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Editor’s Note: Multitalented Inc.
An artiste who can act, sing and employ other forms of creative expression has a distinct edge over the others
I’m not sure which emotion was stronger: my disappointment when my five-year-old self discovered that my favourite Bollywood hero was miming the songs on screen, not singing them himself, or my amazement at watching my first Broadway performance as a teenager—Mamma Mia! no less—and knowing that every performer on stage could act, dance and sing.
Don’t these multi-talented entertainers deserve to be bigger stars than those in our movies back home, I wondered.
Which is why I’ve always had utmost respect for entertainers who push the envelope and break out of their box.
Ayushmann Khurrana’s Pani Da Rang, from his first big hit, Vicky Donor, is still a haunting hit song, even though he hasn’t pursued singing with as much commitment as he has with his acting. In older times, Kishore Kumar was the multi-faceted star, composing music, singing, acting and even making his own movies. And my mother can name several actors from her times who had similar talents.
Actor Aditya Roy Kapur, who graces our cover today, is set to embark on a journey that’ll front his skills as a musician to his audiences. And we are flattered that ARK has chosen HT Brunch to make the big announcement.
“In films, someone else has written the role, and you’re acting like someone else… It’s not supposed to be you,” ARK tells us. “In music, it’s all you. It’s your thoughts, your words.”
Often called India’s best-looking actor, Aditya credits his love and knowledge for music to his mother, Salome Roy Kapur, a renowned dancer and choreographer whose name was synonymous with dance long before Shiamak Davar happened to Mumbai. Her parents—Aditya’s maternal grandparents—Sam and Ruby Aaron, were the first certified dance teachers and examiners in India from the Imperial Dance Masters’ Association, UK, and the Federal Association of Teachers of Dancing, Australia, and are credited with introducing the samba to our country.
In addition to older forms of music he heard from his grandparents, as they taught the rhumba, foxtrot, jive, etc, Aditya’s elder brothers Siddharth and Kunaal were both stage actors with their own taste in music.
“I was more into sports and had no aspirations of being in the performing arts,” says Aditya. But he did form a band in St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, where he was the vocalist.
Today an established Bollywood star, Aditya continues to write songs and compose, and hopes to finally cut an album this year. Will his fans applaud his music as much as they’ve loved his performances?
Time will tell. What we do know is that we need more actors to climb out of their ivory-tower images and present more creative facets to their fans. It’s an exercise in authenticity that’s bound to win hearts.
Also in this issue: What is it about scripted reality shows that capture people’s imaginations? Two binge-watchers debate.
Vir Sanghvi presents Gaggan 2.0, the world’s best Indian chef in an all-new avatar.
And Sonu Shivdasani talks about his efforts to align luxury with social responsibility, and lets us in to a well-kept secret… well, almost!
Enjoy this issue!
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From HT Brunch, January 7, 2023
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