release of his upcoming film Mubarakan, the actor talks about
breaking stereo types, associating with directors who come from various
schools of thought, and how he'd never do a film that portrays women derogatorily. Excerpts...
When one looks at your repertoire of eight films in the past five years
and the way you have gone about choosing them, there seems to be a
method behind it. Would you say that this assumption is correct?
I auditioned for my first film and that's how I got it. After my first film, I was just happy that I had been accepted. I wanted to dabble in all genres, so I chose a Gunday, which was a larger-than-life film. I then chose to do 2 States because the conflict that the character went through appealed to me as it was quintessentially Indian in nature. I did a film like Aurangzeb as it was a non-song film, which at that time was attracting the audience to the multiplexes. I did a Finding Fanny because I love Homi Adajania's madness. Also, I wanted to share screen space with Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapur and learn from them. I didn't say yes to everything that came my way, but I did give my nod to exciting projects. When Ki & Ka came my way, I realised no boy will say yes to this role. The film's director, R Balki, narrated one line and said that he had not even thought about it. I jumped at it because I felt it was tailor-made for somebody with my physicality. I took a chance with the film and consciously worked towards it as it went against the grain and it also paid off. Half Girlfriend was exciting because the texture of the storytelling was again Indian. There are certain things that pique an actor's interest, and that's why you veer towards certain subjects.
While you are a creative person, you also understand how it is to produce a film. Do these two viewpoints - one artistic and the other commercial - create a conflict in your mind?
Well, what I do take into account is that, I don't want anybody losing money on my film. Even if I am experimenting and pushing the envelope, the film should be safeguarded, so that the risk taken doesn't cost somebody their job. Besides, no human being can predict how a film will perform at the box office. The one responsibility that every actor should shoulder is to secure the producer to whatever degree they can. With every film performing well at the box office, your saleability as an actor improves. That doesn't mean you are becoming a better actor. When I signed Finding Fanny, I knew it was an experimental film. I did it intentionally. It was a film made in English for a certain audience, it still earned close to Rs 30 crore at the box office. But when you compare it with 2 States, which released earlier, it won't make sense. If you look at it in isolation, my responsibility was to attract the audience into theatres and ensure that my presence didn't lead to the budget going overboard, and I think I achieved that. Being part of a film like that gave me creative satisfaction and it's one of my best-reviewed films as well. Commercial success of a film is different from making a film commercially viable.
After Anees Bazmee's Mubarakan, you have been roped in by Dibakar Banerjee for Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. How does an actor straddle these two diametrically opposite worlds that these filmmakers represent?
The excitement lies in the fact that I will be going from one world to another. That's exactly how every actor wants to be challenged. As an actor, I should have the ability to navigate these different spaces and be well-rounded. In a calendar year, I have Mohit Suri, Anees Bazmee and Dibakar Banerjee as filmmakers to work with, this only helps me showcase my range as a performer. I will be dedicating a month to prep up for Dibakar's film. The reasons for doing Mubarakan and Sandeep And Pinky Faraar are for its makers and the material they have to offer. I get to live vicariously through directors, who create diametrically opposite worlds; how lucky am I!
Tiger Shroff recently said that he is happy that he has a fan following among the audience in the B and C centres. Since films like 2 States and Ki & Ka have worked more than say a Tevar, do you fear that you will be tagged as a hero appealing to the multiplexes and not the masses? Like we often say, a metrosexual hero...
I don't think I have been tagged as a metrosexual hero. Half Girlfriend did well in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Indore. Gunday also did well in those regions. Ishaqzaade was a pan-India success at that point. It wasn't massy in its texture, but people from across the country saw it. I am not looking at whether the film will work in the A, B or C centres, and I think that reflects in my selection of films. I am always trying to meander my way into every household in India. I want to be a pan India hero. That's how you can survive. When you have survived for four or five years and have a body of work, you should only look towards making more inroads. You cannot be stuck in personas of being massy, urban, classy, sophisticated or rustic. These are tags that you can break.
While most actors are image conscious, you are conscious about not creating any image. So, in a way, you are not yet completely Bollywoodised...
I am very proud that I hail from the film fraternity. I am never apologetic about it. That doesn't mean that there aren't other facets to my personality. I am a well-rounded person, not just physically (laughs). I am a huge Bollywood fan, but that's not all that there is to me. There is enough time for various facets of my persona to come to the forefront.
From your interviews and your public persona, you come across as a feminist. If a film that you are offered portrays women derogatorily, would you voice your objection to it?
Films mirror society. When you read about a character, if it's not written with a particular agenda, say where they not purposely trying to malign the opposite sex and the journey brings about a catharsis, then it makes sense. Take for example my first film - if I was doing Zoya's role and reading about Parma, it's not my job to question the director about the boy's behaviour with the girl. He is doing that because that is what happens in society, sadly. The second half then goes on to say what the boy stands to lose for behaving the way he does with women. If a film is derogatory towards women, I won't affiliate myself with it. That is not the reality I would like to put out in the world.
But what's your response when people say that films and film stars influence the masses?
If we, as filmmakers and creative people, start becoming the do-gooders and the cleansers of society, it means that the infrastructure of our government has let us down drastically. Do you mean to say that we are the only cause for everything bad that happens in the country? If that is the case, then there is a fundamental flaw in the system.
