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'My mom resides in me' By Roshmila Bhattacharya, Mumbai Mirror | Mar 4, 2014, 12.00 AM IST
Arjun Kapoor admits he still misses mom Mona Kapoor, explains his equation with Sridevi and his friendship with Alia Bhatt.
The 'angry young man' tag doesn't rest easy on his shoulders. Arjun Kapoor, who grew up on films like Ram Lakhan and Tezaab, and has starry-eyed memories of Sholay, Shaan, Kala Patthar and Deewar, says, "Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan) was the quintessential angry young man while Anil chachu (Anil Kapoor) was the jhakaas young man. It's too early for me to be bound to an image, I should be playing different characters." That is the reason Arjun is looking forward to 2 States in which he plays a bespectacled Punjabi geek who falls for a feisty South Indian girl, played by Alia Bhatt. And while everyone's talking about Krish Malhotra's uncanny similarity in appearance to the film's director Abhishek Varman, Arjun points out that there's a lot of him in this unlikely hero too. "The anger you see only explodes on screen, off it, I keep it bottled within me. I can also connect with Krish's attachment to his family, his mother in particular, and his value," he says.
What if real life follows the reel path and his family too objects to the girl of his choice? Arjun's not worried. "I'll sit them down and I'm sure they'll understand. The one who'll be most interested is my cousin Sonam (Kapoor). Recently, when Alia announced our 'engagement' on Twitter, she called to rant about why I hadn't told her earlier. I explained that it was just a marketing gimmick," he laughs, adding that right now marriage is the last thing on his mind.
Buzz is, romance is brewing between Alia and him, even though at the film's trailer launch the dirtector was asked if he and the actress are an item? "Abhishek and Alia? That's a mystery even I want to unravel,"Arjun jokes. Arguing that just because his co-star and he hang out together, doesn't mean that they are in a relationship, he says, "Right now the only thing simmering between us is anger. She hasn't seen Gunday and I haven't seen Highway. Unless I see her film soon, I can see a major squabble coming." Has he read Chetan Bhagat's book? "I'm not much of a reader, 2 States is still there on my mother's bookshelf, my nani's read it too, but I've decided I won't till the film releases. I resisted reading it because I wanted the film to be a journey of self discovery," he says. Has he at least discussed the book with his nani? "I don't talk films with my family. I like them to be surprised," he asserts. He must miss his mom, Mona Kapoor? He nods, "I do, but I know she resides in me and I reflect her in every step I take."
Is that why he has made peace with his step-mom Sridevi? "I don't know if it is about making peace. I love my father and she's a part of his life. Besides I've been brought up to be respectful and decent to people," he points out. Arjun has started working on his first home production, Sanjay Kapoor's Thevar, supervised by his dad, and is enjoying the experience. "Dad has so much experience in the business but he lets me find my own space on the set and enjoys watching me run around and enjoy myself," says the actor. Interestingly, he began his career assisting Karan Johar on Kal Ho Na Ho. Yash Johar signed his first pay cheque while Karan christened him Fubu, after the only clothing brand that the then rotund actor could fit into. The nickname has since been picked up by the whole industry. "The chemistry between Shah Rukh (Khan) and Saif (Khan) left me wide-eyed. They would discuss lines, improvise on them, without any attempt to under-cut each other," he reminisces. We see signs of that bonhomie between Ranveer Singh and him. Is the bromance for real? "Well, Ranveeer is a buddy," he smiles. And they're doing another film together, Finding Fannny Fernandes, in which Ranveer is playing Deepika Padukone's husband? "He's doing a cameo. The film is about Deepika and me. And if it was important to get the girl in the end I wouldn't have done Gunday," asserts Arjun. Arjun interestingly doesn't think he'd make a good producer because he's a spendthrift. "But some day I'll direct a film. But for now I'm enjoying being an actor."
Arjun Kapoor admits he still misses mom Mona Kapoor, explains his equation with Sridevi and his friendship with Alia Bhatt.
The 'angry young man' tag doesn't rest easy on his shoulders. Arjun Kapoor, who grew up on films like Ram Lakhan and Tezaab, and has starry-eyed memories of Sholay, Shaan, Kala Patthar and Deewar, says, "Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan) was the quintessential angry young man while Anil chachu (Anil Kapoor) was the jhakaas young man. It's too early for me to be bound to an image, I should be playing different characters." That is the reason Arjun is looking forward to 2 States in which he plays a bespectacled Punjabi geek who falls for a feisty South Indian girl, played by Alia Bhatt. And while everyone's talking about Krish Malhotra's uncanny similarity in appearance to the film's director Abhishek Varman, Arjun points out that there's a lot of him in this unlikely hero too. "The anger you see only explodes on screen, off it, I keep it bottled within me. I can also connect with Krish's attachment to his family, his mother in particular, and his value," he says.
What if real life follows the reel path and his family too objects to the girl of his choice? Arjun's not worried. "I'll sit them down and I'm sure they'll understand. The one who'll be most interested is my cousin Sonam (Kapoor). Recently, when Alia announced our 'engagement' on Twitter, she called to rant about why I hadn't told her earlier. I explained that it was just a marketing gimmick," he laughs, adding that right now marriage is the last thing on his mind.
Buzz is, romance is brewing between Alia and him, even though at the film's trailer launch the dirtector was asked if he and the actress are an item? "Abhishek and Alia? That's a mystery even I want to unravel,"Arjun jokes. Arguing that just because his co-star and he hang out together, doesn't mean that they are in a relationship, he says, "Right now the only thing simmering between us is anger. She hasn't seen Gunday and I haven't seen Highway. Unless I see her film soon, I can see a major squabble coming." Has he read Chetan Bhagat's book? "I'm not much of a reader, 2 States is still there on my mother's bookshelf, my nani's read it too, but I've decided I won't till the film releases. I resisted reading it because I wanted the film to be a journey of self discovery," he says. Has he at least discussed the book with his nani? "I don't talk films with my family. I like them to be surprised," he asserts. He must miss his mom, Mona Kapoor? He nods, "I do, but I know she resides in me and I reflect her in every step I take."
Is that why he has made peace with his step-mom Sridevi? "I don't know if it is about making peace. I love my father and she's a part of his life. Besides I've been brought up to be respectful and decent to people," he points out. Arjun has started working on his first home production, Sanjay Kapoor's Thevar, supervised by his dad, and is enjoying the experience. "Dad has so much experience in the business but he lets me find my own space on the set and enjoys watching me run around and enjoy myself," says the actor. Interestingly, he began his career assisting Karan Johar on Kal Ho Na Ho. Yash Johar signed his first pay cheque while Karan christened him Fubu, after the only clothing brand that the then rotund actor could fit into. The nickname has since been picked up by the whole industry. "The chemistry between Shah Rukh (Khan) and Saif (Khan) left me wide-eyed. They would discuss lines, improvise on them, without any attempt to under-cut each other," he reminisces. We see signs of that bonhomie between Ranveer Singh and him. Is the bromance for real? "Well, Ranveeer is a buddy," he smiles. And they're doing another film together, Finding Fannny Fernandes, in which Ranveer is playing Deepika Padukone's husband? "He's doing a cameo. The film is about Deepika and me. And if it was important to get the girl in the end I wouldn't have done Gunday," asserts Arjun. Arjun interestingly doesn't think he'd make a good producer because he's a spendthrift. "But some day I'll direct a film. But for now I'm enjoying being an actor."
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