Showing posts with label Mona Kapoor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mona Kapoor. Show all posts
Watching my daughter Anshula get married is a memory I will carry forever-Boney Kapoor
9:46 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (July 16, 2026)
The wedding of Anshula Kapoor and Rohan Thakkar was among the most talked-about celebrations of the week. Boney Kapoor has spent decades creating some of Hindi cinema’s biggest spectacles, but nothing, he says, compares to watching his daughter begin a new chapter with the man she loves.
Talking to us about what it felt witnessing his daughter’s wedding, Boney says, “It is difficult to put into words what I felt watching Anshula get married. Her decision to have her mom’s (Mona Kapoor) photo by the mandap and to wear her dupatta, made the moment even more special because it would have been incomplete without her blessings. I’m sure this is exactly how Mona would have wanted to see her daughter celebrated.”
Boney adds, “Anshula is a piece of my heart and seeing her so happy makes me feel fulfilled. Looking back at the celebrations, I think what has stayed with me the most are the smiling faces, the love that surrounded us, and the happiness everyone shared with us. Your daughter teaches you to be the best version of yourself. Seeing her begin this new chapter with Rohan was an emotional moment for all of us. As a father, you prepare yourself for this day, but when it finally arrives, you realize how special and overwhelming it truly is. As a family, we feel incredibly fortunate to have witnessed this beautiful beginning with the love and blessings of everyone around us. Watching Anshula begin this new chapter of her life was one of the most emotional moments I have experienced as a father.”
The celebrations began with intimate family rituals before culminating in a grand reception. Over three days, family and friends came together to celebrate the couple, with blessings pouring in from every corner.
“My heart swells with love and gratitude for my brothers and their families and extended families, my sister and brother-in-law with their family, my son Arjun, and daughters Janhvi and Khushi, who all stood behind me and witnessed this beautiful milestone moment. Having all my children by my side made the moment complete,” he shares.
For someone who has spent decades bringing stories to the screen, he says this was one occasion where life itself felt like the most beautiful story. “People often ask me what success means after all these years. For me, these three days were the answer. The greatest thing you can earn in life isn’t fame or success, it’s goodwill. Seeing Anshula so happy, surrounded by people who have been part of our lives for so many years, is an unforgettable memory. Watching her grow from holding my hand to holding the hand of the person she loves the most, is one of my life’s cherished moments. She will always be my little girl, no matter how empowered or old she gets. Today, I see her not just as my daughter, but a kind-hearted, super confident and compassionate woman.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Boney concludes, “I want to say this to my lovely daughter Anshula... A big thank you, for filling my life with your laughter, lessons and unconditional love. You will always have a sweet home in my heart.”
Life has been cruel lately, says Arjun Kapoor as celebs rally around him
11:31 AM
After months of online vitriol and bullying, Arjun Kapoor shares cryptic Instagram post
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 5, 2026)
Actor Arjun Kapoor’s Instagram post made fans and trolls alike sit up and take notice on Tuesday. The 40-year-old wrote an emotional birthday message for his late mother, Mona Kapoor. But the lines that caught social media users’ eyes are: “Life’s been kinda cruel to me lately... We will ride it out together. I’ll see u again soon.”
Where did the hate come from?
A 2017 video of Arjun’s ‘blank stare’ at a press conference resurfaced. What started as harmless fun around a funny video soon turned nasty. Arjun’s Instagram posts and Reels were flooded by comments that blurred the line between criticism and bullying, often rage baiting responses and farming engagement. Messages included: ‘God blast you’, ‘You are the reason I believe in failure’, ‘Aap bahut peeche jaaoge’, ‘Arjun the superzero’, and ‘Always give up’, among others. But now, the commenters have changed their tune.
Fans and friends rally behind him
Arjun’s new post saw an outpouring of love. Actor Genelia Deshmukh commented, “All will be good, Arjun. You have your own special angel always looking after you.” Others shared strings of heart emojis.
Bhumi Pednekar, Arjun’s co-star in his last screen outing Mere Husband Ki Biwi (2025), says trolling is synonymous with bullying: “What’s frightening is how easily we’ve begun to accept trolling as normal behaviour. The internet forgets that there is a human being they are referring to and not a bot.”
His father Boney Kapoor says, “All the trolling will make Arjun stronger in his resolve. Nothing of this sort will deter him. He’s a brave and sensible boy.”
We reached out to Arjun about his post, but received no response till the time of going to press.
When HT City spoke up
The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra was the first to question the behaviour of trolls, urging commenters to show more empathy, compassion and respect towards the actor. The Reel clocked 2 million views, nearly 94k likes and over 5k comments, including reactions from celebrities Varun Dhawan, Rakul Preet Singh, Vaani Kapoor and Neil Nitin Mukesh, to name a few
Been missing mum more since Rohan Thakkar proposed-Anshula Kapoor
9:50 AM
Anshula Kapoor and her fiancé Rohan Thakkar (middle) pose with Janhvi, Boney, Khushi and Arjun Kapoor
Natasha Coutinho (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 6, 2025)
Just days after we broke the news of social media personality and producer Boney Kapoor’s daughter Anshula getting engaged to beau, screenwriter, Rohan Thakkar, the couple dropped heartwarming photos from the event. They were surrounded by close friends and family for their gor dhana ceremony, a Gujarati version of an engagement ceremony.
The 34-year-old tells us why they chose to have their gor dhana, at home in Mumbai, and that it was her father’s wish too. She says, “Rohan and I always imagined our gor dhana to be a close-knit celebration with family. We wanted it to be cosy, warm, and intimate, and we are glad that’s exactly how it turned out to be.”
Anshula adds that the decor and vibe of the celebration took inspiration from a mix of their ‘favourite things, people and memories’, with nostalgic touches from their relationship and childhood.
As she steps into a new phase, Anshula opens up about feeling the absence of her mother (the late Mona Shourie Kapoor) more deeply than ever. “Since the day Rohan proposed, I’ve been missing mum even more. The grief has resurfaced so strongly, and I knew I needed her close to me. That’s why I had her words, ‘Rab Raakha’, embroidered on the back of my outfit. She was always my wings, my biggest support system, and I knew I needed to feel her with me while I’m at the cusp of starting a new chapter in my life,” she tells us.
People don’t spare even Virat Kohli and our honourable PM-Arjun Kapoor
7:39 AM
Hitting out at trolls, actor Arjun Kapoor says people nowadays ‘find happiness by putting others down’; adds social media chatter doesn’t affect films’ business
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 16, 2019)
Nowadays, actors and filmmakers are forced to contend with a new challenge of sorts — trolls. And Arjun Kapoor is no different. But the actor refuses to lose sleep over it, as he feels it has become the order of the day.
“People don’t spare even Virat Kohli [Indian cricket team captain], our honourable Prime Minister [Narendra Modi], or for that matter, anyone else. Everyone is now a source of humour for people. I guess that’s just the way the world has become. People, now, find happiness by putting others down,” says the actor.
Although, a section of people feel that trolls, in a way, impact a film’s commercial prospects, Arjun doesn’t believe so. “Social media is, anyway, not real. In the past one year itself, we have seen that even if a film got a large amount of [positive] chatter on social media, that didn’t contribute to its box office results. Likewise, the amount of negative chatter some films got also didn’t affect their prospects,” says the actor, who was trolled with memes etc., when his latest film, Panipat’s trailer came out.
The actor adds, “I believe that social media has a section of people who aren’t true cine-goers per se. I don’t think the film-going audience participates in a large number on social media. They are very different kind of people. By now, we are all part of social media. And we know that it can’t be taken so seriously that we lose sleep over it.”
A few days back, Arjun shared a hand-written poem — which he had written to his late mother, Mona Kapoor, as a kid — with fans on his social media accounts. “There are so many things that I would want to share with her but I just can’t. So, instead, I share it with the world thinking that maybe, wherever mum is, she will read it, see it or feel it,” he says.
Talking about his film, Arjun points out his personal connection with filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker and his 2001 hit, Lagaan. “As an actor, when you make a list of things you want to achieve, you are like, ‘period film karunga.’ Also, Ashu sir made Lagaan, and mum had loved it. So, she would have been happy to know that I worked with him. Or she would have loved to see that I am now teaming up with a female director [Kaashvie Nair on his next with Rakul Preet Singh]. The day I posted the letter, I was shooting for Panipat, and felt that mum would have loved the story [of the film]. So, I put up the poem that Anshula [Kapoor; sister] had shared with me that day itself,” concludes the actor.
The pursuit of happiness!
“Sometimes, when you showcase just happiness, people don’t connect that much with you. But I realised that day [when I posted the poem; inset image] that like me, there are many who have been through a similar experience. And they all connected with me. So, at times, grief can make people connect. Aur thoda halkapan feel hota hai that you are able to share your story, because usually, sadness sunne ka time toh kisi ke paas nahi hai. Sometimes, it feels good to share the sadness or grief with someone who can feel lighter with that story, as it is good to be connected with emotions rather than always behaving strong.”
Failures can’t bog me down-Arjun Kapoor
8:12 AM
Actor Arjun Kapoor says that he would continue to ‘put up a fight’ and be the ‘best actor’ that he can be to ‘connect with people’; adds there’s a ‘sense of stability’ in his life now
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 1, 2019)
Personally as well as professionally, Arjun Kapoor has — right from the start — gone through his share of ups and downs, even before debuting with Ishaqzaade in 2012. The actor, who himself calls his journey so far, a “rollercoaster ride of sorts”, faced setbacks with his last two releases, Namaste England and India’s Most Wanted. But now, as he gears up to play a Maratha warrior, Sadashivrao Bhau in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Panipat, he refuses to get “bogged down” by his past. “I’ve to continue doing work, and putting up a fight. I want to fight and be the best actor I can be and connect with people,” says Arjun, as he talks about career, setbacks, and personal life etc. Excerpts from an interview:
It has been nearly eight years since you entered Bollywood. After facing varying degrees of successes and failures, has your outlook towards life changed?
