Wanted: The next big thing in Bollywood

Our film industry still needs a young superstar to fill the top slot, says acting guru Kishore Namit Kapoor.

He may have taught a shy Hrithik Roshan to make an awesome impact with his screen presence, helped Kareena Kapoor shed her inhibitions to sizzle on celluloid and encouraged Saif to bring out his versatility as an actor onscreen, but Kishore Namit Kapoor is still on the lookout for a superstar to take the Indian film industry (not Bollywood, he points out) by storm.

The acting guru is far from satisfied with what his famous students are doling out on silver screen these days.

"Directors are not exploiting even half the talent Hrithik, Kareena, Saif, Fardeen, Viveik (Oberoi) or Sajid Khan have. Having trained them all, I know what they are capable of. Take Kareena for instance, it was a mammoth task to coax her to 'act' during her stint at my acting school, but once on stage the spontaneity she showed remains unmatched.

Similarly, Viveik being a meticulous actor always did in-depth research before portraying characters and the results were phenomenal. But sadly his acting prowess seen on screen today is only the tip of the iceberg."

A doting teacher, Namit does ensure that such feedback reaches his former chelas, but he is disappointed with the response. "The usual excuse given is time constraint, but I tell them that nothing compares to the personal touch and individual style one lends to a character."

"There are no superstars yet, most actors on top today are past their prime. Even in Rang De Basanti, Aamir, given his age, had to play a character many years younger. There was no young actor who could do justice to the role. The lack of a young superstar with the rare combination of X-factor and acting prowess is certainly being felt in the industry. Hrithik, Shahid Kapoor and Shiney Ahuja come close but that spot at the top is yet to be filled."

And Kapoor is leaving no stone unturned to fill that slot. "I am travelling to different states to find that superstar. The search is on and soon we will find a charmer."

Amen to that!