RISING star Arjun Kapoor, who plays a double role in his recently released movie Aurangzeb, delivers an intense performance that shows he is definitely here for the long run.
The son of film producer Boney Kapoor, Arjun was offered Aurangzeb even before his debut movie Ishaqzaade was released last year, and that gave him a lot of encouragement to give his best in the Yash Raj Films-produced thriller.
“When a producer (Aditya Chopra) and director (Atul Sabharwal) show that much faith in you before your first film is released, you don’t think about what people will think of your second film or have thoughts about whether you can or can’t do it. You just think they had faith in you and that is why you got the movie,” Arjun says.
“I think Aditya Chopra is a very sensible producer and he wouldn’t have given it (film) to me if he didn’t think I was capable of pulling it off to whatever extent I can. I hope I have fulfilled the confidence Atul and Aditya had in me.”
The twisty thriller sees Arjun play two contrasting individuals on opposite sides of the law. He found playing a double role exciting because, according to him, very few actors in Indian cinema get to do that in a high-profile film nowadays.
“It is great fun as in one film, you get to live two characters. It feels good as your director and producer have enough faith in you to play two parts. I think it has made me a much better actor,” he says.
The other exciting aspect of Aurangzeb for Arjun was starring alongside big-name actors that included Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Deepti Naval, Amrita Singh and south Indian superstar Prithviraj.
Talking about his co-stars, Arjun admits: “They elevated my performance just by allowing me to act with them. They are so easy, chilled out and make you feel comfortable. They have such a good understanding of the craft that they mould themselves as per the requirement. I observed and learnt from them.”
Aurangzeb also marks the debut of exciting newcomer Sasha Agha, the daughter of leading Pakistani singer and actress Salma Agha.
Arjun was impressed with his leading lady. “She is a typical Hindi film heroine, she likes to sing and dance. It feels great to work with somebody of your age and sensibility,” he says.
According to Arjun, all the characters in the film are connected by their desire to get power and that resulted in the movie’s unusual title.
“Aurangzeb was a Mughal emperor. He was a tyrant and he went to great extents, even destroying his own family, to obtain power. So therein lies the answer to why the movie is titled Aurangzeb – it’s because human beings can push themselves to any extent to obtain power or to be at the top. What kind of limits would you push, would you destroy your own family, your own people, how far would you go for power; that’s what it’s all about,” he explains.
Someone who is very confident in his own abilities, Arjun is getting used to the baggage that comes with being a movie star like the constant media scrutiny.
Having grown up in a filmi family that includes uncle Anil Kapoor and stepmother Sridevi, Arjun thinks being in the spotlight is a small price to pay for doing a job he loves.
“There is no point dwelling on it and feeling bad about it. Rather, one must continue living his life. These things are part and parcel of our lives. It is a very small price for such a great profession to be in.”
Talking of media scrutiny, Arjun describes reports of his rivalry with (his next film) Gunday co-star Ranveer Singh as unfortunate.
“On screen we are playing best friends and off screen also we are best friends. It is unfortunate that the media likes to make up these rumours. It is boring and tedious for us to talk about it. Hopefully when our film comes out, people will get a sense of how we get along.
“I feel sometimes the media should be responsible and then I realise they are doing their job. So as long as they don’t hit below the belt and don’t disrespect and judge you because of your personal life, I am fine with it.”
Both Arjun and Ranveer play dons in Gunday, which is set in the eastern city of Kolkata, with Priyanka Chopra taking on the role of a Bengali girl in the movie. “I knew Priyanka even before we started working on Gunday. I was an assistant on Salaam-E-Ishq, so we got along very well. She is fantastic to work with, we had a great time and enjoyed ourselves.”
After Gunday, which is set to be released later this year, Arjun will be seen in Two States, which is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Chetan Bhagat.
The film is a love story about a Punjabi boy (Arjun) who falls in love with a Tamil girl (Alia Bhatt).
“I just read the screenplay. It is a blast working with Alia. She is fun, energetic, very warm and connected to her roots. She is mature for her age and people will get to a different side of her in the film,” says Arjun.
