Just back from the shoot of Sooraj Barjatya’s Vivaah, Shahid Kapur is shooting even on a Sunday, wrapping up Chup Chup Ke, directed by Priyadarshan.
Vivaah was evidently a good experience. "It’s fantastic working with a director like Soorajji," says Shahid. "He’s so clear about his script that he’s done most of your homework for you." The young actor, who has worked with top filmmakers like Subhash Ghai and Abbas-Mustan, besides Priyadarshan and Sooraj Barjatya, is modest about his CV. "I’m lucky to be offered films with these producers and directors," he says.
Chup Chup Ke, a UTV production in which he stars with Kareena Kapoor and Neha Dhupia, is "not a love story per se", says the actor. "The love story between Kareena’s and my character is just a part of the larger story (of a guy who is in major debt and clueless about how to repay it). His search for a solution takes him to this Gujarati household but since he is not willing to reveal his true identity, he pretends to be deaf and mute. To his surprise, he discovers that Kareena, one of the girls there, is actually mute." The film is described as a "comedy of errors, typical Priyadarshan style".
But before this comedy of errors hits theatres, Kapur will be seen in a thriller, Abbas-Mustan’s
36 China Town
for Mukta Arts. "It’s very Abbas-Mustan in terms of narration and execution. I got along very well with Akshaye Khanna during the making of this film. Many a time, we played cards after pack-up," says Shahid.
That must be quite something, since multi-starrers often breed jealousy among the parallel leads. Late last year, there were rumours of Akshay Kumar cutting Shahid’s role in Deewane Huye Paagal. "I never said anything about it then, and I won’t say anything about it now," the younger actor maintains.
Considering he was banking on Waah! Life Ho Toh Aisi and Shikhar, where does he think the films failed? Shahid is diplomatic again: “It’s a sin for an actor to dissect his film after it hasn’t done well at the box office. And it’s equally sinful to analyse a film after it has done well.” Maybe the box office results do not put him in a lather, but the actor admits he does get a case of nerves before the release of a new film.
“We all work hard as a team to make a film, so naturally we’re apprehensive about how the audience will receive it. Theirs is the ultimate verdict.” After Salman Khan’s jail time in Jodhpur and subsequent bail application, the postponement of the Rockstars world tour has given Shahid a sudden break. But he is not taking it easy. “I’ll be rehearsing for the shows. The choreographers know that I am a good dancer, so they’ve given me more songs to perform, which translates into more hard work.” With every film Kareena and Shahid do together, the characters they play are maturing.
How is that influencing their personal life? "Our characters have nothing to do with what we are off screen. I don’t think one can view a relationship from the perspective of the work the two people do."
That must be quite something, since multi-starrers often breed jealousy among the parallel leads. Late last year, there were rumours of Akshay Kumar cutting Shahid’s role in Deewane Huye Paagal. "I never said anything about it then, and I won’t say anything about it now," the younger actor maintains.
Considering he was banking on Waah! Life Ho Toh Aisi and Shikhar, where does he think the films failed? Shahid is diplomatic again: “It’s a sin for an actor to dissect his film after it hasn’t done well at the box office. And it’s equally sinful to analyse a film after it has done well.” Maybe the box office results do not put him in a lather, but the actor admits he does get a case of nerves before the release of a new film.
“We all work hard as a team to make a film, so naturally we’re apprehensive about how the audience will receive it. Theirs is the ultimate verdict.” After Salman Khan’s jail time in Jodhpur and subsequent bail application, the postponement of the Rockstars world tour has given Shahid a sudden break. But he is not taking it easy. “I’ll be rehearsing for the shows. The choreographers know that I am a good dancer, so they’ve given me more songs to perform, which translates into more hard work.” With every film Kareena and Shahid do together, the characters they play are maturing.
How is that influencing their personal life? "Our characters have nothing to do with what we are off screen. I don’t think one can view a relationship from the perspective of the work the two people do."