35 years in the Indian Film Industry, with a daughter who’s become a part of the industry for few years now, but well, the man can give any actor from the younger lot a run for money.Fit as a fiddle, and looks that could get him a role opposite his own daughter, well that’s a little bit of an hyperbole, but nevertheless, actor Anil Kapoor has maintained his position in Hindi cinema over the years.Be it the Munna of ‘Tezaab’ or Lakhan from ‘Ram Lakhan’, ‘Pukar’ or the ever popular ‘Mr India’, Anil has made each character worth remembering with his own personal touch to each of them.
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Yet, no one really is aware about the actor’s struggle before ‘Woh Saat Din’ happened. Though, guess his struggle has been worth it, considering the name he has built for himself in Hindi cinema. Not to forget his work in Hollywood in recent times.
Ask him what made him sign the film, and he says, “For me to agree to do a film is never fast. I take time to say yes, but when Priyadarshan offered me the film, he told me, ‘Abhi tu mana nahi kar sakega, (you cannot say no to me now) and I won’t disappoint you.’ And he hasn’t disappointed me. Priyan has done his best with this film.”
But while we wonder if Anil is getting to the action genre, because that’s the current fad in the industry, with most actors making it big in the genre, Anil clarifies, “I’ve always been doing these kind of films. And if you see my body of work, films like ‘Tezaab’ or ‘Ram Lakhan’ or ‘Mashaal’ , they’ve always worked. What these actors are doing now, I’ve done that many years ago. And well, I’m again preparing for this genre.”
True that, since the actor’s next few are all action packed films, be it ‘Shootout at Wadala’ or ‘Race 2’. Infact, his television debut with hindi version of ‘24’ belongs to this genre too.
It’s an era where an actor undergoes various changes in his look for a particular character and a film. Either an actor goes bald, or the hair gets short. Some actors even grow a moustache or a stubble for a role.
Anil admits that one must do what a role demands, though, he reminds us that he’s done that in so many films, so many years back. “All the films we’ve made, there was a conscious decision to be ahead of time. Hence, people can even watch those films today and get entertained. I’ve changed my look for so many films. ‘Lamhe’, I removed my moustache, then ‘1942 : A love story’ I cut my hair short, changed the whole look, just that, in those times the media didn’t pay attention. During ‘1942: A love story‘, me and Vidhu Vinod Chopra decided, let’s call the media, I’m changing my whole look, but there was nobody apart from me and him, and now some actor just starts wearing a earring and media creates a hype,” he laughs.
He further adds, “You know and I like it when people think someone has followed me, like while ‘Koi Mil Gaya’ released or ‘My Name is Khan’ released, people told me they were reminded of my role in ‘Eeshwar’, I felt good.”
Comedy and Action are two genres that the actor has been closely associated with, and he loves both. But he considers comedy slightly more difficult. Says the national award winning actor, “With comedy, a lot depends on the co-actors. Their timing matters.” Prod him about the actors he’d enjoyed doing comedy with and he says, “Govinda, Johhny Lever, Anupam Kher, Paresh Rawal, Nana Patekar. In actresses I’d say, Sridevi. She is the best in the industry when it comes to comedy. Also, Juhi Chawla is too good at it.”
While he has begun shooting for ‘Shooutout at Wadala’ and ‘Race 2’, Anil also confirms that ‘Mr India 2’ will happen.
Though, the case hasn’t been finalised. But ask him, if Sridevi would be there in the film, and he quips, “Aree Boney picture produce karega, toh Sridevi kaise nahi hogi?”
Yes, clearly, the man knows how to make you laugh for real! On the production front, his next venture would be ‘Herogiri’ apart from the TV series ‘24’
