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Sneha Mahadevan Posted: Nov 27, 2009 at 1217 hrs IST
Shahid Kapoor loves his dog and single status and doesn't mind the perks and pitfalls of stardom. The star who believes in wearing his attitude on his Tees, dropped by at the Screen office for a cuppa and some heartwarming chat. Excerpts from the livewire session that followed
Chance Pe DanceI play a dancer in the film. Chance Pe Dance reminded me about my past. It is about struggling actors. About a guy who is trying to make it big. It's about getting a chance to dance. There are scenes where he is getting rejected in auditions and I could relate to that. Sometimes when you go for an audition, in the middle of the dialogue they say 'Ab bas, next' and believe me it is a terrible feeling. You feel like somebody has slapped you across your face. Also in the film I have a second-hand Zen and back then, when I was struggling, I had a second-hand Maruti 800. This was before Ishq Vishk released. All budding actors would meet up for rehearsals every evening and I would be one of them. Even character artistes who came for the rehearsals would come in their Honda Citys and big cars. I would be so embarrassed to see those cars that I would park mine right at the end. I connect with that part in the film. But now I have a Range Rover. When I look back at the time I did my first music video, I feel fortunate. Not many people make it to the top and I am so glad I didn't give up. Going solo
I manage my home alone in Mumbai and live with Shiv, my Man Friday and my dog. I have just returned home from the U.S. after a long schedule of Parmeet Sethi's film. We shot all over New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta City. It was a long and hectic schedule. I am a home bird, so I missed Mumbai. I think the single status suits me a lot and now suddenly I seem to have amazing chemistry with all my co-stars. Life after Kaminey
It's been different, definitely. I think there is a certain amount of appreciation and acceptance as an actor that is really important. There is a difference when you are a star and when you are an actor. I always craved for the respect that people have for you when you are a really good actor. After Kaminey, people think 'Yeh acting bhi kar leta hai, dancing aur body banane ke saath'. Every actor craves for that kind of appreciation and I have seen a little bit of that after Kaminey. Also when you do something that you don't know how it's going to turn out, there is always a fear factor and now after the film has released there is a huge sigh of relief. When it released in Mumbai and Maharashtra, the theatres were shut for 3 days but it survived. From the very beginning, with playing two characters, shooting for 60 days back to back and everything else, it was a very very difficult film. Favourite scene
The scene where the two brothers confront each other in the same room is undoubtedly the best scene because I shot the sequence with myself over two days. Charlie had the stubble while Guddu didn't and I had extensions on because I had to play both the characters. I would finish shooting for Charlie and then I would shoot for Guddu. On the first day I was Charlie and I had to do everything imagining Guddu. It was a scene that had dialogues, drama, action and emotion, so to be able to do it convincingly was probably the most challenging part for me. Childhood memories
I came from Delhi to Mumbai when in Standard V. I was a C.B.S.E student and I didn't know Marathi so I didn't get admission into any school. Finally I got into a C.B.S.E school that was quite close to my house. The good thing about the school was that it had just changed from a boy's convent to a co-ed, so when I entered the classroom on the first day there were two girls among 30 boys. The teacher would be teaching and all the boys would be staring at the girls. So it was fun. In school, we were called the pillars of the class, not for any good reason but because we would be standing forever (Laughs). We were always being punished. I had a best friend Siddharth in Delhi and we were really close. This incident happened sometime in the first standard. After school a lot of children would catch the bus and some would walk back home. One fine day I told Siddharth that I wanted to spend the day with him so when his sister came to pick him up I went along with her to his place. He had an amazing bungalow in Delhi. The next thing I know is that my mom arrives with the cops searching for me! She thought I had gone missing and had come to enquire if I was at Siddharth's place (Grins). Indian abroad
The best thing about shooting abroad is that you are free and don't get mobbed.You can walk around and be normal. There are places where you can just sit and chill. The madness is there but it is just 10 per cent of what it is in India. Before I became an actor I would hang around all day long but now that sense of freedom is lost. A free day for a regular guy is to do whatever one feels like but for an actor it becomes a little difficult. You have to only go to these five places where you will get privacy and it's very sad. At times I feel like swapping places with a normal person but then I look at my Range Rover and say 'No way, I am happy!' Star reborn
Honestly, all the appreciation and the adulation started with Jab We Met where people saw me do something they didn't expect. Kaminey was another extreme. Jab We Met made people sit up and take notice but Kaminey was like what the hell just happened here. It was very different. Most importantly the audience accepted it. Our industry works toward making films that people like so when the audience likes it, regardless of whether we like it or not, we have to like it. That acceptance happens when you do something different and people accepted me with Kaminey. The difficult part was getting people to accept it. Films and beyond
I am just 28 and I am at a phase where people connect with me. I don't want to take myself too seriously. It's important to do light-hearted films. On working with father
I am waiting to work with dad, actor Pankaj Kapur. This will be the most challenging role for me. We are still working on the script and if there is a part he could do, he will, but I don't think he is too keen to act in it. He wants to concentrate on direction. Dad loved Jab We Met and performance-wise he liked Kaminey. I have been running after him from the past three years asking him to make a film with me. He would always say that it is very easy for us to do a film because I am a successful actor and he is an extremely respected actor. But he wanted to be able to see me as an actor in a certain space and that happened after Kaminey. There is a lot of speculation but nothing has been confirmed as yet. Yes, we might cast a fresh face for the female lead or we may take an established actor but we have not yet decided. On co-stars and chemistry
It's very difficult to say with whom I have the best chemistry with. Initially I didn't have any chemistry with anyone. I had a lot of chemistry with Priyanka Chopra in Kaminey and with Genelia D'Souza in Chance Pe Dance. I thought I had amazing chemistry with Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met and with Amrita Rao in Ishq Vishk and Vivaah. With Anushka Sharma, I am still shooting, so I would want to comment only once I finish working.
Amrita Rao- She is one of my favourite co-stars. I think we both have amazing chemistry. Unfortunately we have not done a film after Vivaah. I want to do a film with her, as I miss working with her.
Anushka Sharma - She is so tall that she would wear flats and I would be asking for heels. I think she is very talented and will be a very big star. People didn't see much of her in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi because it was a different kind of a role, but I think she has all the qualities to be a star. She is very young and to be so sorted and clear about what you want so early in life is a great thing.
Genelia D'Souza- She has danced amazingly well in Chance Pe Dance. You should watch the film to believe it. I had great fun with her and Genelia and I have become great friends. She is one of my most favourite people.
Priyanka Chopra - She is the most surprising actor I have worked with. I always thought she was good but after working with her I realised she is brilliant. She has the best attitude. She is very positive. Working with her was great.
Rani Mukerji - She is a complete heroine. Honestly, she can dance, she can act, she is a big star, she looks stunning on screen and she has everything. She is very professional and dedicated. You can see why she has worked on so many films and done so well in the industry.
On working with newcomers
It's great if all newcomers want to work with me. It is not really my decision you know, the director decides who to cast opposite me. If you ask me I would want to work with all of them. It's always more exciting with a newcomer.
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