I will make sure no one ever casts me in

He is tall, lanky and every bit as good looking as he came across in the artistic caper, Meenaxi. Meet Kunal Kapoor as he shares the highs of playing his character, and why he thinks Rakyesh's sense of humor is dead pan!

What was the most interesting aspect about playing your character?

In RDB, I play a character called Aslam, who is a middle class boy from Chandni Chowk. He is the most rational guy of the group; and is someone who looks at all the perspectives in a situation before deciding on what to do. But what was really interesting about playing Aslam was that his predicament was such that even though he himself is a people's sort of a guy, who doesn't like fighting at all, the situations around him are such that he keeps getting pushed into confrontations. Aslam is also a very sensitive guy, sensitive to others feelings, and someone who will go out of his way to make people comfortable. So he is basically the nice guy of the group.
(Smiles)

So does Kunal Kapur the guy draw any parallels to his character as a person?

(Thoughtful pause). You know Aslam is a very relaxed and peaceful sort of a guy, but like I said, it's the situations around him that are volatile .But in my life; it is exactly the 'ulta'! (Laughs) I'm very restless as a person and the situation around me is generally peaceful, so I think that would be the biggest difference , but I think I am quite a bit like Aslam also because just like him, I enjoy being around people, and meeting new people.

Be it Meenaxi or RDB, you have always been portrayed as the dreamer, the awkward lanky guy, why are you being stereotyping like that?

I guess you'll have to ask the directors why they have decided to put me in such a category. I think it's the hair and the beard that does the trick! (Laughs) I will make sure no one ever casts me in such a role again. But you know Aslam is not just a dreamer, in fact he has a fantastic sense of humour, which is absolutely dead pan, because you never know when he is being funny or serious! But more so, Aslam is tough when he needs to be, and you mess with him, or his friends, and he will hit you and real hard at that too! (Smiles)

You weren't the first choice for playing Aslam so how did the role come about to you?

Rakyesh was writing the script for the movie when I was in Delhi busy with Theatre. When I came back, he had finished the 1st draft of the script, after which he had written some 17 more drafts, but after the first one, he gave it to me, and asked me for my feedback. So I read it, and I though it was fantastic. Though at that point they were considering someone else for the role of Aslam, but after four weeks, Rakyesh called me and told me he wanted me to come and audition for the role. So he put me through two or three auditions, and I'll tell you this, Aslam's humour comes from Rakyesh, which is so dead pan, (smiles) because after my third audition he came and hugged me and said, unfortunately you are a good actor, and I'll have to give you this role!