A questioning spirit

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A questioning spirit

Monday, 20 May 2019 | Saimi Sattar

A questioning spirit

The youth have become numb to a lot of things that they read about and see but cinema still has the power to venture deep into their soul. People now want to know how India became ‘India,’ actor Arjun Kapoor tells Saimi Sattar

That is one newspaper that we do not get in Mumbai, why is that? asks Arjun Kapoor as soon as I introduce myself. When I get into the details, he immediately pipes in, “Should we start an edition in the commercial capital?” When I laugh and reply in the affirmative, he starts discussing the similarity between the two cities, so much so that the two could be twins. That is Arjun, as I discover over the course of the next 15 minutes or so, interested in a whole lot of different issues which he can discuss with a clarity that is engaging.

The actor is in the capital to promote his forthcoming film, India’s Most Wanted, directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, and at the press conference just before the interview, he does not miss answering any questions, some humorously and others on a more serious note depending upon the issue at hand. When a young reporter wants to know what Malaika Arora, his rumoured girlfriend, had to say about the film, without missing a beat, Arjun replies, “I will tell you this on the side,” as the entire hall reverberates with laughter.

Another reporter, introducing herself says, “I am from Hindustan...” when Arjun replies, “So am I.” When someone asks him how he will appeal to the public to watch his film, he is quick to retort, “If I appeal, in this season, it will seem as if I am asking for votes.” Not surprisingly, there is laughter, yet again.

But he does not let his humour pepper the proceedings when it comes to the film, which is based on a real life mission about the capture of a terrorist by five ordinary men “without firing a bullet.” When someone talks about the association of religion with terror, Arjun counters, “The genuine fact of the matter is that world over, whether it is the incident in Sri Lanka or New Zealand, people are trying to radicalise others and rationalise it by using religion to justify it. There is no religion which justifies violence against innocents. Terrorism is terrorism. Using religion to instigate violence and terrorism gives an insight into the base mindset of these men and women. We are a secular country and surnames do not matter. We should remember that we have been taught to be together as a country so why should we let anyone divide us on religion, caste and creed?”

So when I point out that on his Twitter handle, he has been asking people to say Vande Mataram which is one of the slogans, of late, that has been mired in controversy, Arjun gives me a patient hearing to explain my point of view and also voices his views. “Patriotism is an emotion that is stirred within you on its own. It has nothing to do with people who are trying to use it for their personal agenda. Our intent has to be clear. If you want to take 10 seconds to pay tribute to people who keep India safe, it has nothing to do with politics. People have the understanding to differentiate and you must respect that understanding. Rather than being divisive, it unites,” he elaborates.

The promo of the film, which releases on May 24, is realistic with subtle patriotism in evidence. Arjun agrees, “It is non jingoistic. That was the intent. It is grounded in reality because that is how intelligence people operate. It’s not about the ones who stand behind mics and speak but about doers. These are balanced individuals who do not say Bharat Mata Ki Jai or Jai Hind or Desh ke liye jee jaan lutaenge after every third line. Their actions speak. I think it is contemporary. Understated is the new cool.”

He believes that what will go in favour of this film is rather than spoonfeeding answers, it will encourage the audience to ask questions. “If you make cerebral films, you will open up and tap into a larger mindset. A lot more people will ask good and interesting questions and make relevant observations. When you go back home, you will wonder the morality of why these things happen, how people use religion to their advantage and how ground level realities are hidden from the common man. There are a lot of questions that are worth diving into but films usually don’t make us do that. It is nice to pick up the morsel and bite into it yourself,” says the actor who made his debut with Ishaqzaade in 2012 opposite Parineeti Chopra with whom he stars next in Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar.

We go on to discuss the spate of patriotic films that have come out recently. He says, “Last year when I signed it, the ecosystem of politics was very different. Right now, we are in a patriotic swing, politically and cinematically. But it just got aligned rather than being designed.”