In seven to eight years, a lot has transpired. I can write a book on these years as they’ve been quite a rollercoaster ride. Now, the understanding of life and even priorities have changed. The blacks and whites have become greys. Earlier, it was all about work, but now it’s also about finding the balance. I think I was going through too much [when he debuted]. I was very young, who had just lost a parent, and found himself thrusted in the limelight. Now, I have become more relaxed, mellow, and patient. But there was a phase in between when I had become very restless.
But you have maintained your sanity throughout…
I think it’s because my core values have always remained the same. Professionally, the last two years haven’t been great, and I have learnt a lot. But kabhi kuch paane ke liye kuch khona padta hai. I’d say I have gained two sisters [Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor] in the last two years and maybe, lost a Friday or two in the process. But I’ll fight back and I will win those, too (smiles).
Work-wise, you are readying for the release of your first historical, Panipat. Excited?
I told Ashu sir [Ashutosh Gowariker; director] the other day that normally, such great reactions don’t come for trailers. I got many calls and messages from the industry friends, well-wishers, and other people. I feel, you have to work silently and make sure that the film is portrayed in the right way. So, full credit goes to Ashu sir that he has managed to pull off a film that looks like a cinematic experience. It’s a nice feeling that as an actor, all your hard work is worth it.
Of late, there have been quite a few historicals being made in Bollywood. Are you, in any way, anxious about comparisons?
I can’t stop people from comparing. We were aware when we were making the film, that Bajirao’s son Shamsher Bahadur fought this battle. This is a story just 20 years ahead of Bajirao’s regime. But they are two different stories, so you can’t be so worried about the comparisons and not make the film. By that logic, after Uri, we should not make any more war films. The Dhoni biopic was very good. But does it mean that we won’t attempt a biopic of say, Yuvraj Singh? People watch a film for what it stands for. Agar film aur kahaani mein dum hai toh aap comparisons se aage chale jaaoge. But thanks to comparisons, our film is only getting publicity. So, I am like, ‘aapne Baba [Ranveer Singh] ki Bajirao Mastani dekh li. Ab Panipat bhi dekho (laughs).’
Your last two films didn’t do well. And plus, Panipat looks like a big-budgeted film. Does all of it put pressure on you?
Success and failures are a part-and-parcel of this profession. Every actor goes through ups and downs. The true sign of a star is when you survive the failures and rise to the occasion. Failures can’t bog me down. As for budgets, it’s not just in my hand. Panipat needed a certain scale. I take tremendous pride in the fact that I have seen to it, to some degree, that my films are profit-centric. But as an actor, at some point, I have to leave behind that awareness. I can’t let that be the deciding factor when I pick films. All kinds of films need to be made. But now, there is an obsession with numbers, and we can’t fight it. As an actor, I’d like the first step to be making a good film, and seeing where the journey takes us.
Panipat is your first big historical film. What was your first reaction, especially since a few historicals have worked very well of late?
Honestly, before I heard the script, I didn’t know about the Third Battle of Panipat. I just knew that there was a battle of Panipat. As soon as I got done with the narration, I felt this is the story that everyone needs to know about. The Battle has been put in two-three pages of our history books. But it’s the first war where we stopped outsiders/invaders from coming into India. It’s a true patriotic film since the vision of Sadashivrao Bhau, whom I play, was of one united Indian Army standing in front of Ahmed Shah Abdali. I was very intrigued when Ashu sir told me that he wants me to play a Peshwa in the film. So, I had asked him if he feels that I will look convincing as a bald guy. To which, he said that he had done his share of R&D.
You are literally face-to-face with Sanjay Dutt in the film…
I remember Ashu sir telling me, "Arjun, Sadashiv Rao has to be a ‘man’." And when I asked "why", he said that I have to face someone like Sanjay Dutt who will play Ahmed Shah Abdali. At that point, I was like, "wow, now this is tricky." To stand in front of Sanjay Dutt, I can’t be boyish and regular. I have to create a certain personality in the structure of Sadashivrao Bhau. That gave me a sense of responsibility and also excitement and nervousness, everything put together.
Along with all the accolades, vis-à-vis your outing in Panipat as a Maratha warrior, there have also been memes and trolls at work from day one. What’s your take?
See, I myself have a great sense of humour. As for this film, I feel that the character that I portray, lived in the history, and is a martyr of our country. So, it’s in a bit of bad taste when as Indians, we make so much fun of something that we forget and lose perspective of who we are talking about. That line must be maintained. That is my big disappointment. I feel thoda zyaada hi gir gaye iss chakkar mein. Some people got carried away. I also feel that the world is becoming a little bitter and negative kind of a place, and so everyone looks to vent out. I feel like giving jadoo ki jhappis to everyone (laughs).
We have heard that many of your industry friends, including Ranveer Singh had great things to say to you after seeing the trailer…
Yes, Ranveer spoke to me the after trailer came out. In fact, after the song, ‘Mann mein Shiva’ was out, he also sent me a voice note singing the song. We both have that kind of camaraderie. If we like something, we react since we are positive to each other’s works. That way, Varun [Dhawan] was the first to call me followed by Rohit [Dhawan]. Then, I got a message from Ranbir [Kapoor] and then, a bunch of directors, producers and others. We are all aware of what we all are doing and we wish well for one another. I think it’s well established by now that there’s a true, unspoken friendship between us, which goes beyond box office and Fridays.
Of late, your personal life [vis-à-vis dating Malaika Arora] has been in news. You must be quite used to it by now?
My personal life has been making news since the day I became an actor. But as long as it’s all a part of respectful conversation, and not vindictive or negative, it’s okay. It’s a reality, which is not hidden but it is private. I feel the media has given that much respect, and we, too, have reciprocated in the sense that we aren’t hiding anything. I have been through too many ups and downs, and phases. But now, there is a sense of stability. And I believe that will help me be a new and better man. Marriage, though, isn’t something that’s crossed my mind yet. And if it happens, I wouldn’t be hiding it.
A few days back, you posted, on social media, a letter that you had written to your mother [late Mona Kapoor] as a kid…
Yes, and somebody asked me, ‘is it because you’re lonely?’ And I said ‘no, it’s because I am incomplete without her.’ You always remember your loved ones when something bad happens but when something good happens – like when Panipat’s trailer came out – I wanted to show it to mum. But regardless of whether I get good reactions or when I get trolled, I can’t share anything with her. Whether it’s starting a new film, featuring in 14 films within a span of seven or eight years, or working with Nikkhil [Advani] sir, who I was an assistant with, I can’t share anything with my mum. Maybe, these are small things and wouldn’t matter to a common man, but you want to share it with your family as these are big tick marks off your bucket list, in life.
Arjun Kapoor to light up Bandra-Worli Sea Link in red
7:56 AM
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 19, 2019)
Arjun Kapoor has been lending his name to important causes like the ‘Girl Rising’ initiative, where he promoted a campaign for the education of young girls, or conserving the environment by becoming the face of the World Wide Nature Fund four years ago. He is especially all-heart when it comes to the cause of cancer, as he lost his mother Mona Shourie Kapoor to the dreaded disease. Now, the actor has come forward to support children who are battling the ailment.
September 22 is World Rose Day, which is observed worldwide as a gesture to bring happiness to the lives of cancer patients, the India’s Most Wanted star will make it special by illuminating Mumbai’s iconic Bandra-Worli Sea Link in red, that is, the entire stretch will beam with crimson lights. This is in collaboration with the Cancer Patients Aid Association, where he will spend time with young patients. As part of the event, he will hand over roses and gifts to the kids who will join him for this occasion.
“It is a cause that’s extremely close to me for very personal reasons. I will do whatever it takes to create awareness about cancer, support as many who are affected by it and try and tell as many that only our spirit can make us fight this disease. I’m looking forward to meeting these little bravehearts who are battling cancer with a smile. Their courage is inspiring and heartbreaking,” says Arjun.
Despite what I’ve seen I have faith that marriage is good-Arjun Kapoor
8:25 AM
Actor Arjun Kapoor on his difficult childhood and why he decided to begin again
Anuradha Choudhary (TIMES LIFE; August 18, 2019)
Professionally, do you believe you are on the right track now?
I will not lie. My last few Fridays have been a reality check. I take responsibility without saying, mujhse galti ho gayi. It’s an introspective responsibility. I’ve analysed it. I’d like to believe I’m at a good point considering the kind of work I’m chasing. But that does not mean I’m comfortable and relaxed. My aspiration is way higher. I want to be able to carry films on my shoulders with ease.
When you see your colleagues giving 100-crore hits, does it make you insecure?
I’m not an insecure person. I’m a collaborative person. Yes, you have moments of insecurity where you wish you were doing better. That’s natural. But by wishing others ill, you cannot do well. Insecurity should drive you to do better — improve the way you look, the way you think, your performance — rather than leave you bitter.
You’ve said in the past few years, you haven’t looked your best. Why?
I’m capable of looking better. I have to be honest with myself and with the audience. They are paying 500 rupees to watch me. They expect me to look the way I looked when I started out. But I’ve had health issues I don’t talk about. I had a slightly obese childhood (Smiles). Slight is an understatement. That comes with its own ailments. I battle with them constantly. Today, I’m back to feeling my best. I’ve lost all the excess weight. I’m shooting a film where I’m bald and my director is happy with the way I’m looking. I believe I look like a warrior. There’s a certain physicality that the role needed. I was able to achieve that.
Coming to your personal life, what made you come out in the open about your relationship with Malaika Arora?
We’ve come out because we feel the media has given us dignity. There’s a certain understanding that the media has displayed. They have been respectful, kind, honest and decent about it. That’s why I felt comfortable. You recoil when there’s a certain gandagi that comes with the territory. When people purposely irk you by saying, writing or asking things. There hasn’t been any of that. As far as the paps are concerned, we give them photos when walking in and out of a place. We talk to them. There’s a certain ease. I told them: ‘Please don’t sit under the house and make it seem like we’re hiding when we’re not’. I don’t want my neighbours to be disturbed. I don’t want her neighbours to be disturbed. We’re not doing anything wrong. I don’t want the story being conveyed that we’re hiding, when we’re not. They understood that.
Are you getting married?
