Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; November 20, 2019)

Anil Kapoor is a bundle of energy at work — if he is not busy charming his Pagalpanti co-stars Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda with gifts, he is seen giving a demo to Ileana D’Cruz about his latest gadget or teasing Arshad Warsi for his all-black attire. In a candid chat with BT, Anil also opens up about his equation with director Anees Bazmee, the risks he has taken in his career and the path his children Sonam and Harshvardhan are following in the film industry. Read on…

You have done nearly a dozen films with Anees Bazmee. While speaking about the comfort you two share at work, he mentioned that he knows you since the time he would give claps on the sets of Raj Kapoor movies. What are your early memories of working with Anees?
The first incident that comes to my mind is when Anees was writing a film for Pahlaj Nihalani. He was the one who narrated the scenes to me. The film was to be directed by someone else, but the director fell ill. So, Pahlaj called me and asked if he could send Anees to direct a part of the film. I was okay with it. So, the first actor Anees ever said an ‘action’ and a ‘cut’ to as a director, was me.

Our first full-fledged film as an actor-director was No Entry (2005). We were supposed to do Pyar To Hona Hi Tha (1998) and wanted Kajol for the film, but we could not get her on board at that time. It was heroine-oriented, so the leading lady had to be strong. Later, Ajay came on board and then Kajol also came in. Anees called me and asked if he could do this film with them (Ajay and Kajol), and I gave a goahead. The idea of the film was given by Boney (Kapoor), who had seen this Hollywood film French Kiss (1995) and worked on it. I remember this incident very well, I don’t think Anees remembers it.

You are extremely friendly with the new bunch of actors who you work with. Unlike other senior actors, you have no qualms of opening up to a Pulkit Samrat or a Kriti Kharbanda or have friendly chats with Ileana D’Cruz. They also seem extremely comfortable with you.
I have always been a people’s person. I want positivity on the set. When you are happy, the atmosphere on the set is good, and the film turns out well. I, therefore, make an effort to be friendly. I reach out to people (co-stars), rather than wait for them to reach out to me. I make the first move. The thing is that an actor can be ‘I, me, myself’ and focus on himself, but then, what happens is that he ends up looking good in the film, but the rest of it does not come together as well. Thus, the film suffers. I don’t let this happen. Whenever I feel that the energy of the actors on the set is low, or a co-actor is tired or has not slept well, then I try to create good atmosphere. Iss sab mein meri energy jaati hai and I forget my lines sometimes. By saying this, I am not trying to be sacrificial here. My only aim has been ki overall film achchi banni chahiye.

On the personal front, we see you enjoyed Diwali with daughter Sonam and son-in-law Anand Ahuja this year. It’s been a year-and-a-half since she tied the knot, how much have you adjusted to her not being around in the house?
This Diwali was great. Last year, we were in London and brought in the festival at her new house there. We had a quiet Diwali, as Sriji (Sridevi) had left us that year, so we had a small puja at home. This time, fortunately, Anand and Sonam were here in India, so we had a great party. It was hosted by Sonam and Rhea, so all their friends were there. My wife (Sunita Kapoor) is a great hostess and I feel Sonam and Rhea have taken it from their mother. Sunita and I were there too, but only to see to it that they don’t destroy the house (laughs!). When it comes to missing Sonam, yes, we do miss her, especially when she is away in London.

As a father, do you see any changes in Sonam post marriage? And how has your relationship with Anand grown over the last year?
Oh, let me tell you, she’s started cooking in London. I haven’t tried any of her dishes yet, but I have heard she cooks well. What I like about my relationship with Anand is that we are like friends. I am also friendly with Rhea's boyfriend Karan (Boolani).

There was a buzz about you teaming up with Govinda for the sequel to Deewana Mastana (1997). Have you been in touch with him over the years?
I keep meeting his children in the gym. Whenever I see his son (Yashvardhan Ahuja), I tell him, “Arre, baap ko leke aao yaar idhar (in the gym)”. Jokes apart, let me tell you that Govinda has lost weight and he is looking good.

There was also news sometime back that one of your iconic films, Ram Lakhan (1989),will be remade. In today’s times, it is challenging to get two heroes of that stature together for a project. Do you think this reason will be a deterrent, if the remake actually happens?
I wonder why? At that time, Jackie (Shroff) and I did 12 to 13 films together. In the current times, John (Abraham) and I have done many films together. In fact, Pagalpanti is my fifth film with him. And all the films that we have done together have done well, except for Salaam-E-Ishq. I think that’s because we didn’t have any scenes together (laughs!). I think that John Abraham-Anil Kapoor is the new lucky pair of Bollywood.

You started your journey in Bollywood four decades ago and charted an illustrious career in the film industry. As a father and an actor, do you think that your son Harsh Varrdhan’s journey in Bollywood has been tougher than Sonam’s journey?
Both of them (Sonam and Harsh Varrdhan) have done it on their own. While Sonam got films like Saawariya (2007) and Delhi-6 (2009), Harsh did movies like Mirzya (2016) and Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018). These films are still fresh in the memories of the people. Maybe, Harsh’s films didn’t do well commercially, but they laid a fantastic foundation, especially, Bhavesh Joshi Superhero. Sometimes for an actor, or an actress, building this kind of a foundation is very important. Doing such kind of cinema is much better than taking up something that is commercial and regressive.