I auditioned for my first film and that's how I got it. After my first film, I was just happy that I had been accepted. I wanted to dabble in all genres, so I chose a Gunday, which was a larger-than-life film. I then chose to do 2 States because the conflict that the character went through appealed to me as it was quintessentially Indian in nature. I did a film like Aurangzeb as it was a non-song film, which at that time was attracting the audience to the multiplexes. I did a Finding Fanny because I love Homi Adajania's madness. Also, I wanted to share screen space with Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapur and learn from them. I didn't say yes to everything that came my way, but I did give my nod to exciting projects. When Ki & Ka came my way, I realised no boy will say yes to this role. The film's director, R Balki, narrated one line and said that he had not even thought about it. I jumped at it because I felt it was tailor-made for somebody with my physicality. I took a chance with the film and consciously worked towards it as it went against the grain and it also paid off. Half Girlfriend was exciting because the texture of the storytelling was again Indian. There are certain things that pique an actor's interest, and that's why you veer towards certain subjects.
While you are a creative person, you also understand how it is to produce a film. Do these two viewpoints - one artistic and the other commercial - create a conflict in your mind?
Well, what I do take into account is that, I don't want anybody losing money on my film. Even if I am experimenting and pushing the envelope, the film should be safeguarded, so that the risk taken doesn't cost somebody their job. Besides, no human being can predict how a film will perform at the box office. The one responsibility that every actor should shoulder is to secure the producer to whatever degree they can. With every film performing well at the box office, your saleability as an actor improves. That doesn't mean you are becoming a better actor. When I signed Finding Fanny, I knew it was an experimental film. I did it intentionally. It was a film made in English for a certain audience, it still earned close to Rs 30 crore at the box office. But when you compare it with 2 States, which released earlier, it won't make sense. If you look at it in isolation, my responsibility was to attract the audience into theatres and ensure that my presence didn't lead to the budget going overboard, and I think I achieved that. Being part of a film like that gave me creative satisfaction and it's one of my best-reviewed films as well. Commercial success of a film is different from making a film commercially viable.
After Anees Bazmee's Mubarakan, you have been roped in by Dibakar Banerjee for Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. How does an actor straddle these two diametrically opposite worlds that these filmmakers represent?
The excitement lies in the fact that I will be going from one world to another. That's exactly how every actor wants to be challenged. As an actor, I should have the ability to navigate these different spaces and be well-rounded. In a calendar year, I have Mohit Suri, Anees Bazmee and Dibakar Banerjee as filmmakers to work with, this only helps me showcase my range as a performer. I will be dedicating a month to prep up for Dibakar's film. The reasons for doing Mubarakan and Sandeep And Pinky Faraar are for its makers and the material they have to offer. I get to live vicariously through directors, who create diametrically opposite worlds; how lucky am I!
Tiger Shroff recently said that he is happy that he has a fan following among the audience in the B and C centres. Since films like 2 States and Ki & Ka have worked more than say a Tevar, do you fear that you will be tagged as a hero appealing to the multiplexes and not the masses? Like we often say, a metrosexual hero...
I don't think I have been tagged as a metrosexual hero. Half Girlfriend did well in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Indore. Gunday also did well in those regions. Ishaqzaade was a pan-India success at that point. It wasn't massy in its texture, but people from across the country saw it. I am not looking at whether the film will work in the A, B or C centres, and I think that reflects in my selection of films. I am always trying to meander my way into every household in India. I want to be a pan India hero. That's how you can survive. When you have survived for four or five years and have a body of work, you should only look towards making more inroads. You cannot be stuck in personas of being massy, urban, classy, sophisticated or rustic. These are tags that you can break.
While most actors are image conscious, you are conscious about not creating any image. So, in a way, you are not yet completely Bollywoodised...
I am very proud that I hail from the film fraternity. I am never apologetic about it. That doesn't mean that there aren't other facets to my personality. I am a well-rounded person, not just physically (laughs). I am a huge Bollywood fan, but that's not all that there is to me. There is enough time for various facets of my persona to come to the forefront.
From your interviews and your public persona, you come across as a feminist. If a film that you are offered portrays women derogatorily, would you voice your objection to it?
Films mirror society. When you read about a character, if it's not written with a particular agenda, say where they not purposely trying to malign the opposite sex and the journey brings about a catharsis, then it makes sense. Take for example my first film - if I was doing Zoya's role and reading about Parma, it's not my job to question the director about the boy's behaviour with the girl. He is doing that because that is what happens in society, sadly. The second half then goes on to say what the boy stands to lose for behaving the way he does with women. If a film is derogatory towards women, I won't affiliate myself with it. That is not the reality I would like to put out in the world.
But what's your response when people say that films and film stars influence the masses?
If we, as filmmakers and creative people, start becoming the do-gooders and the cleansers of society, it means that the infrastructure of our government has let us down drastically. Do you mean to say that we are the only cause for everything bad that happens in the country? If that is the case, then there is a fundamental flaw in the system.
Parineeti Chopra saw me at my most vulnerable time-Arjun Kapoor
7:54 AM
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; July 19, 2017)
Arjun Kapoor is set to share screen space with his Ishaqzaade co-star Parineeti Chopra after five years, and going by the title of their upcoming film, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, it appears that the actor is set to elope with Chopra, yet again. Interestingly, the duo will also share the love-hate relationship that made their jodi a hit in the 2012 drama, in this upcoming Dibakar Banerjee-directed project.
Yet, for Kapoor, reuniting with Chopra is special, given that she was his first co-star. “Parineeti saw me at my most vulnerable time. Both of us were still figuring out who we were, more as human beings than actors. We spent a lot of time talking, we shared our vanity van, and often discussed how we didn’t know what lay ahead. We spoke about our insecurities with each other, and knew we’d always be there for one other,” says Kapoor.
The actor couldn’t have found a better film to reunite with Chopra for a second outing. Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar follows a man and woman who represent two different mindsets of Indians. Their suspicion for one another binds them. “Dibakar is unique, and a fantastic director. The script excites Parineeti and me.”
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