I’m not getting married. I understand why there are speculations. In my own house people ask, tu shaadi kab kar raha hai? It’s an organic Indian question. If you are with someone for even three days, the marriage question pops up. Shaadi karlo, tumhari umar ho gayi hai, abhi kitna sochoge? For most, in India, 33 is a great age to get married. But not for me. I still have time. If I’ve not hidden my relationship. Why will I hide my marriage yaar? Today, I have some stability in my life and if someone gives me happiness, my family won’t be against it
Are you waiting to get your sister Anshula married first?
That would be a nice organic thing to do. But it’s not so easy to pinpoint that. If she wants to, I’d be happy. If she says, ‘No, I want to wait for a bit’, I’d be okay with that too. She believes in the institution of marriage just as I do. Despite what we’ve seen in our lives, we both have faith that marriage is good. Let her make something out of herself. She’s focusing on her work right now. Hence, I’ve not had the marriage conversation with her (Smiles). Thanks for reminding me, I'll speak to her today.
Is Malaika okay with waiting?
If I could answer on her behalf… the thing is, we both have to still discover each other in a public space and enjoy the comfort of being a couple. We need that ease. We need to take our mind off this pressure of getting married. Sometimes, you just need to be in a relationship. You need to live it; you need to enjoy it for what it is, rather than what it should be according to people. We are at ease with each other. I guess it should be left at that without going into details.
How happy is your family with your relationship?
They are happy. That’s the reason I’ve been able to come out. There’s genuine happiness for me. I’ve been through hell. I’ve been through a roller-coaster... from the age of 10-11 till 33 today. My parents separated when I was around 11 years old. Today, I have some stability in my life and if someone gives me happiness, my family won’t be against it. I’m genuinely happy. That’s why a Friday at the box-office doesn’t decide my life.
How has your relationship with your dad, Boney Kapoor, evolved after Sridevi’s death?
It’s always been good. We haven’t had the need to pick up the pieces of our relationship. If it wasn’t that good, I wouldn’t have been able to take such a big leap of faith. But I guess, he’s emotionally closer to me today. He’s also trying to be a hands-on father. Not with me alone but with all the kids. He’s learnt to prioritise us along with work, which is nice. At 65-plus, being a friend to your child is not easy. But the fact that he wakes up and tries every day... I give him full marks for that. It’s going well so far. We have our moments. We have our difference of opinion in certain things. But that’s normal.
The way you stood by him when Sridevi passed away was truly commendable.
I just remembered my mother (the late Mona Kapoor) at that time. She loved my father and would have wanted me to be there with him. The byproduct of that is that I got to meet two girls (Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor), who are actually not so different from me. In life, you hold on to a lot of questions, there’s a lot of confusion, dilemma... you have so many things that are not answered. Then comes a moment where you just learn how to let go and begin anew. You think why carry the baggage? You are like, chodo yaar, let’s move ahead. Let’s start again. It wasn’t easy but it was the right thing to do.
The idea of 'giving' was something that my mother inculcated in us from when we were children-Anshula Kapoor
8:56 AM
Boney Kapoor's daughter, Anshula Kapoor, on merging charity and fandom with her startup, and why she's better off leading a quasi-celeb life
Anju Maskeri (MID-DAY; August 4, 2019)
She hails from a family that has rarely shied away from the camera, but Anshula Kapoor, daughter of Bollywood producer Boney Kapoor, is the black sheep in the clan. Her only request when we meet on a damp evening in Andheri is that we drop the photo shoot. The statement is more beseeching than arrogant. "I'm usually the one hiding my face and ducking the paps when out with my family," she says. The moment the camera is shuttered, the defenses drop.
The 28-year-old has found a way to work around this quasi-celebrity life. Her new venture, Fankind that launched last week, has her operating behind the scenes, playing facilitator between fans and actors. The online fundraising platform allows the aam admi a chance to experience fun activities like playing paintball, baking and playing cricket with their favourite celebrity. Seventy per cent of the amount is funnelled into a charitable cause that the celebrity supports. Presently, actors Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt are on board. While Dhawan's campaign is in collaboration with Manavlok, a non-profit that supports Maharashtra's farmers, the moolah raised through Bhatt will be used for the cause of animals through Mumbai-based NGO, World For All. "First, you're supposed to pick an experience with a celebrity. Then, donate for a chance to win the experience. For every Rs 300 that the user transacts, the fan has a chance of meeting the celebrity. The selection is done purely through a third party randomiser. Even I'm not involved in that," she says. This is followed up with a screening process and background checks to preempt stalkers from coming on board.
In the last one year, Kapoor has lived the struggler's life; relentlessly chasing celebrities for appointments, waiting in hotel lobbies, making presentations, facing rejection even. It was all part of the challenge that comes with the launch a startup on a shoestring budget.
Before setting out on her own, Kapoor ensured she had an impressive resume to back up her venture. In 2012, the Barnad College graduate worked for Habitat for Humanity International for a project in Cluj, Romania, where she rehabilitated a local family by helping build their first home. On her return, she bagged a job with Google as a representative for AdWords. "I truly lucked out with that," she laughs. "It was an important role because I was working with their advertising arm which helps a brand make money. I had to be on the ball." Later, she joined Hrithik Roshan's sports brand, HRX, as an Operations Manager overseeing the organisational process. Like most entrepreneurs, it was the need to be your own boss that propelled her to float her own venture. "Last year, I took some time out, began networking and sought opinions, because I wasn't confident about the concept back then."
The startup is a product of the adulation that her family—including her—has received over the years. It's not uncommon for her to get cakes, poems and cards on her birthday from fan clubs dedicated to brother Arjun. "I just felt they needed to get something in return for all that love. The idea of 'giving' was something that my mother inculcated in us from when we were children."
Mona Shourie Kapoor, Boney Kapoor's first wife, succumbed to cancer in 2012, days before the release of Arjun's debut Ishaqzaade. The vacuum has been filled by Arjun, says Kapoor. "He is more of a paternal figure than a bro. Sometimes I'm mothering him, sometimes he is." At their home, their rooms are adjacent to each other, which means they can barge in whenever they feel like. While they discuss everything under the sun, each other's dating life is not one of them. But there has been no escaping the newsprint dedicated to Arjun and Malaika Arora's rumoured relationship. "He's six years older to me. We don't really discuss these things. It's awkward," she shrugs. With her step sisters, Janhvi and Khushi, she insists, 'they're in each other's life constantly'. "If you ask me, it's like any other sibling relationship. We go for movies, dinners and hang at each other's houses. And if we're busy, then we just text." What binds the family together is their collective love for sweets. "The rest of them hide it, I don't."
Curiously enough, Arjun is not part of the venture yet. Before pitching the idea to anybody else, she had bounced it off him but it was mutually decided that he stay out of it for now. "Before I approached my father, I wanted to have a solid plan in place because I didn't want him to think it's something frivolous."
He, after all, can be brutally honest with his opinion. "He can be a**l about something as small as a picture that we upload on Instagram. When we share it on our family WhatsApp group, he will comment on why the curtain in the background is not in place. He wants it to be perfect. He is more straightforward than Arjun bhaiyya. We, as a family, have no filter," she laughs.
For now, Arjun has been backing her up with all the support she needs. In fact, our interview is peppered with missed calls from him. "It's about a technical detail that needs to be fixed," she says, rushing out to take charge.
Even though I come from a broken home, I believe in marriage-Arjun Kapoor
8:06 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 7, 2019)
Arjun Kapoor has not been very vocal about his personal life, but in a recent chat with BT, the actor spoke about family, marriage plans and his relationship with Malaika Arora. Excerpts...
The fact that Malaika is older than you has been the talking point for trolls...I wouldn’t even want to speak about this and give it importance. It doesn’t matter to me, so I don’t want to justify anything.
While you haven’t spoken about your relationship, you didn’t try to hide it either…
I respect the fact that the media has been so respectful about our relationship. We are not hiding anything either. I am in a good personal and professional space. I hope it continues this way. I don’t want to go into the details right now. There has to be dignity in the way you conduct yourself in a relationship, and I want to maintain that. I would like to talk about it as time unfolds rather than jumping the gun. We have opened the doors to the world to know that we are together. When the time is right, I will go into details and speak about it.
Speculations about your marriage continue...
It’s people’s job to speculate and mine to clarify. Log shaadi ke baad takle hotey hain. Main shaadi ke dauran takla nahi hona chahta. (He’s shooting for a film, for which, he has shaved his head). I am not interested in getting married right now. I am 33 and marriage is not the be all and end all of a relationship. There’s more to discover and explore about each other.
Do you believe in marriage?
Even though I come from a broken home, I believe in marriage. I see a lot of happily married couples around. I believe it is a good option to have. But that doesn’t mean you can jump the gun and go straight to it. Life has to lead you to it. You have to discover things, enjoy the relationship’s ups and downs, and then see where it takes you.
Sonam (Kapoor) is married and so is Ranveer (Singh). So many celeb marriages happened in the past two years. Is there any peer pressure to tie the knot?
Peer pressure hota hai pehli drink peeney ke liye. Shaadi ke liye peer pressure nahi hota. That’s a teenage thing. When you are mature enough to take decisions on your own, peer pressure doesn’t matter. Nobody can ever tell me what to do. You need to feel these things from within. That’s the way it should be. Well-wishers can always tell you what they think. They are there to help you out, but at the end of the day, I know my family and friends have always been respectful of who I am as a person. They will always be supportive, but nobody ever tells me that you must do something because everybody else is doing it.
You spoke about coming from a broken home. The aftermath of a tragedy (Sridevi’s death) got your sister Anshula and you closer to Janhvi and Khushi. How would you describe the bond that you all share today?
We are still discovering each other. It’s not easy. It’s still work in progress. By the grace of God, people have been kind enough to have allowed us that space to grieve and come together, learn about each other. They are very good kids. I ideally wouldn’t have wished to meet them in these circumstances, but maybe we have to make the best out of the worst situation. The other day, Janhvi had come over for dinner. She felt bad that she wasn’t around for the release of my recent film. A year ago this relationship didn’t exist. It’s nice to have more people around you who support and encourage you and who you can share the smallest things of your life with. My dad feels happy that the four of us get along so well. It makes his life slightly simpler, even though he has to deal with most of it alone. At the end of the day, he has lost a partner.