He believes that there is a reason that the audience has warmed up to the idea of patriotic films, where there has been a flurry with Parmanu, Raazi, Uri and RAW following quickly one after the other. “Our youth are very restless. There is an adrenaline rush in their veins and they do feel a sense of patriotism. They have become numb to a lot of things that they read about and see but cinema still has the power to venture deep into their soul. Earlier people felt that aray ye kahaniyan kaun dekhna chahega? People now want to know how India became ‘India.’ A film like Raazi is a part of contemporary history and tells us about an incident which happened in our lifetime. People are more intrigued by their own motherland rather than looking at the Western civilisation for inspirational answers, solutions and validation today,” he says and points out that there had been a big void since Border in 1997. “Chak De! India was differently patriotic and beautifully so,” he adds.

While preparing for this role, Arjun did meet some officers, though not the ones who actually took part in the mission because of security reasons. “When I met them I realised that violence is their last resort. It is called Intelligence Bureau for a reason as the word indicates the use of brains rather than physical strength. Mental strength means you have to be able to get along with people to get information, blend in the crowd and live a normal life. This role is not like that of a hero in a conventional film, rather this is a common man,” he says.

While Arjun has done shoots at live locations in Finding Fanny and Aurangzeb or even for his forthcoming Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, he says the experience here was different for a reason. “You need to be responsible while you are portraying an existing person’s life. So when they see this, they should feel that justice has been done. You cannot just walk in and say the lines without having the emotional integrity. You need to build a mood which is difficult when you are shooting at live locations because there are logistical nightmares. But you have to stay honest, maintain your sanity and still deliver as Prabhat and not let the Arjun Kapoor aura step in. I think that the pay off is that the tone is consistent,” he says.

Arjun has his reason for choosing this film. “I signed this last February, so it was six years into my professional life. As an entertainer, you feel a certain social responsibility. The feeling was in the sub-conscious and you can’t ignore it. I felt a certain rage when I read the story and the need to tell it. It is not as if I woke up in the morning and suddenly decided to do a film on a terrorist. When I read it, I realised the amount of filth which is there in our country, where the story of 400 people having lost their lives has disappeared. This man was caught in 2013. We are sitting in 2019 and he is alive. While the due process of law should be followed and he should be given a fair trial, the need is to ensure that it is done within a time frame,” says Arjun who has supported initiatives like the Earth Hour and has helped raise awareness for conservation in the Sundarbans region of the country. In 2017, he joined hands with the global movement and campaign, ‘Girl Rising,’ to empower women.

Arjun says that there is a way that he goes about in choosing any role. “I look at whether as an audience, I would want to watch the film. Then whether the director is on the same page as I am. So when I am hearing something, does it sound exactly  the way I want to do it? Then whether my character is exciting. Sometimes the story can be great but my character might not be enough to bite into. So these three. And in that order.”

Actors do have a rich smorgasbord to choose from now thanks to the improvement in content. Arjun explains, “Our audience is more interested in knowing about our country and culture, so the stories are now more richly embedded within our own communities and tribes. Earlier, films were based in Switzerland where the hero came on a bike. We no longer look Westwards for approval, inspiration or validation.” He also points out that while the stories are more rooted, there is also more exposure to world content thanks to the digital medium. “So, you are competing with the West in a way. But we have found our own stories. Stree will not work in a Western society as they tapped into an interesting connect where the older generation will believe in a superstition while the youth shall mock it. Badhaai Ho wouldn’t be so taboo or funny abroad. Similarly, a Ki & Ka would be generic as house husbands exist in the West. In India, it is a new conversation. The evolution of the audience always dictates cinema patterns,” he says.

Arjun, who has done 11 films in seven years, says that he does not wish to go any faster as it would be a difficult pace to do justice to any role. “I’ve done more films than my contemporaries, whether it is Varun (Dhawan) or even Siddharth Malhotra. In the first three years, I had seven releases. As is bound to happen, post that I was choosy.  Sometimes films take long to be made. Tevar took a year and after that I needed a break. After Ki & Ka, I hosted Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi, a TV show for three months. Half Girlfriend needed three-four months of preparation. So films get spaced out. Now when I am shooting Panipat, I can't shoot anything else because I am bald in the film. Every film takes at least six to eight months. I think the audience, too, don’t need an overdose but a break. This year I have three releases and last year, I had one,” he says as he walks off ready to express his candid views to another journalist.

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