NEW Interview
I have to be a star till 60: Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor, the reigning Heroine Number 1 on the sets of Agent Vinod in Film City, Mumbai, wears a beatific smile that makes her resemble the proverbial cat who has swallowed the canary. A glance at the recent headlines is enough to tell you why. For one, Kapoor is back in Madhur Bhandarkar's much-talked- about film Heroine. But, before that she has two big releases with the big boys of Bollywood ' Bodyguard and Ra.One coming up. The former, a remake of a Malayalam hit, is being projected as this year's surefire hit and the latter as the first-ever world-class superhero film from India. Furthermore, there are talks of a probable gangster movie (Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai-2), a contract for the new face of the prestigious Indian cosmetic brand Lakme and, of course, talks of an impending wedding (which she refutes).
The comeback (of Heroine) is significant for two reasons ' Kapoor was the director's original choice for the film and it reinforces her importance as an actress with the required acting chops and star power. In the earlier instance, she had begged off citing date issues. A lot of water has flown under the bridge ever since and the film, earlier a modest budget production, is now a big-ticket project what with an announcement at Cannes with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. In an unfortunate turn of events, differences between the leading lady and the producers of the film over her undisclosed pregnancy put an end to those plans. So the ball is back in Kapoor's court. And she does appear delighted, almost gleeful at the twist in the tale.
"It's a role of a lifetime that many actresses will die for. The film spans a phase in the life of an actress who is around 25-26. It's more a story about a woman seeking peace than a woman of power," Kapoor enthuses.
Grapevine has it that not only is the light-eyed beauty back in a heroine-dominated film with an author-backed role to boot, she is asking for a whopping fee of Rs 8 crore and supposedly getting it! Producers have since issued denials and the actress is not quoting any figures either. In trademark style, she merely rolls her eyes and says, "Everyone is asking me about it! We are trying to work things out. I would rather that UTV makes an official statement, which should happen some time soon."
Speculation and Bollywood mythology apart, what clearly marks Kapoor as the contender to the throne are facts. In keeping with the numero uno tradition, she would be the first heroine of her generation to have starred in films with all the reigning heroes, Khans and more, spanning two generations ' Aamir, Akshay, Salman and Shah Rukh in addition to Saif and Imran ' this regardless of hits and flops they may have delivered in the past. Her upcoming film Bodyguard has her back on screen with Salman 'their last outing Main Aur Mrs Khanna was a turkey' but Salman has gone on record to say that Kareena is the only actress who could do justice to the role of Divya in the film. Kapoor, pretty much echoes his sentiment.
"Bodyguard is one film that is very different from a typical Salman movie, which is either action or comedy. Salman has attempted a love story after a very long time. Of course, the film does have action and comedy but it is basically a love story. Divya is the soul of the movie and the chemistry that Salman and I have is amazing. I think it will do wonders for the film."
Understandably, she is chuffed about being the first to have acted with all the Khans and the fact that all of them have repeated her in their forthcoming projects. After 3 Idiots, Kapoor was roped in for Reema Kagti's film opposite Aamir, reportedly at his behest. Ra.One too is her second film with Shah Rukh as his leading lady.
"What is great is that I would have been the first to work with all the five Khans in the industry right from Shah Rukh to Imran, though it's something that just happened. There was no plan in place. They wanted me in their film as they thought that I suited the roles best. Salman, once he saw the Malayalam version of 'Bodyguard', was very sure that the kind of liveliness and energy the character possesses, could only be brought out by me. But yes, it's now become every actress' dream to star in a movie with all the Khans. So I think it's quite a historic moment."
However, quiz her on the best on-screen chemistry and she gets thoughtful before replying. "I would love to say Saif but 'Agent Vinod' is yet to release. Though in real life, we are a perfect match. On screen, I think there is something very sweet and timeless about my chemistry with Aamir. In 3 Idiots, even though I played a small part, there was a certain sweetness to it. I think there is always a little bit of sexual chemistry that looks good," she says.
Interestingly, Kapoor is also that rare breed among actresses who does not fight shy of sharing screen space with talented performers, scathing remarks about contemporaries notwithstanding. It could be a function of being born to a family of actors ' she grew up admiring leading ladies while waiting in the wings and learning the craft. And an awareness of her destiny as an actor. Kapoor confesses that as far as she can remember, she only wanted to act. She also takes great pride in her undisputed talent and that regardless of hits and flops, A-list projects drop in her lap.