We, as kids, can only support him. This has brought our entire family together, not just the four of us. Anil chachu, Sunita chachi, Sanjay, Maheep, Sonam, Rhea... it’s like we all have become extra protective of each other. A loss makes you realise how delicate and unpredictable life is, which is a reality.
You lost your mother (Mona Kapoor) early on. Who became your support system after that?
It has always been my sister Anshula. The silent support is sometimes more important than the vocal one. We didn’t have any support system except for each other at that point in time. I diverted my mind and attention to work, while Anshula took care of the house. I didn’t want Janhvi and Khushi to suffer the same way. I had my friends and family, but I didn’t engage with them enough. I signed five films and jumped into it. My friends, family, staff and father (though we didn’t live in the same home) did whatever they could for me at that point. I have relied on everyone in small ways. Knowing that they were around gave me courage.
As an actor, why would I want to get married when I am sporting a bald look?-Arjun Kapoor
8:11 AM
Arjun Kapoor on shedding baggage of being from a film family, why his Dibakar Banerjee film is delayed and reuniting with father Boney Kapoor
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 8, 2019)
Arjun Kapoor insists that we sit on chairs instead of the sofa so that he doesn’t slouch during the interview. And even though he is juggling the shoot of Ashutosh Gowariker’s Panipat with promotions for Raj Kumar Gupta’s India’s Most Wanted, he is visibly relaxed and ready to tackle questions. Excerpts:
From being a commercial film actor to playing an Intelligence Bureau officer in a Raj Kumar Gupta film… It has been quite an arc for you.I believe I have always had the knack of juggling all kinds of films. Maybe I am known as a commercial entertainer partly because I am from a film family that has made big films for years. It’s a pre-conceived notion that is difficult to shake off, so I embrace it. That said, I think India’s Most Wanted is today’s commercial film.
Some of your films haven’t fared well…
You live and learn. You see potential in something and go for it. Sometimes it goes beyond expectations and sometimes it falls short. But you can’t throw up your hands and refuse to fulfil a commitment. You ride on your instinct, give it your all and leave it to the audience. No actor is above a Friday. Everyone must auto-correct and analyse because the audience evolves faster than you.
The cinema one grows up watching might restrict their thought process and stepping out of it to understand the new kind of cinema may take time.
Did you also go through this transition?
I signed Mubarakan and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar around the same time. I wanted to go from Anees Bazmee to a Dibakar Banerjee. But today, when I am offered a film, I know that I don’t have to fret over whether the audience will get it. They are more cinema-educated. When they are watching a Badla or a Uri, it’s not for naach-gaana or the cast. It’s because they are genuinely interested in the story.
Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar has been stuck for a long time. Producer Aditya Chopra is reportedly not too happy with the final edit.
You’ll have to ask Adi (about it), but he is impossible to reach (laughs). It is a unique multiplex film and we need a window of opportunity to release it. Namaste England was ready in the time Dibakar sir was cutting the film. So, we pushed it for later as we needed a gap between the two films. Then, Luka Chuppi and Sonchiriya happened to be opening on the same date that we had decided for Sandeep Aur Pinky... Why would you want to get into a three-way tussle? The film is ready and it’s just a matter of releasing it at the right time.
But too many delays also run the risk of losing the buzz among movie-goers…
Dibakar sir is a master craftsman. And if a director like him has taken time to edit a film, there must be a reason behind it.
What was it like prepping for India’s Most Wanted?
I am playing an Intelligence Bureau officer in the film and because of Raj sir, I got the opportunity to meet certain people who work within the community and listen to their stories. During the readings and research, I realised that in their head, these people are just doing their job. You have to be the most selfless person in the world to be in that head-space.
You and your sister Anshula are the most prolific sharers of childhood pictures on the social media. Just how big is your family album?
(Smiles) That’s the way we relive memories of our mother (Mona Kapoor). She used to save pictures from all our birthday parties and other important moments. By the time she passed away, she had a drawer full of albums dating back to the 1970s. Anshula is a replica of her and takes care of these things now. We live in the same house and take each other for granted, not saying in person how much we love each other, but we use the social media for it.
How has your equation with Janhvi and Khushi evolved?
I am still discovering them, and I don’t like to speak too much about it as mujhe lagta hai ke nazar na lage. We were brought together by the worst of circumstances but we’re trying to make the best of it. There is a long way to go before I can truly say that I know them inside out. We have a WhatsApp group that keeps us connected all the time.
Buzz is, you are doing a film with your father, Boney Kapoor. Is it No Entry Mein Entry?
Dad is about to start Ajay (Devgn) sir’s film and has just completed another one with Ajith sir down South. He is focused on that for now. I am hoping we will have something by the year-end to start in 2020.
It must have been difficult as a leading man to shave your head for Panipat.
Ashutosh (Gowariker, director) sir gave me enough time to think about it. And I felt excited about the look. Sometimes, you need to come out of your comfort zone to discover new things that work.
You’ve recently rallied behind leading ladies getting equal footing in film credits alongside male colleagues.
Women have always been hardworking, important and relevant to our films, so why not give them the respect they deserve? It only adds value to my name if Panipat is known as Kriti’s (Sanon, co-star) film.
And it’s about time that leading men spoke up for pay parity.
Pay parity should be all about proving yourself at the box-office and not about gender. If you are bringing footfalls to the theatre, you should be paid a certain amount of money.
While you and Malaika Arora are yet to comment on your relationship status, reports of a wedding have only intensified this year.
Usually men lose hair after getting married and not before (laughs). To put things in perspective, as an actor, why would I want to get married when I am sporting a bald look? There would be pictures of it everywhere! On a serious note, I am not getting married. I have not hidden anything from anyone and I think my personal life deserves respect and dignity for that.
But you are happy to be in love?
I am happy and that is all that matters. I don’t want to add more adjectives to it. My personal and professional lives help me sleep well at night and I would like it to remain like that.
Remebering Sridevi: From Chaalbaaz, Chandni to Lamhe, a tribute to the original Hawa Hawai
10:32 AM
Khalid Mohamed (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 26, 2018)
SRIDEVI 1963-2018
No she couldn’t be saying this, “I’m scared of tomatoes. I couldn’t sleep all night.” “Exxxxcuse me,” I jumped. “Did I hear you right?” I had. By way of explaining her groggy look in a suite of the now-defunct Sea Rock Hotel in Bandra, she had elaborated, “Not real tomatoes but round, red monsters in a horror movie I was watching on video last night.”
For evidence, she pointed at the culpable video cassette of The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, a 1978 Hollywood Z-grader. Its jacket sleeve bragged at length, “They’ll beat you, bash you, squish you, mash you, chew you up for brunch!”
To date, I believe that was a quintessential Sridevi moment. She could be funny, shuddery, sweet and vulnerable. I was converted on the spot, forgetting the most-wanted heroines on the scene then. Here was a star-actress, on the cusp of striking gold in made-in-Mumbai cinema. She couldn’t speak a word of Hindi. Who cares? Her Bambi eyes, the pert nose, the tallish frame and citrus fruity lips spoke for themselves. Besides I’d never seen any woman, on or off screen, with such a perfectly timed split-second fear.
She spoke in staccato English, then. Her sister, Srilatha, entered to reprimand her, “Speak properly. Discuss career” and then darted an instruction to me, “Be quick. She is very tired, so many sittings for story sessions.” Although her first outing Solva Sawan (1979), in the company of Amol Palekar, had laid an egg at the ticket windows, Sridevi continued to be coveted by the Bollywood sovereignty.
An appointment with Salim Khan, lately gone solo as a scriptwriter, was within five minutes. Someone knocked, he was already at the door. Entered the ever genial Khan saab. On sighting me, he retreated charitably, saying that he would return in an hour. “Carry on, carry on,” the writer smiled, advising the sisters, “Yeh press log can be very touchy. Don’t get on their wrong side.”
No way, in the case of Sridevi, never. She was the right side of every coin, of every film for years. Although many of her movies could be yuckfests, she was capable of transforming the absurd to the delectable. She was our very own Alice in Wonderland, Delilah, Eliza Doolittle and even the vengeful Snake Lady rolled-‘n’- rocked into one.
Comic timing of a Swiss clock’s precision, high drama marinated and crisped, romance as seductive as a touch of velvet, she was the stuff that movie dreams are made of. If this verges on the hyperbolic so be it, you come across a Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan — abbreviated to Sridevi — once in a lifetime.
From a child wunderkind and girlwoman of the 1970s to an empress of all she surveyed in the ’80s and the early ’90s, her power was on high voltage — this at a juncture when stardom could be so iffy that actresses couldn’t expect to stay hot much longer than a Himalayan hilltown’s summer.
The Salim Khan-scribed Ghungroo (1983) didn’t happen. Smita Patil was pencilled in instead. Next: Dev Anand called me over for a dinner at his Juhu cottage, he’d called in “a girl from the south”, as he said, for Sachche ka Bol Baala (1989). At the end of the evening he wasn’t sure, he was more captivated by Meenakshi Seshadri.
As for our Sri, fortuitously lost opportunities were to her advantage.
She had already been anointed Thunder Thighs, courtesy the turmeric
curry Himmatwala (1983), a huge hit. In the same vein, Mawaali (1983)
and Tohfa (1984) saw her go jiggy as if her life depended on her fluid
bodyspeak.No more sleepless nights, Sridevi had made it. She had checked out of the suite to jet-hop between her Chennai home and the Mumbai studios. Super duper at those now retro-chic hippy-hippy shakes, uncannily enough she wasn’t trained in any dance form (kathak is the preferred option).
Indeed, her thighs weren’t her fortune though. Would the media coin such a sexist term for an actress today? Not likely, without being troll-bashed. Hers was an angelic, cherubic face, reminiscent of Hollywood’s wit girl Claudette Colbert (It Happened One Night).
