Posted:
'TV only wants good-looking people!'
Pankaj Kapur says he does not relate to the kind of serials being made these days
DEEPALI DHINGRA
Actor Pankaj Kapur is miffed with the way television has deteriorated over the years. And he isn't just saying it for effect. "I have been asked a couple of times why I haven't done any saas-bahu serials and I ask them, 'what should I play in them, saas or bahu?" he smiles. Pankaj, who's first serial Karamchand made him a household name, says that he doesn't relate to the kind of serials being shown on TV these days. "These serials don't offer anything to actors. In fact, I've heard that the latest buzzword in the TV industry is that they don't want actors, they want good looking people," he adds with a sad smile.
But Pankaj is hopeful that things will change soon. "Everything has a time. In due course, people will realise that looks have only a limited appeal," he says. Pankaj says that people want to see real people on screen. "Brilliance has nothing to do with the way a person looks but the way a person thinks or does things," he adds. The actor has become synonymous with roles that represent the common man. Whether it was Karamchand or Mussadilal in Naya Office Office on Star One, it has been the actor's abilities rather than his looks which the masses have accepted readily. "By and large, I try to keep my characters as real as possible. I play people as people, that's why they have accepted me," he says.
The actor will be seen in Naya Office Office with his wife Supriya Pathak after a long time. How does he feel about acting with her? "I have worked with her before too and have recently worked with her in a film called Dharm which is in the post-production phases. We understand each other's way of working," he says. According to Pankaj, they both understand each other as actors. "We know each others' weak and strong points. At the end of the day, she's my wife and there's obviously a comfort zone between us," he says. And what does he have to say about his wife's acting abilities? "She's a very very talented actress. I wish we had some more actors who have her kind of ability and presence on screen," he adds with a smile.
Although Pankaj has been widely appreciated by the masses for his film as well as television roles, he's not a 'popular' actor in that sense. Does he feel the industry hasn't given him his due? "No, I don't ever think that. One, because I made my choices and I'm responsible for both. Two, because I said no to a lot of mainstream roles that were offered to me as I didn't want to get slotted as a villain or a comedian or the hero's brother. The choice was entirely mine," he says firmly. He adds in the same vein, "I'm thankful for what God has given me. The only thing is that I don't make that much money but I'm okay with that. I'm a peaceful man," he concludes.
Bollywood
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Bigg Boss 19
Parineeti
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