Arre inki (Harsh Varrdhan) toh bas do hi filmay nahi chali na. Meri toh kitni saari nahi chali thi in the initial days. Be it the MS Sathyu’s Kahan Se Kahan Guzar Gaya (1981), or Vamsa Vruksham (Telugu, 1980). My film, Pallavi Anu Pallavi (Kannada, 1983) with Mani Ratnam also didn’t do well. These were my first few films, but it laid a foundation in terms of the kind of films I wanted to do.

Log Harsh ko bolte hai ki he has to do the typical masala entertainers. They used to tell me the same thing. It’s like déjà vu. People have forgotten that Harsh ka baap bhi toh aisa hi tha, in fact, his baap was even worse. In my initial days, actors like Rishi Kapoor and Jeetendra would pull my leg and call me a ‘thailawala’ actor, which means someone who plays a character looking for work, with a bag on his shoulders and an overgrown beard. They all considered me the serious kind of an actor. Everybody used to make fun of me and say, ‘Arre yaar tu Kapoor hai’, you should do more commercial films. Kuch masala picture kar, kya yeh sab kar raha hai? I always knew what I wanted. No pain, no gain.

Harsh Varrdhan will follow his own path. At the moment, he has three films in hand. He is in the prep mode for all of them simultaneously. One film is a biopic of the Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra. It is an ambitious project and we are looking forward to it.

Sometime ago, your reply to a fan on social media asking you to become the CM of Maharashtra, like you did in the film Nayak (2001), went viral. At a time when films are being made on socially relevant subjects, don't you think it's the right time for a film like Nayak 2?
Arre bohot hai aise subjects hamare paas. Everybody, including the directors, politicians, have been approaching me since years, asking me to do something on those lines. People are offering me big money to do films like that. However, jab tak kahani correct nahi hai, tab tak I won’t do it. I don’t want to do a sequel just for the heck of it. It has to fit in correctly. I have got something in mind now, hopefully that should work out. Fingers crossed.

Meena Iyer (DNA; February 20, 2019)

At 62, Anil Kapoor’s spirit is infectious and his charm undeniable. While promoting his Friday release Total Dhamaal, the actor said, “Even as we speak, I am thinking that perhaps I could qualify for the title of Sequel Man.”

He laughed and added, “There are so many of my films that have the definite possibility of being made into successful franchises. For eg, for some reason, the sequels to Mr India (1987) and No Entry (2005) haven’t taken off. Welcome (2007) has had two successful instalments. People keep asking me why I haven’t agreed to a sequel for Nayak: The Real Hero (2001) because this socio-political drama has so much relevance even today and will definitely lend itself to a mind-blowing second part.”

Anil exclaimed that he was proud of the fact that he was a part of the Race franchise. Now, he is excited about Total Dhamaal that he has just joined.

“Indu (Indra Kumar) didn’t have to say much to convince me to get on board. I am happy to team up with Madhuri (Dixit-Nene) with whom I have done 18-odd films and of course, with Ajay (Devgn) as well as the rest of the cast which includes Riteish (Deshmukh), Jaaved (Jaaferi) and Arshad (Warsi). We had the most fun shooting this film and today I feel happy to be in the last leg of the promotions as well. Some movies just make you happy. Total Dhamaal is one of them,” he signed off.


The actor in No Entry; As the protagonist in Nayak: The Real Hero; As the patriarch in Race 3

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; November 27, 2018)

He is considered to be a visionary filmmaker, who has the knack for pulling off high-concept movies with panache. Although he is a prolific filmmaker in the Tamil film industry, director Shankar’s ability to tell universal stories has fetched him recognition from across the country. Movies like Enthiran (2010, titled Robot in Hindi) and I (2015) have earned him a reputation for making slick films with unique subjects. He has also shown a penchant for using stateof-the-art technology in making movies. As his film 2.0, sequel to Rajinikanth’s Robot, is set to hit theatres, BT caught up with the director to talk about the future of big-ticket Indian films. Shankar also gave us a low-down on the use of VFX and his aspiration of making movies on out-of-the-box ideas. Excerpts...

2.0 is releasing eight years after Robot. You chose to take your time rather than immediately follow up its success with a sequel...
As soon as part one released, everyone was interested in a sequel, but I was clear that I didn’t want to make a part two just for the sake of it. In the end, it’s the content that would matter and I was waiting for the story to evolve. It has taken me so much time to come up with this story. One-third of the budget went into VFX. But the script demanded it and also, we can’t deliver something we did in 2010. The audience, who watches sci-fi films and superhero franchises like Spider-Man, Superman and Avengers, will come to watch 2.0, expecting the same quality they see in Hollywood movies. We can’t tell them that their films have Rs 500-1,000-crore budget for VFX and we can’t spend so much. So, we pushed the envelope and worked with a budget that no other Indian film would spend on VFX. I believe that 2.0 will be closer to what Hollywood is delivering and soon the lines between our films and theirs will blur out.