Unlike the cultivated dialogue throw of her peers, Sridevi’s voice had a child-like, sing-song lilt which dubbing artistes — including yesteryear’s Baby Naaz — would replicate to the hilt for the initial line-up of Jeetendra-Sridevi pots-and-pan pourris.
The masses and the mandarins rarely agree. They did for Sridevi, reaching the consensus that her amnesiac act in Sadma (1983) has been grossly undervalued. The classic breakthrough arrived with the iconic Hawa Hawai breeze of a boogie in Mr India (1987). Her fun-time performance had a wow effect, prompting its director Shekhar Kapur to open his eyes wide with astonishment.
As the slithering Nagina (1986), the beer-swigging judwaa half of ChaalBaaz (1989), topped by Yash Chopra’s white Amrapali-costumed Chandni (1989) as well as the lovelorn Lolita of Lamhe (1991), these are just some of our most cherished Sridevi-naamas.
Of course, everyone has his or her most memorable Sri acts. Mine happens to be the double role whammy she pulled off in Khuda Gawah (1992). At one point, her face switches off, she goes stonecold dead in sync with the scene’s requirement. Now that’s a one-of-a-kind feat in the Bollywood domain where it’s still not accepted that to do less is more.
Call it personal if you will, I treasure her tremendously in Gumrah (1993), in which she’s accused of couriering drugs, a plot premise cadged from Bangkok Hilton. The late Yash Johar had flown in a batch of journos to cover the shoot in Mauritius. Buzz was, Sridevi had been approached by Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks Studio, an offer which couldn’t be refused. So why the no? To that she had with a straight-face, “He wasn’t directing it himself. I wasn’t convinced by the script. So what to do? I had to say no to Spielbergji.” How I loved the ji, chats on or off the record, she was so politically on-the-button.
When The Illustrated Weekly of India had splashed Madhuri Dixit on the cover with the headline Out Sridevi In Madhuri Dixit, she was conjectured to be upset. Coincidentally, the editorial team of Filmfare were planning a cover with Sridevi.
She would be clicked, her hair style alluding to Michael Jackson’s ringlets, the headline would read Dangerous, hinting that Sridevi could combat any threat. The next day she called to plead, “Can you use another picture? I don’t want to get into a controversy.” Take it easy policy, I replied. When the cover hit the stands, she sent over a tree-sized bunch of roses. I’d like to think, she was quite chuffed with the retort to La Dixit. It was our retort, not hers.
She wouldn’t open a window on certain aspects of her life. She had married Mithun Chakraborty, it was reported by Stardust, soon after completing the shoot of Jaag Utha Insan (1984). A marriage certificate to prove that had been published in a magazine. Subsequently, the two had divorced. The slightest probe on the subject would draw a plaintive, “Why get into all this, please?”
All of a sudden one evening, at an event manager’s house in Chennai, she had announced that she was pregnant. Producer Boney Kapoor and Sridevi married. His first wife, Mona, was naturally distraught. A taboo area. She wouldn’t go there, least of all with a journalist.
She wouldn’t be queasy about the fact that her attempt at a TV serial, Malini Iyer (2004-‘05), hadn’t worked. She was cool with the word ‘comeback’ when she chose to return after a 15-year lay-off with English Vinglish (2012) and then Mom (2017).
Yet, there’s still so much I’d like to know about my Abhinetri No. 1. About her lost childhood since she started acting at the age of four. About her pairing with the way more senior NT Rama Rao, MG Ramachandran, A Nageswara Rao and Sivaji Ganesan. About her equations with her parents, sister and brother Sateesh. About why she had started looking anorexic. About issues, if any, about ageing, as we all do.
Perhaps it’s just as well that I could never bring up these questions. Her private life was her own. That has to be respected, no matter the volume of public curiosity.
What more can I say? Except, truly here was an extraordinary woman and actress, who has taken the most priceless piece of us — our hearts — with her today.
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 miss mom every single moment-Arjun Kapoor
9:59 PM
Arjun Kapoor on the late Mona Shourie Kapoor's fourth death anniversary
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 26, 2016)
It has been four years since Arjun Kapoor made a smashing Bollywood
debut with Habib Faisal's Ishaqzaade on May 11, 2012. His mother, Mona
Shourie Kapoor, whose dream was to watch her son become a successful
actor and one day, share screen space with Amitabh Bachchan, succumbed
to cancer on March 25 that same year. After her separation from her
producer-husband Boney Kapoor, Mona went on to take over as CEO of
Future Studios and raise her children - Arjun and Anshula. "The last four years have had their shares of ups and downs. She left a void in my life that I've been unable to fill, choosing instead to immerse myself in work. There are things I no longer take for granted. I get up, go out there and live my life. It can be extremely lonely at times," Arjun admits.
His fans on the social media, who proudly call themselves Arjunzaades, pointed out that the 30-year-old actor managed to achieve his mother's biggest dream before her fourth death anniversary. "@SrBachchan I sincerely hope that my son too does a film with you in the future. Currently he is making his debut as an actor... (sic)," Mona tweeted on January 27, 2012. And for his upcoming release, R Balki's Ki And Ka, Arjun filmed with Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan.
"I had assisted on Kal Ho Na Ho, so I knew Jayaji. But it was different with Amitji, which was a good thing because my character Kabir was meeting "The legendary superstar Amitabh Bachchan" in the film and was supposed to be nervous," Arjun smiles. The actor has a personal note written by the Big B, locked away in a safe. "He's so warm and welcoming. I felt so content after working with him. No one from my generation of actors (Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra) has had shot for a film with him yet!"
The actor recalls how his mother always let him and his sister find their individuality. "The loss of a parent is hard to overcome. I miss my mom every single moment of the day. Every time a mother brings her son to me for an autograph, I feel my loss..." he confides.
Arjun confesses that while filmmaker Aditya Chopra is his go-to person for all things professional, he has a dozen friends and close family guiding him personally. "My sister (Anshula Kapoor) is the most selfless person. She always puts me before herself. I often take her for granted and she lets me. She has a hold on me," the actor points out, adding that his close friends, Kunal Rawal, Rohit Dhawan, Abhishek Varman and Aarti Shetty, among others, have seen him through thick and thin. "I love my dad a lot, we talk all the time. But we're exactly the same people emotionally so it's not too wise to ask him for advice," Arjun signs off.
I might look like mum, my behaviour and personality is like my dad-Arjun Kapoor
8:08 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; December 30, 2014)
Boney Kapoor, 59, has
been making films for the past 39 years, ever since he was 22.
He has always been straightforward, honest and sincere, who has and will
always put his family before everything else in his life. He is
passionate about cinema, but can get indulgent in his execution. He has
never been selfish and has always played a big brother to others,
assuming that he could always take care of himself come what may. While
he is emotional and has always made decisions from his heart, he
wants his son Arjun to learn from his mistakes and balance his heart
with his mind in his life. The father and son duo give their first joint
interview ever to Bombay Times. Excerpts:
CONVERSATION WITH ARJUN KAPOOR ABOUT HIS FATHER:
Talk about your dad?
As a father, he has always had implicit trust in me and has allowed me to make my decisions, which is why I am here today. He respects that I have an opinion. He knows that I am young and hotblooded and pretty much how he must have been when he was my age. I know that I represent him and would like to follow the right path. Unfortunately, we have not spent too much time together to have too much conversation about this, but I know that if I do something wrong, he will pick up the phone and shout at me. So if he has not shouted at me so far, I have done things the right way. He has always been patient with me. I only remember once during the promotion of Wanted, he had raised his voice at me as I had made a mistake. But if he has to think twice before shouting at me, then there is something wrong with our relationship. I would love him to correct me. I never needed to ask anything in life so far as my parents were concerned. There was always sufficient or more for me. I have lived a very good life regardless of my father's ups and downs or the personal ups and downs that my parents encountered. That never affected my lifestyle or the way we have enjoyed our growing up years. Maybe we had to encounter his stress just looking at him, knowing what he was going through and hearing about it. But he never let it out on us or used it as a weapon to not be a father for us. The only thing he could not give us as much, was time and I know that unfortunately, you cannot get time back. But now, being an actor, I understand in this profession, your time is not always yours. And he is that kind of person that even whether he is going through his ups or downs, he wants to do lots for other people. Also, I always loved what he did. It's not that if he could not give me time, he was faffing. I would be on set with him, would go to his office to meet him, would travel with him, so we found a middle path. I was always enamoured by cinema and always wanted to be part of what he was doing.
How does it feel to have worked in a film that is produced by him?
Today, having done a film with him, life has come a full circle for me. If something was to happen to me, there would be a sense of content that one of the desires I had in my bucket list has been achieved. I would like it to happen as often as possible, but it is something I wanted should happen very correctly and organically and not that this producer is making a film for his son.
He has a reputation of being very generous but indulgent as a producer?
If you ask anyone, they will tell you, 'Ask Boney Kapoor for an Ambassador and he will send you a Mercedes Benz.' I wanted him to enjoy making Tevar without pulling a Boney Kapoor, though he has pulled a Boney Kapoor even in Tevar. He shot the Radha Nachegi song as if it was a film. I wish I could curtail that but I could not. But he does not spend the money to prove a point. Sonakshi is a big star and he was trying to show her in a way that she has not been shot before. But I think I am pragmatic when it comes to filmmaking. We come from different generations in the way films are made. This is the fastest film my father has made, otherwise he would shoot his films for a year. We made this in six months.
What do you look upto him for?
He is very selfless and very emotional in ways that I feel I must not be in this profession. He has been there for other people more than himself and more than they have been there for him. He gives a lot, is fearless and has battled all his demons and his ups and downs all by himself, always wearing a smile on his face. When you meet him, you will never get a sense that he is carrying a burden, whatever it might be. That's a big quality. He has always taken the responsibility and the onus of whatever his choices were. And I can be proud that I am his son and I wish I can become like that, holding my head high regard less of the ups and downs of life. I would like to believe that I am as level-headed as him and as emotional as him, but I am a little more detached when it comes to decision-making in the profession, as he was not like that and I have learnt from that. He has made a lot of decisions keeping emotions over mind and I have seen that lead to a lot of heartache.
