Shahid Kapoor believes it’s more difficult for filmmakers to direct the adaptations of their own hits

In his two-decade career, Shahid Kapoor has only worked in two official remakes: the yet-to-be-released Jersey and Kabir Singh, one of 2019's top money-makers. A remake is said to be difficult for an actor who is supposed to bring value to a character previously done by an artist from a different industry . Shahid, on the other hand, believes that it's more difficult for the  filmmakers who are tapped to direct adaptations of their own hits. Both Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Gowtham Tinnanuri helmed Hindi remakes of their south hits, Arjun Reddy and Jersey, respectively. 

In an exclusive interview with Etimes, Shahid said,

An adaptation has to be rediscovered. Sometimes, remakes are made in a photocopy manner, and sometimes, they are remade in such a way that the characters feel fresh, the cultural ethos, the mood and the dialogue have been redeveloped over a period of time, giving it a new lease of life. It’s all fresh and different. As an artist, you respect what you saw in the original but when you act in an adaptation, you also find your own version of it. Kabir Singh and Jersey have been that experience for me. If I had felt that the film’s makers were making me do the same thing that has been done before, I would not have done it. I refused it when it came to my table.

- Shahid Kapoor

Shahid describes Sandeep and Gowtham's approach to replicating their own films as follows: 

For Sandeep, it was difficult to deal with another actor who was coming into his creation with his own vibe. Kabir Singh was a challenging journey in that sense. I have to hand it to Sandeep who was yet quite open and allowed me to express things as I felt. He had seen some of my work and placed his trust in me. Gowtham was keen to make Jersey afresh - he was game to alter the fabric of the film. By the time we came to the filming, it didn’t feel like we were recreating a drama. It felt as good as an original project. For both these directors, remaking a film close to their heart is more challenging than it is for an actor. For the directors, it is a bigger challenge because for them, they’re filming a story all over again. For an actor, it’s still a new experience. Like I was doing it all for the first time, but both the directors had had their journeys with the film once before. As an artiste, I think these films come with a sense of responsibility because you loved what the original had to offer. It was credible stuff and you don’t want to let that film down. In both cases, we didn’t go back to the original film till much later. It’s nice to work on something which already has merit and quality attached to it. I will be curious to watch something like that. It would be a great exercise to see how you feel when you watch the original and then, watch its remake. When I saw Jersey, it inspired and motivated me. It had hit me hard and changed me forever. That little self pity we have for ourselves died. The character was so inspiring - it was reason enough to not let this film pass.

- Shahid Kapoor

Apart from Jersey, Shahid has multiple films lined up which include one with director Ali Abbas Zafar in the remake of French film, Nuit Blanche and another project in the form of Bull.