Friend and co-star Tusshar Kapoor's favourite Kareena anecdote is one from their childhood days when they were visiting their parents on the film sets in Kashmir. "We were asked about the careers we wished to pursue and while the rest of us were confused, Kareena was not. She was very clear that she wanted to be an actor."
To be a star actually. Self-admittedly, she hopes to be a star all her life. "Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Kajol and my sister Karisma Kapur inspired me to be an actor. They were real superstars. Among male actors, it would always be Shah Rukh and Salman. Kajol was working with Shah Rukh and Karan and they were a nice blend in the top rung. They were all Lolo's (Karisma) co-stars and now mine so actually it's worked out perfectly."
In the present scenario, she has already had two most competent actresses'Rani Mukerji (Reema Kagti's film) and Kajol ( We Are Family and Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham) 'as her co-stars. Kapoor is magnanimous in her praise of them, calling Kajol the most spontaneous actor besides her and Rani, a wonderful co-star.
Says Kapoor of her next film with Rani, "We don't have any scenes together but I would love to work with her. We are very friendly and close. I have known her since the beginning of my career so we go back a long way. It's sad that we didn't have scenes together but just having her around on such a special movie was nice."
Kapoor, as always, throws in a few surprises. Just when there are a dozen stories circulating about her rivalry with Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra ' both have cameos in Bodyguard and Ra.One respectively' she changes track and says of her colleagues, "Katrina does some good work. Priyanka sometimes does some good films but there is a dearth of good actresses."
Which gets me wondering whether she has mellowed since our last meeting, a charge that she brushes aside with a laugh. " I have always been honest and forthright with the media. No games. But I speak my mind."
I quiz her on whether she would cut a music album like Priyanka Chopra or produce a film and she is quick to counter. "I don't want to do something just because someone else is doing it. Song and dance are nothing exceptional. They do not impress me as much. I would rather act in a movie that has a great role. I am not a great singer so I can't cut an album but I love dancing. But primarily I love acting. That's my passion. Apart from that I would like to give time to my personal life."
As for acting, her prime obsession, Kapoor likes to play different roles within the space of mainstream films. Her forthcoming releases, she asserts, are evidence enough.
"This year I have Ra.One and Bodyguard and both are most eagerly-awaited but very different films. Ra.One is a modern but also an emotional story ' a mother-son, father-son relationship. I am playing mother for the first time so that's exciting even though it is a bit about looking good in the songs. There's Agent Vinod which is a Bond meets Tintin sort of a film and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (earlier titled Short Term Shaadi), again something different from what's been done in the romantic genre."
Imran Khan, her co-star in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, testifies to her talent. When speaking of the film he mentioned that Kapoor would seem inattentive and distracted, busy texting on the phone and then she would get her scene right in the first shot!
The actress concurs with his observations. "That's absolutely true. I am not a method actor anyway. I rely a lot on my spontaneity. During We Are Family Kajol and I were so spontaneous that we would throw the director off-guard."
Another interesting facet to Kapoor is that she has emerged a fashion icon to beat all others in the business. Her outing as the vivacious Geet in Jab We Met set the trend for the desi girl, what with everyone aping her salwar with T-shirt ensemble. Soon after, she followed it up with the Size-Zero craze that forced all actresses within the industry to drop a few sizes. Which makes her the perfect subject for a book on fashion that is being put together by renowned columnist and author Shobhaa De.
"It's not a biography, it's more like a fashion book for the youth with a few facts about me like how health-conscious I am and my yoga routine etc."
Kapoor finds her impact on the fitness and fashion scene amusing. "Now I have nothing to do with Size-Zero. I am enjoying being curvaceous. I am happy, Saif is happy and my family is happy. I don't want to go back to size-zero though I loved the way I looked then. It's important that you keep your curves. I am very fit and healthy, I am vegetarian and I do yoga, which keeps me going. Of late, all actresses have lost so much weight that they are looking scrawny. And everyone is wearing such short clothes! I don't care and I don't want to get into a bikini unless I am in Maldives holidaying with Saif!" she says with a laugh.
Of anxiety about competition from younger actresses, her reply is matter of fact.
"That's the circle of life but I have to continue working and being a star-actor forever… until I am 60! I am happy to be Number 10. As long as people like my movies, as long as actors want to work with me and producers pay my price, I am going to keep working. There is enough and more place for actors because I can't act in all the films."
Coming from anyone else, it may have sounded conceited but with Kapoor, it appears to be the plain truth.
Source: Indian Express
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