Did your mother ever want you to work with your father?
On the first day of shooting Tevar, there was a simple scene where my mother in the film (played by Deepti Naval), is saying to me, 'Sambhal ke jaana, it's cold outside' as I am leaving the city. That day I just spoke to my mom for a few seconds, as I knew that working with my father is something she always wanted me to do. And she always knew that I would and that it was inevitable that we would work together. She knew him better than anyone else, from a time when he worked with Anil chachu through his trajectory and made opulent films like Mr India. My mum was with him in those phases, so she knew how he is as a filmmaker and she knew that I am his son. I wanted to ensure that my dad enjoyed making Tevar but that he did not make the mistake of going overboard.
Who do you love the most in the world?
My sister Anshula. She is the one who gives me the drive to do things. I have good and bad days. I know dad is there and he has a family also, we are all working in the same profession and that gives me a lot of comfort, but she is the one person who has no expectations from me. She is my grounding factor and I see mom in her. She has learnt from mom, is very honest and has her ideologies. Dad and me are sometimes diplomatic and politically correct, as our profession makes us that. There needs to be someone honest in your life. I am like that with dad. While I was growing up, I was not that honest with him, but as I have got some confidence now, my equation with him has evolved into being honest with him and he sometimes gets irritated with me for that. Today, there is a lot of honesty and transparency between us. He is my father and I am his son. I am 29 and I understand that just because he was not around does not mean that he has not seen me grow up. And while I might look like mum, my behaviour and personality is like my dad. One of the biggest compliments I have got in my life is how I am as respectful as him towards others.
Are there things about you your father wants to correct?
He feels that my shyness is looked at as my arrogance and he would like to change that. He is very warm when he enters a party or a room and he always makes people comfortable. Apparently, I tend to make other people uncomfortable due to my silence. My face is deadpan and it constantly gets assumed that I am thinking about something, though I do think a lot. He always tells me that when you enter a place, you must make everyone warm. You can have a bad day, but they don't need to suffer on account of you. Dad is very patient, I tend to get impatient being young and that's the one thing I would love to learn from him. I also think too much and procrastinate my decisions a lot. He has the ability to keep people engrossed when he talks and listen, when others talk. But since I am so similar to him, with time, I will become more like him in this too.
CONVERSATION WITH BONEY KAPOOR ABOUT HIS SON ARJUN:
Do you feel that he did not get enough of you as a father?
I don't think so. I was always there for him. I am sure he realises or he will realise that these are things that no one has 100% control over and there are situations in a man's life, where there is a possibility of a swing for various reasons. I have always tried to give him the best. I have always been there emotionally in whatever he needs and requires. I don't think I have failed in any manner. Definitely we have not stayed together after a certain period, but even when I had separated, there were school days when he wanted me there, like for his cricket matches, and I would always be there. He loves me a lot and has never made me feel unwanted. He sees the same emotion from me too.
What is Arjun for you?
Arjun for me is my world. He is one of the major sources for me to have had the drive to do films the way I did them. Every minute of my life I pray that he prospers, does the right things and does well. His problem is that he is constantly thinking, in fact over thinking which is why he is sometimes anxious. I want him to have more warmth as that will make him more of a charmer. He is very bright, he is there. He can sometimes be a little stubborn and then you need to reason out with him.
He is a very focussed person and he has a lot of determination and will power which is why he is in the shape he is in and while he may be anxious at times, he is not insecure at all. He has self-belief which is what I like in him. He too, like me, can get carried away , but he has the sense to correct himself. I see him as a good mix of Dharmendra and Salman. He can carry any role. You don't need to write a script according to his personality. You write a good script and he will fit into it. Arjun may not be as good-looking as Salman and Dharamji, but he has a charm that has not been exploited so far.
Have you thought of getting Arjun married?
Yes, of late I have started thinking. I feel he is professionally settled and I would like him to be settled in personal life too.
Who is your emotional anchor?
My wife Sri (Sridevi). And to an extent now that Arjun has grown up, I tend to depend on him too.
CONVERSATION WITH ARJUN KAPOOR ABOUT HIS FATHER:
Talk about your dad?
As a father, he has always had implicit trust in me and has allowed me to make my decisions, which is why I am here today. He respects that I have an opinion. He knows that I am young and hotblooded and pretty much how he must have been when he was my age. I know that I represent him and would like to follow the right path. Unfortunately, we have not spent too much time together to have too much conversation about this, but I know that if I do something wrong, he will pick up the phone and shout at me. So if he has not shouted at me so far, I have done things the right way. He has always been patient with me. I only remember once during the promotion of Wanted, he had raised his voice at me as I had made a mistake. But if he has to think twice before shouting at me, then there is something wrong with our relationship. I would love him to correct me. I never needed to ask anything in life so far as my parents were concerned. There was always sufficient or more for me. I have lived a very good life regardless of my father's ups and downs or the personal ups and downs that my parents encountered. That never affected my lifestyle or the way we have enjoyed our growing up years. Maybe we had to encounter his stress just looking at him, knowing what he was going through and hearing about it. But he never let it out on us or used it as a weapon to not be a father for us. The only thing he could not give us as much, was time and I know that unfortunately, you cannot get time back. But now, being an actor, I understand in this profession, your time is not always yours. And he is that kind of person that even whether he is going through his ups or downs, he wants to do lots for other people. Also, I always loved what he did. It's not that if he could not give me time, he was faffing. I would be on set with him, would go to his office to meet him, would travel with him, so we found a middle path. I was always enamoured by cinema and always wanted to be part of what he was doing.
How does it feel to have worked in a film that is produced by him?
Today, having done a film with him, life has come a full circle for me. If something was to happen to me, there would be a sense of content that one of the desires I had in my bucket list has been achieved. I would like it to happen as often as possible, but it is something I wanted should happen very correctly and organically and not that this producer is making a film for his son.
He has a reputation of being very generous but indulgent as a producer?
If you ask anyone, they will tell you, 'Ask Boney Kapoor for an Ambassador and he will send you a Mercedes Benz.' I wanted him to enjoy making Tevar without pulling a Boney Kapoor, though he has pulled a Boney Kapoor even in Tevar. He shot the Radha Nachegi song as if it was a film. I wish I could curtail that but I could not. But he does not spend the money to prove a point. Sonakshi is a big star and he was trying to show her in a way that she has not been shot before. But I think I am pragmatic when it comes to filmmaking. We come from different generations in the way films are made. This is the fastest film my father has made, otherwise he would shoot his films for a year. We made this in six months.
What do you look upto him for?
He is very selfless and very emotional in ways that I feel I must not be in this profession. He has been there for other people more than himself and more than they have been there for him. He gives a lot, is fearless and has battled all his demons and his ups and downs all by himself, always wearing a smile on his face. When you meet him, you will never get a sense that he is carrying a burden, whatever it might be. That's a big quality. He has always taken the responsibility and the onus of whatever his choices were. And I can be proud that I am his son and I wish I can become like that, holding my head high regard less of the ups and downs of life. I would like to believe that I am as level-headed as him and as emotional as him, but I am a little more detached when it comes to decision-making in the profession, as he was not like that and I have learnt from that. He has made a lot of decisions keeping emotions over mind and I have seen that lead to a lot of heartache.
Did your mother ever want you to work with your father?
On the first day of shooting Tevar, there was a simple scene where my mother in the film (played by Deepti Naval), is saying to me, 'Sambhal ke jaana, it's cold outside' as I am leaving the city. That day I just spoke to my mom for a few seconds, as I knew that working with my father is something she always wanted me to do. And she always knew that I would and that it was inevitable that we would work together. She knew him better than anyone else, from a time when he worked with Anil chachu through his trajectory and made opulent films like Mr India. My mum was with him in those phases, so she knew how he is as a filmmaker and she knew that I am his son. I wanted to ensure that my dad enjoyed making Tevar but that he did not make the mistake of going overboard.
Who do you love the most in the world?
My sister Anshula. She is the one who gives me the drive to do things. I have good and bad days. I know dad is there and he has a family also, we are all working in the same profession and that gives me a lot of comfort, but she is the one person who has no expectations from me. She is my grounding factor and I see mom in her. She has learnt from mom, is very honest and has her ideologies. Dad and me are sometimes diplomatic and politically correct, as our profession makes us that. There needs to be someone honest in your life. I am like that with dad. While I was growing up, I was not that honest with him, but as I have got some confidence now, my equation with him has evolved into being honest with him and he sometimes gets irritated with me for that. Today, there is a lot of honesty and transparency between us. He is my father and I am his son. I am 29 and I understand that just because he was not around does not mean that he has not seen me grow up. And while I might look like mum, my behaviour and personality is like my dad. One of the biggest compliments I have got in my life is how I am as respectful as him towards others.
Are there things about you your father wants to correct?
He feels that my shyness is looked at as my arrogance and he would like to change that. He is very warm when he enters a party or a room and he always makes people comfortable. Apparently, I tend to make other people uncomfortable due to my silence. My face is deadpan and it constantly gets assumed that I am thinking about something, though I do think a lot. He always tells me that when you enter a place, you must make everyone warm. You can have a bad day, but they don't need to suffer on account of you. Dad is very patient, I tend to get impatient being young and that's the one thing I would love to learn from him. I also think too much and procrastinate my decisions a lot. He has the ability to keep people engrossed when he talks and listen, when others talk. But since I am so similar to him, with time, I will become more like him in this too.
CONVERSATION WITH BONEY KAPOOR ABOUT HIS SON ARJUN:
Do you feel that he did not get enough of you as a father?
I don't think so. I was always there for him. I am sure he realises or he will realise that these are things that no one has 100% control over and there are situations in a man's life, where there is a possibility of a swing for various reasons. I have always tried to give him the best. I have always been there emotionally in whatever he needs and requires. I don't think I have failed in any manner. Definitely we have not stayed together after a certain period, but even when I had separated, there were school days when he wanted me there, like for his cricket matches, and I would always be there. He loves me a lot and has never made me feel unwanted. He sees the same emotion from me too.
What is Arjun for you?
