What's the easiest way to tell if someone's in love? Check out if they've got that smile plastered on their face from ear to ear for no reason whatsoever. Trust me, you'll never go wrong. When we meet Kunal Kapoor, it's so obvious. For someone who's been down with flu and food poisoning; he seems to be spectacularly happy. It isn't rocket science to put two and two together. He has love written all over his face. The glow on his face, the umpteen text messages that keep beeping on his phone confirm the story. The eligible bachelor who's been on the top of our crush list is in love. Sigh! The buzz is that he's seeing Naina Bachchan. Naina is Amitabh Bachchan's younger brother Ajitabh's daughter. She is an ex-investment banker based in Delhi and is now a theatre actor too. Cupid apparently struck at the acting workshops the two did together in London. Since then he hasn't been able to think straight. No wonder he's been all over the place attending every Bachchan celebration in recent times.
So we naturally begin the conversation with his love life. But he isn't willing to talk. Prod him and he says, "Let's just say that I'm in a happy space with the relationship that I am in right now. But I don't want to talk about my relationship" Okay, his confession is a downer for us. While he's on a roll personally, professionally too, things seem to be looking bright. With the success of his latest solo flick, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, he's on cloud nine. It may have been a long wait since we last saw him on screen but Kunal never ceases to mesmerise us. There's something so sexy about his curly-wurly strands, raw sex appeal or even that sheepish smirk.
As we discuss Luv Shuv... he says, "I've never signed a film thinking it's my first solo film or that the whole onus is on my shoulders. It's just that you do a lot more work and have fewer breaks in between shooting days. But the Khurana family was nuts and the actors playing the characters were bigger nuts. Can you imagine Huma (Qureshi, co-actor) does wheelies and skids with her scooter without even meaning to?" Apparently, their first scene had Kunal sitting behind Huma riding the scooter. He casually asked her since how long had she been learning to ride the scooter. To his horror, she turned around and said 'one day'. By then it was too late for him to call for helmets, crash mats and the works!
He may be the main lead in the film but Kunal was closely associated with the making of the film. Right from choosing the cast to looking into the production, he did it all. Any other director would have considered it intrusive but pal Sameer Sharma took it sportingly. "That's the thing with friends; you can say it like it is. They understand you better than anyone. As a matter of fact, you also understand if someone's having a bad day and when to back off." And what felt like the toughest task turned out to be the easiest. Searching for the right producer. They sent feelers to Anurag Basu and to their surprise; he was as enthused as they were. He smiles, "He's never done a film like this. So I kept pulling his leg that he's going to get a really bad reputation. Because there's obviously no blood or violence in this film. Let's face it, it's a movie without an A certificate."
It took him seven years to learn the tricks of the trade. While nobody doubted his potential, his career at one point did come to a standstill. We are still waiting for him to make that much needed noise. Ask him why he let some crackling scripts slip by and pat comes his reply, "They obviously didn't seem so exciting back then. Sometimes when I watch the promos of the films I've passed up… and unfortunately I've passed up quite a few good ones; I kick myself hard, thinking, 'Damn! Why didn't I do this film?' But regret is
a strong word to use." Not many know this but Kunal rejected Farhan Akhtar's Rock On!!. Next thing he knew, it was Arjun Rampal stealing the limelight and bagging all those fancy awards. "I don't think you can ever learn what's the right thing to do. If the movie's a hit, it's always right in retrospect. Everyone has a say and you're wondering... why didn't you tell me earlier? But seriously, I also think you can't have a career without making mistakes."
So when the cameo in Don 2 came his way, he grabbed it with both hands. It was his opportunity to work with the people he adores. "I've always loved Farhan's films and unfortunately, we'd thought of working together a couple of times but it never materialised. It gave me the chance to work with Shah Rukh (Khan) who I really admire. At the same time, I was part of something that is iconic. So you're not thinking of how big or small the role is. It's like doing Ocean's Eleven abroad. There are a lot of actors coming together and nobody's thinking 'Oh, I have to have the biggest or meatiest part'," asserts Kunal.
Somewhere it was fear that locked him in. Fear about not making the right impression, not making the right moves or even getting typecast by the industrywallas. He admits, "You're being overtly cautious by over-thinking things while constantly seeking advice from different people. The deal is to only do the stuff you truly, truly believe in. Even if it's a mistake because at one point you really wanted it to work out."
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