Technology plays an important role in your films...
The most interesting part of the story are mobile phones. Nowadays, everyone has a cell phone so, our film will resonate with almost everyone. As far as the technology is concerned, it comes only after the script. I go by what the scenes demand, in terms of technology. For me, content is the king.

How did you cast Akshay Kumar in this film?
It’s been a long journey (smiles). I thought that the film would connect with the audience world over if a global star features in it. That’s when I thought of casting Arnold Schwarzenegger. He had seen Robot twice, was impressed with the concept and had allotted dates. He even performed a few scenes during the narration, including the one in which Chitti is armed with multiple guns. Great artistes, irrespective of the industry, are impressed with ideas that are interesting, original and new. However, the deal fell through during the negotiation stage. Hollywood artistes’ way of working, their contracts and conditions are very different from those in India. So, we were not able to proceed with him. People suggested other international stars, who were ready to play the part. Though they are good in their own right, I didn’t find them suitable for this particular role. Then, I decided to go ahead with one of our best Indian stars. The production house was in talks with Akshay sir for a Hindi remake of a Tamil film, and that’s how his name came up. I narrated the story to him and he liked it.

It’s not always easy to turn anti-hero for a star of his stature. Did he take time to give his nod?
No, he agreed immediately. Even after achieving so much and being one of the biggest stars in Hindi cinema, he is constantly looking for something new, which is evident in his other films as well. He has raised the bar for himself and other actors by doing the kind of films he's done off late. I believe that those who enjoy great stardom should be given different scripts and roles. That’s what the filmmakers are also looking to do now. Our job is to make sure that whatever the character is — negative or positive — it should excite the actors and have sufficient material to explore their hidden talents. Also, in 2.0, you won't be able to label Akshay sir’s character as black or white, it has different shades and layers. We can’t call him just an antagonist.

You had also approached Kamal Haasan for the part. Interestingly, he was also your first choice for Robot, before Rajinikanth stepped in…
For 2.0, after the deal with Arnold fell through, I thought if Kamal sir joins the project, it would be great. It wasn’t just about seeing Rajini sir and Kamal sir together on screen after several years. The script also demanded it. But since Kamal sir and I were already in talks over Indian 2 for a long time, he was more keen on doing that film. I will starting the shoot for it next month, too.

Will you work on the storyline of Indian 2, keeping in mind that Kamal Haasan has now joined politics?
The story was locked before he had joined politics. It has been decided upon and complete. Whether he is in politics or not, it will appeal to the audience. It will match up to his stature as well.

When did your fascination with the sci-fi genre begin?
After I finished my first film, Gentleman, I was asked what kind of films I would like to make. I wanted to incorporate lifeless objects and characters other than human beings, into my stories. I have had such ideas for a long time. But it was difficult to convince producers to show interest in such subjects. They are mostly interested in heroes, anti-heroes and big star-casts. Who would be interested in producing a film, in which a cell phone is the hero? But that was the interesting part for me; I was also planning to make a film with a television set as the main character. I had a lot of ideas, but I knew no one would produce them. Besides, such projects demand huge budgets. So, I had to wait for long. Even Robot is a depiction of the human form. If it was just a machine, I don’t know how many people would have been interested in producing it. But I am glad that the perception is changing slowly and I can try and explore other ideas, too (smiles).

It’s been long since you last made a Hindi film, Nayak. Any plans?
I am open to that idea, if things fall into place. Language is no longer a barrier. With Akshay sir in 2.0, will you call it a Tamil or a Hindi film? It’s an Indian film.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 17, 2016)

Fifteen years after its release, Nayak: The Real Hero featuring Anil Kapoor and Rani Mukerji is all set to get a sequel. Mirror has learnt that Eros International has joined hands with producer Deepak Mukut for Part 2 which will be penned by writer KV Vijayendra Prasad of Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Baahubali fame.

"I have bought the rights from A M Rathnam, the original producer. The sequel will be a political satire with romance as the backdrop. It will take off from where the original one left but with a completely different story. Some characters, like the lead, Shivaji Rao (played by Anil), will be retained," reveals Deepak, adding that Prasad has begun working on the script and will lock it in two or three months' time.

Released in 2001, Nayak which was a remake of S Shankar's 1999 Tamil film, Mudhalvan, revolved around Rao who takes on the challenge of successfully running the state of Maharashtra for a day as an acting chief minister and falls prey to a political conspiracy.

Will anyone from the original, including Anil and Shankar, be a part of the sequel? "We are yet to take a call on the casting or the director. It'll only happen once the final script is ready. We'd love to have Anil on board if the script demands," says Deepak.

The story will be set in India and the makers plan to recreate some of the songs from the original to revive the Nayak vibe. "The earlier film is still extremely popular and is widely watched on television. The action will be bigger and better this time," he promises.

The Eros spokesperson confirmed the news.