Anil Kapoor is in Munich right now, flying out from Dubai on Monday to get medical help for a nagging leg injury that has been bothering him all through 2017, which has also inadvertently delayed the shoot of the third season of his hit TV show, 24.
Yet, despite a painful rehabilitation treatment facing him over the next few days, Kapoor appeared in high spirits during the promotional visit to this city for his film, Mubarakan, which has opened to largely positive word-of-mouth reviews from the masses — regardless of the onslaught by critics.
Joining him in Dubai was his real and reel family, including nephew Arjun Kapoor, who stars alongside the older Kapoor in the Anees Bazmee-directed film. Also in attendance was Bazmee himself, along with the film’s leading ladies, Ileana D’Cruz and Athiya Shetty.
Kapoor, whose years in Bollywood surpasses the age of his Mubarakan lead cast, admitted the shoot of the film wreaked havoc on his nerves. With his nephew being the reason behind his condition.
Speaking with Gulf News tabloid!, the older Kapoor said: “I was very nervous. People ask Arjun whether he was nervous working with his chacha [uncle], but actually it was the other way round. I was nervous. That’s a fact. I think that’s because there are so many things running in your mind. So many emotions.”
In Mubarakan, Anil plays Kartar Singh Bajwa, uncle to the twins, Charan and Karan, which are played by his brother Boney Kapoor’s son, Arjun. Incidentally, it was Anil who recommended Arjun’s name to be cast as the lead in the family entertainer, which is currently playing in UAE cinemas.
Anil said he was always confident about Arjun but there were other emotions at play as well, saying: “This profession is such that no matter how many years you spend — especially when you are working with your blood — it is a different experience, a different feeling. You worry about putting your children out there.
“As it is, I get insecure. I am kind of the person who feeds off people’s nervous energy. Nobody can see that but that’s how I really am.”
If working with his brother’s son turned him into a basket of nerves, then one wonders how Anil would react when he has to share screen space with his children, Sonam and Harshvardhan Kapoor.
Quiz the 60-year-old actor and he confessed: “I will be petrified. In fact, I will be working with both, my son and my daughter. I think in 2018, next year, both those films will be out. So, I am very nervous and need to be pacified.”
Arjun, who was listening in from the side-lines, piped in: “I was very easy to work with. Now you will see the nervousness when he works with Harsh [Anil’s son]. Basically, I was the warm-up. I was the net practice. Now he needs to go play the final for the World Cup.”
“Which is why I am trying to reduce my role as much as I can,” added Anil.
TELLY TAKE
The veteran actor is also cleaning up his diary to commence shoot for the third season of 24, for which his company has acquired the India rights from Fox and producer Howard Gordon in 2011 for a reported $20 million (Dh73.4 million).
Anil plays the lead role, which is based on Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer, and the show is set in Mumbai.
Speaking about the show, the actor said: “I am looking forward to shooting for 24. This has been delayed slightly because I have a leg injury, for which I am flying to Munich. Fingers crossed that things go right.”
“It’s not a surgery but for rehab. If things go right, then I can be physically fit enough to shoot as 24 is a very physical show. So, more than anything I want to be fit for the third season,” he added.
Kapoor, who has also acquired the rights for Modern Family, also revealed the Hindi version of the award-winning ABC sitcom will also start shooting next year.
Incidentally, ABC is also developing a comedy series about a former Bollywood star, which will be executive produced by Priyanka Chopra. In an interview with Variety, the actress revealed the untitled single-camera series would be based on the real life of Madhuri Dixit Nene, who settled down in the American suburbs after a successful film career.
Dixit is also co-producing the show.
Kapoor wished the stars well on the new venture, but when asked is his own life would one day find its way into a sitcom the actor promptly laughed it off saying: “I am a very boring person in comparison to Madhuri. I don’t think anyone really wants to know about my life.”
While his legion of fans may disagree, Kapoor’s versatility as an actor has seen roles written especially for him, even today. Arguably, Amitabh Bachchan is perhaps the only other senior actor who still commands the respect from filmmakers.
Yet, even with nearly 115 films to his credit across 40 years in cinema, Kapoor still yearns for a project that never got made.
“Years ago, [director-producer] Raj Kumar Santoshi wanted to make a film based around the partition of India-Pakistan called, Jis Lahore Nahin Dekhya Woh Janiya Nahin. Unfortunately, that film never worked out then, but I do hope to do it one day,” he said. “My dad and my granddad were from Peshawar so I want to go to Pakistan someday, maybe with such a film.”
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DID YOU KNOW?
Ileana D’Cruz thought Barfi! would flop
The actress who shot to fame in Bollywood with her innocent charm in Anurag Basu’s Barfi! told tabloid! that she was quite confident the film would flop at the box office.
The actress revealed: “I didn’t [think Barfi! would do well] because it was very different premise. My perception was that a debut for a girl in Bollywood should be commercial.
“We need the naach ganna [song and dance], you have the comedy, you have the drama and Barfi! was a very different film [in comparison]. I didn’t know it would appeal to people or not… whether they would like it.
“I heard a lot of rumours as well, people saying I’m not sure how it would do [at the box office]. Maybe, you should sign a commercial film. So I ran away from the country when it released. When I got news that it did well was quite a surreal moment.”
Incidentally, Barfi! went on to sweep up most of the awards for Best Film in 2013, with D’Cruz bagging the Filmfare award for Best Debut.
Despite starting her acting career doing films in South India, D’Cruz couldn’t adapt to the big bad world of Bollywood initially.
“I have done films in the south. But when came to Bollywood it was a much larger audience. The nerves kind of got to me when my first film Barfi! released. I was genuinely very worried and when I heard people actually appreciating my work in it was a very humbling moment.”
In Mubarakan, D’Cruz plays the fiesty Punjabi girl Sweety, who gives a hard time to the on-screen Arjun, before finally succumbing to his charms.
“She’s a bit of a firecracker, who is a lot like me in real life,” D’Cruz revealed.
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Athiya Shetty still getting used to Bollywood
The two-film old Athiya Shetty spoke about her first few years in Bollywood, admitting that she still can’t get used to seeing herself on the big screen.
“I shy away from it. I still have to get used to it [seeing herself on a big screen in the cinema]. I only very recently saw my introduction shot in Mubarakan. I didn’t even see my first film Hero on the big screen.”
Arjun piped in to say: “You have to be like Anil Kapoor. Every time he sees himself he reacts saying, ‘Wow. Outstanding. Looking super!’ He doesn’t need to even see a film of his to say this. Even a photo works.”
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QUOTE-UNQUOTE
Anees Bazmee on Dubai
Mubarakan director Anees Bazmee spoke about his connection with this city, saying: “Dubai is a special place for me because I have spent a large part of my life here; I shot two films here: Welcome and Welcome Back.
“When we filmed Welcome [in 2007], we had shot some scenes in a desert. As that place was familiar to me, I suggested we return to the same place to shoot my second film. And imagine to my surprise that an entire city had now settled there. I was quite impressed.”
Arjun Kapoor on chasing the box office numbers
“Never chase anything. Especially when it comes to the creative. If you make an honest film, it will find its audience and the numbers. We have enough examples to prove that content matters.
“Numbers are important for your production but if we start working on a film where we are busy notching up the money then the intent is wrong.”
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Don’t miss it!
Mubarakan is currently playing across UAE cinemas.
