Latest release Mixed Doubles takes its inspiration from Rajatdebut film Raghu Romeo. That's what the director would have us believe, having won accolades with his maiden venture that had a subject so unconventional, "a sum of Rs 400 that was important for the hero to repay", that he asked his wife "When did you see such a sequence last time in a Hindi film?"
Both Raghu Romeo and Mixed Doubles do not form part of the stereotype. Mixed Doubles is about the problems faced by an urban middle-class couple. "Enough of NRIs and their standards of living. These people (middle and lower-middle class) have been marginalised to a large extent. It is time we do films on them," says Kapoor.
Comparisons with Raghu Romeo are inevitable, but Kapoor makes it clear that they are different. "In Raghu Romeo the situation was a little bizarre, but in Mixed Doubles the treatment is more real and in the urban context," he says.
Kapoor makes it clear that the sexual aspect of their relationship isn't the only one that he is exploring through this film. Ranvir Shorey and Konkona Sensharma play one of the couples around whom the film revolves.
"There's nothing sleazy about the film. The sexuality angle (of the film) is as important as it is in a marriage," says Kapoor.
{{/usCountry}}"There's nothing sleazy about the film. The sexuality angle (of the film) is as important as it is in a marriage," says Kapoor.
{{/usCountry}}The director says that he takes a very light look. "There isn't too much of subtleness in terms of the treatment in the film," he says.
We remind him of his debut Bengali film Annuranan, which is also a story also about two couples. "No, no," he retorts, "this film is totally different from Aanuranan in terms of treatment."
Kapoor himself stars in Mixed Doubles along with Koel Purie as the other couple that Konkona and Ranvir come across.
The director is delighted with the performances of Ranvir (whom he took after a lot of auditions though he knew the actor before) and Konkona. "Konkona is very natural. She has this instinct to hit the right note."
The film has already made it to the Rotterdam International Film Festival and Kapoor is delighted at the response it got. "It was a 99 per cent western audience and the film was appreciated all across the board," says Kapoor whose next film Mitya - to be produced by Arindam Chaudhuri's Planman - is about a failed actor.
What about his acting projects? "I have Corporate coming up, apart from Aanuranan," he says.