Arjun for me is my world. He is one of the major sources for me to have had the drive to do films the way I did them. Every minute of my life I pray that he prospers, does the right things and does well. His problem is that he is constantly thinking, in fact over thinking which is why he is sometimes anxious. I want him to have more warmth as that will make him more of a charmer. He is very bright, he is there. He can sometimes be a little stubborn and then you need to reason out with him.
He is a very focussed person and he has a lot of determination and will power which is why he is in the shape he is in and while he may be anxious at times, he is not insecure at all. He has self-belief which is what I like in him. He too, like me, can get carried away , but he has the sense to correct himself. I see him as a good mix of Dharmendra and Salman. He can carry any role. You don't need to write a script according to his personality. You write a good script and he will fit into it. Arjun may not be as good-looking as Salman and Dharamji, but he has a charm that has not been exploited so far.
Have you thought of getting Arjun married?
Yes, of late I have started thinking. I feel he is professionally settled and I would like him to be settled in personal life too.
Who is your emotional anchor?
My wife Sri (Sridevi). And to an extent now that Arjun has grown up, I tend to depend on him too.
I used to fire Arjun the most for being fat-Sanjay Kapoor
8:37 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; December 28, 2014)
Sanjay Kapoor, 52, is the
only one in his family who is a graduate. When Boney Kapoor got
remarried to Sridevi, Sanjay looked after Arjun just as a father would
have. Even when Arjun's mother Mona cut off her communication with
Boney's family and moved out with her two children, Arjun and Anshula,
she shared a special bond with Sanjay. In continuation of his interview
with the Bombay Times, Sanjay talks about his empathy for Arjun, his
unspoken bond with Mona and why he is happier than
both his brothers. Excerpts:
Let's talk about Boney Kapoor?
Boney should have been a hero. He is a spender. Be it his holidays or any other thing. That's his personality. When me and Anil first went abroad when I was 22, he told us, 'Main tumhare jaise bheekmango ki tarah nahi jaoonga. When I can afford it, I will go.' That time also, he would make shirts from Kachins.
You have been closest to Arjun amongst the kids in your family. Let's talk about him.
Obviously, I could not take Boney's position in his life as Boney is his father, but there was this phase of 10 years where I was the closest to what a father figure can be. When Boney got remarried to Sri, my parents told him, 'You have got remarried. But Mona and kids will continue to live here.' So, Boney shifted out, whereas they stayed back. That time, I was the only one left in the house who could have corrected Arjun. Boney had his own issues that time. I was very close to Mona also, in fact, the only one in the family who was. While we did not communicate as much, we shared a bond. Maybe it was due to how she saw me with Arjun. She had been very attached to my father till a certain time, probably till when Boney had got remarried. When she shifted out, we came to know from outside that she had cancer and that she did not want Arjun to tell us. So when my father passed away, she entered our house after 5 years. I went down to get her. When she was entering the house, I knew that she was also unwell. I held her hand and shoulder and took her up, as she had come after a long time. We didn't share too much in words, but she knew that I was there.
Between Arjun and Boney, who did you empathise with more?
With Arjun. I understand that it's not the first time that a man was getting remarried. And it was not about taking sides or anything, but I was still living with Arjun and therefore, felt for him. He was just 10 and Anshula too young, but I knew that we were there for them. We ensured that Arjun and Anshula continued to enjoy the same lifestyle. That ten years that I spent with Arjun, is what he would have normally spent with Boney. Boney would come home and everything, but it was different. Arjun was very sensitive and most lovable. I used to fire him the most for being fat. When he was older, he was not good at his studies and I took that responsibility. Boney was as it is so guilty, so he could not be strict with him. He was spending those 45 minutes with him and in that, he could not have scolded him. So there were a lot of things he couldn't do which I did. I would take him with me if I went for my shows or for holidays. Boney used to provide for him by spending on him too much and I would fire him for that, as I didn't want Arjun to get spoilt as I knew that Boney was spending that money on him out of guilt. I was the balancing factor and even now I remain so. Even during Tevar, sometimes if there was something Arjun would do wrong, I would tell Boney, 'You are not the only man to have got remarried. If you have to tell Arjun some thing, you should say it to him.' But I know that Boney still holds back. I think it was destined that my first film had to be with Arjun, as I have a special bonding with him. I was so emotional that I always wanted to make my first film with a family member. I had such a social circle, but never asked anybody. I felt that what will people say. He has a hero in the house, so why is he approaching us? I am not calculative at all. I am sensitive and smart enough to not embarrass any one and ask them to do my film.
How did you meet your wife Maheep?
I had met her in Delhi at the premiere of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja. She is from Australia, but she used to come to Delhi for her holidays to her grandparents. She was planning to do modelling. When I started seeing her, I thought it would be a fling till we started seeing each other seriously, till we got married 5 years later.
What do you like most about her?
That besides being a hot looking girl, she is not materialistic at all. Also, her family is great. I value my parents a lot and when I met her family, I liked them a lot too.
Both your brothers have been more successful than you. Did that make you envious?
No, I used to see Boney and I would feel he has so many problems, be it financial, personal and everything, I would rather be born as Sanjay Kapoor again. In Anil's case, while he has been very successful, he was always busy with work and hardly had any friends. The best time I had with Anil was in 1997, when I had gone on a world tour with him. That was the best bond we shared for that one month and he was superb. He has been the flagship brand within our family and he became the first star to have given us the standing when we moved from Chembur. Today whatever we are, it is to do with Anil's initial success. Anil and Boney were a lethal combination and were solid together. Success is a very relative term. I feel that I live in a great house, have great children, have great parents and am happy. In fact, I feel that I am happier than both of them and I would rather be me.
Who were your parents most attached to?
They were most attached to Boney, may be because he was the oldest or due to his nature, but my dad (Surinder Kapoor), till his last, was very proud of all four of his children. He was a very content and a positive man. Amongst his grandchildren, he was most attached to Arjun. Whenever we see old pictures I see he was always holding Arjun. Even Arjun was very close to him. Mom never goes for trials. But the day dad died, she had gone to the trial of Mausam at Yash Raj. Dad was going for a walk and had gone to drop her. He came to know that Arjun too was there for some work, so he called for Arjun who said that he would take 5 more minutes to come down. Dad told the driver, 'I am getting late for my walk, I can't wait for Arjun. Let's go.' He went away and he went for a walk and felt uneasy after which he died. When Arjun returned home, he felt very guilty about missing to see his dadu. He was shattered. When I saw him, I didn't know whether I should weep over my father's death or control Arjun. Mom till today feels that had she been at home that day, she may have been able to save him. But dad lived a full life and went very peacefully.
Let's talk about Boney Kapoor?
Boney should have been a hero. He is a spender. Be it his holidays or any other thing. That's his personality. When me and Anil first went abroad when I was 22, he told us, 'Main tumhare jaise bheekmango ki tarah nahi jaoonga. When I can afford it, I will go.' That time also, he would make shirts from Kachins.
You have been closest to Arjun amongst the kids in your family. Let's talk about him.
Obviously, I could not take Boney's position in his life as Boney is his father, but there was this phase of 10 years where I was the closest to what a father figure can be. When Boney got remarried to Sri, my parents told him, 'You have got remarried. But Mona and kids will continue to live here.' So, Boney shifted out, whereas they stayed back. That time, I was the only one left in the house who could have corrected Arjun. Boney had his own issues that time. I was very close to Mona also, in fact, the only one in the family who was. While we did not communicate as much, we shared a bond. Maybe it was due to how she saw me with Arjun. She had been very attached to my father till a certain time, probably till when Boney had got remarried. When she shifted out, we came to know from outside that she had cancer and that she did not want Arjun to tell us. So when my father passed away, she entered our house after 5 years. I went down to get her. When she was entering the house, I knew that she was also unwell. I held her hand and shoulder and took her up, as she had come after a long time. We didn't share too much in words, but she knew that I was there.
Between Arjun and Boney, who did you empathise with more?
With Arjun. I understand that it's not the first time that a man was getting remarried. And it was not about taking sides or anything, but I was still living with Arjun and therefore, felt for him. He was just 10 and Anshula too young, but I knew that we were there for them. We ensured that Arjun and Anshula continued to enjoy the same lifestyle. That ten years that I spent with Arjun, is what he would have normally spent with Boney. Boney would come home and everything, but it was different. Arjun was very sensitive and most lovable. I used to fire him the most for being fat. When he was older, he was not good at his studies and I took that responsibility. Boney was as it is so guilty, so he could not be strict with him. He was spending those 45 minutes with him and in that, he could not have scolded him. So there were a lot of things he couldn't do which I did. I would take him with me if I went for my shows or for holidays. Boney used to provide for him by spending on him too much and I would fire him for that, as I didn't want Arjun to get spoilt as I knew that Boney was spending that money on him out of guilt. I was the balancing factor and even now I remain so. Even during Tevar, sometimes if there was something Arjun would do wrong, I would tell Boney, 'You are not the only man to have got remarried. If you have to tell Arjun some thing, you should say it to him.' But I know that Boney still holds back. I think it was destined that my first film had to be with Arjun, as I have a special bonding with him. I was so emotional that I always wanted to make my first film with a family member. I had such a social circle, but never asked anybody. I felt that what will people say. He has a hero in the house, so why is he approaching us? I am not calculative at all. I am sensitive and smart enough to not embarrass any one and ask them to do my film.
How did you meet your wife Maheep?
I had met her in Delhi at the premiere of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja. She is from Australia, but she used to come to Delhi for her holidays to her grandparents. She was planning to do modelling. When I started seeing her, I thought it would be a fling till we started seeing each other seriously, till we got married 5 years later.
What do you like most about her?
That besides being a hot looking girl, she is not materialistic at all. Also, her family is great. I value my parents a lot and when I met her family, I liked them a lot too.
Both your brothers have been more successful than you. Did that make you envious?
No, I used to see Boney and I would feel he has so many problems, be it financial, personal and everything, I would rather be born as Sanjay Kapoor again. In Anil's case, while he has been very successful, he was always busy with work and hardly had any friends. The best time I had with Anil was in 1997, when I had gone on a world tour with him. That was the best bond we shared for that one month and he was superb. He has been the flagship brand within our family and he became the first star to have given us the standing when we moved from Chembur. Today whatever we are, it is to do with Anil's initial success. Anil and Boney were a lethal combination and were solid together. Success is a very relative term. I feel that I live in a great house, have great children, have great parents and am happy. In fact, I feel that I am happier than both of them and I would rather be me.
Who were your parents most attached to?
They were most attached to Boney, may be because he was the oldest or due to his nature, but my dad (Surinder Kapoor), till his last, was very proud of all four of his children. He was a very content and a positive man. Amongst his grandchildren, he was most attached to Arjun. Whenever we see old pictures I see he was always holding Arjun. Even Arjun was very close to him. Mom never goes for trials. But the day dad died, she had gone to the trial of Mausam at Yash Raj. Dad was going for a walk and had gone to drop her. He came to know that Arjun too was there for some work, so he called for Arjun who said that he would take 5 more minutes to come down. Dad told the driver, 'I am getting late for my walk, I can't wait for Arjun. Let's go.' He went away and he went for a walk and felt uneasy after which he died. When Arjun returned home, he felt very guilty about missing to see his dadu. He was shattered. When I saw him, I didn't know whether I should weep over my father's death or control Arjun. Mom till today feels that had she been at home that day, she may have been able to save him. But dad lived a full life and went very peacefully.
I don’t think I’d get obsessive about someone-Arjun Kapoor
7:47 AM
Arjun Kapoor opens up about love, loss and all things in between
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 10, 2014)
Today, after a preview of Finding Fanny, he's flooded with rave reviews for his performance as Savio. But Arjun Kapoor admits that he was plagued with doubts when, after watching Ishaqzaade, writer-director Homi Adajania approached him with the role.
"I was supposed to assist Homi on Being Cyrus but I fell ill. He had impressed me as a director, but I couldn't see myself in the world he had visualised. One reason was that he came to me with an English film when I was still trying to establish myself as a Hindi film actor," recalls Arjun, sitting in the suite of a fivestar hotel.
He allowed himself to be carried along by the director's confidence and conviction and admits that when he saw Savio on screen, he could see a lot of himself in him -- from the vulnerability to the pain and angst which came from personal experience. "I guess Homi saw me in the character much before I did," he says.
The pain comes from losing his mother, Mona Kapoor, when he was poised on the threshold of stardom. "She stood by me when I was struggling to lose weight, never once telling me I didn't have it in me to be an actor. She had watched me shoot Ishqzaade, saw the first trailer, then, knowing I was going the right way, she went away. She shattered my backbone, leaving behind a big hole. I try to fill the vacuum with work and small joys but it's hard," he admits, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
A man is drawn towards a woman who reminds him of his mother but Arjun insists he's not attracted to any one 'type'. "It's important for me to have a conversation with the lady that lasts beyond five minutes. It could be about films, travel, life, even the weather. I like to listen and talk," he says.
A statement of his on a recent chat show-"I lost weight to get laid"-has gone viral, but Arjun argues that it was just a joke taken out of contest. "Yes, earlier, it was difficult to get female attention. Even during Ishaqzaade, Aditya Chopra advised me to focus on my performance because I wasn't conventionally good looking. Over the last two years, it's gotten easier. But I don't know if the women are falling for me as a person or the characters I portray," he says, unabashedly admitting that he craves the comfort of companionship: "All of us want someone in our lives with whom we can interact on a personal level, I'm no different."
Buzz is, he got possessive about Alia Bhatt. Arjun laughs off the rumour, "I may get emotionally attached to someone, but I don't think I'd get possessive or obsessive about someone. I didn't know Alia before 2 States. She's an amazing girl but now she's busy with Shaandar in London while I'm busy with Finding Fanny here. And yet these Chinese whispers continue to swirl."
He says that a boy and a girl can be just friends without taking their relationship to the next level. Parineeti Chopra and he spent 90 days together in Lucknow during Ishaqzaade and continue to be on backslapping terms. Sonakshi Sinha and he have known each other since they were in school and now enjoyed filming Tevar. "Growing up in this profession, I got used to the gossip early. If someone doesn't hit below the belt, I'm okay. It won't stop me from being who I am," he shrugs.
He's equally dismissive of talks about the bromance with Ranveer Singh going kaput. He reasons that the speculation fuels from disbelief that youngsters like them, who have quickly found audience acceptance, can co-exist without any interpersonal problems. "Ranveer and I are not insecure, we never had issues on the sets. Why can't people accept that we are friends?" he questions.
While Arjun openly discusses personal equations, he's wary of divulging professional details. He refuses to confirm whether he's playing Lakhan in the Ram Lakhan remake or one of SRK's brothers in Rohit Shetty's next. All he admits is that he's Gopal in the screen adaptation of Revolution 20:20. "I'm a producer's son, I'll wait for the announcement," he quips.
Will he now graduate from being executive producer to producer? Arjun smiles and says that his father (Boney Kapoor) was gracious to credit him with the title of 'executive producer' when all he did was arrange for tickets, transport and accommodation. "I don't think I'll make a good producer. I'm a spendthrift. It's in my genes. As long as my father continues making movies, I'll work with him. I don't care for credit," he says, adding he'd rather write and direct a film someday.
Having made a Finding Fanny, will he push his dad into exploring this kind of cinema? "Dad makes film which are entertaining for an all-India audience. He can't think small and niche. Let him continue doing what he does best. I'm as happy with a Tevar as I am with a Finding Fanny," he signs off, ordering lunch.
Enough food for thought, it's time for some real food now!
I'd sell my soul to get my mother back-Arjun Kapoor
9:15 AM
Raedita Tandon (TIMES LIFE; July 6, 2014)
"Hey, your friend is busy
right now. Can I take a message?" asks Arjun Kapoor playfully, as he
answers a call on my phone. “Or even better, why don't you talk to me,"
he goes on, teasing my friend. As she tries to gather her wits, the
actor finally reveals his true identity. Needless to say, she's over the
moon. After hanging up, he sheepishly smiles, “I hope you didn't mind. I
just thought that'd be fun." In fact, I thought it was rather cool.
After all, it is not every day you meet a jaunty actor who leaves you
amused rather than awed. Arjun's a charmer without being aware of it.
Add to it, his frankness and the effect is lethal.
Q: How have you found the trade-off between stardom and losing anonymity?
Success demands sacrifices. I believe it's a small price to pay for the adulation and love one receives. I'm not the kind who will crib, “Damn it, yaar, I can't go out and eat bhel puri.“ If you choose this profession, you have to live with such things. Plus, I'd rather be known than be anonymous any day. I enjoy it. People who say otherwise are lying.
Q : Do you fear losing success?
Yes, I do. If that ever happened, I'd work doubly hard to get it back in some way or the other.
Q : It's addictive, isn't it?
Yes, it becomes second nature. It's like wearing clothes. And if it's taken away, you feel naked.
Q : Are you single?
Yes, very much so...
Q : Why? You are eligible and charming...
Yaar, I barely have time to go and watch a film in the theatre these days, where will I find the time to date a girl?
Q: But don't you want that special someone?
On some days, I do. But on other days, I'm glad I am single because I'm not answerable to anyone.
Q: What qualities do you like in a girl?
It's
silly to have a prototype because one inevitably falls for someone
unexpected. My only criterion is she shouldn't just look nice, she
must have a personality too. A relationship will be futile if it's based
just on physicality. Intellectual stimulation is a must for me.Q: Rate Arjun Kapoor, the boyfriend on a scale of 1 to 10...
I haven't been in a relationship for eight years. So I can't say. But most men would score between six and seven. If a man is a good listener and good in bed, he'll hit a seven. If he's only good in bed, he'll strike a six. Eight or nine is for those one-in-a-million men who don't exist.
Q: You've not had a relationship for eight years?
Affairs, of course yes! But I've not been in a relationship. I've been having no-strings-attached affairs for the last eight years. Absolute convenience is what I would call it. I keep saying I am a late bloomer. So, I am making the most of it! I never knew I could enjoy so much freedom. So, if I don't make the most of it now, what's the point? Maybe, I'm still single because a part of me wants to have some more fun. Unlike most, I never did it between 17 and 24. So, I need to make up for those years. But yes, I would be a committed boyfriend if I were in a relationship.
Q: How many purely physical relationships have you had?
(Laughs) I've had many.
Q: What's your deal-breaker on a date/relationship?
Bad breath. Even if she is the most stunning girl in the world, I wouldn't care. In a relationship, it'd be my woman not understanding my profession. I don't expect her to be okay with everything I do, but there are certain aspects she has to be okay with, like my timings and travelling.
Q: Where does fidelity stand? Would you take back a cheating partner?
If I am in love with her, it would be heart-breaking and gut-wrenching and I wouldn't be able to take her back. If it's just superficial and physical, then maybe it won't affect me so much. Then again, these are all hypothetical situations. You can never tell how you will react until you're in that situation. Love is a two-way street. So, a lot depends on the relationship you share with the other person.
Q: What have you learnt about women so far?
I have learnt that women are superior beings. They have a higher threshold of pain and are more understanding and accepting than men. Also, if you listen to them, you'll understand them better.
Q: Your wildest fantasy...
Oh, I have enough fantasies. And I am not about to reveal them. They are for me to know and the girl I am with to find out.
Q: What would you sell your soul for?
I'd sell my soul to get my mother (Mona Kapoor) back. The loss of a loved one leaves a vacuum in your life that can never be filled. You can go around living a normal life a but the pain always hits you when you least expect it. And suddenly, you're left dealing with a fresh wound all over again.
ARJUN'S TIPS TO IMPRESS A GIRL ON THE FIRST DATE
BE YOURSELF: Don't try to be someone else. Your fraudulence will shine through.
NO CORNY JOKES: Laughing often breaks the ice but corny jokes only lead to awkward silences.
DO NOT COMPLAIN: No one likes whiners!
BE COURTEOUS: Hold the door, keep your phone away and don't stare at other people in the room.
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