Up, Close and Personal with Shahid Kapoor

Up, Close and Personal with Shahid Kapoor

Published: Saturday, Sep 3, 2011, 10:22 IST | Updated: Saturday, Sep 3, 2011, 11:03 IST 
By Team After Hours | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Actor Shahid Kapoor revealed some of his intimate secrets to DNA when he visited the office. Excerpts from the interview..

You like music?
I love house music. I obviously listen to a lot of Hindi music, usually not my own films because by the time it’s ready you’ve heard it so many times and you’re quite tired of it. Ummm, right now it’s Pitbull. I listen to energetic music in the mornings

What’s your fave pastime?
I enjoy chilling with my dog.I have a golden retrievercalled Kaiser — named after the German King. Nothing to do with that though (laughs). As a kid, I used to have this family friend who used to breed dogs. He had a black Doberman, he was huge and used to lick my face. And that’s the strongest memory I have of a dog. So I always wanted to have a dog named Kaiser.

You are young, talented, successful… Is there anything that you miss in life?I live alone. I don’t like that. So that’ll be the one thing I’d say I want to change.

You want to marry, y’mean?That’s a bit extreme. (laughs) Maybe I’d start up with finding someone who I like enough.

And what kind of girl would you like to marry?Anyone who is able to handle me yaar.

Are you tough to handle?I’m sure I’m tough to handle.

You’ve imbibed acting from your father (actor-director Pankaj Kapur) and dancing from your mother (Neelima Azim)… what is it that you are more comfortable with?I love both equally, very difficult for me choose. (pauses and thinks) well very difficult. Maybe there is a lot more to discover as an actor than as a dancer since I have trained professionally in dance, but as an actor I’ve had no professional training. Though I think even as a dancer I can learn a lot more but the desire to learn as an actor is probably much more.

How does your dad feel about your work?He’s very kind, ya. So he praises most of my performances, though I’m sure in his head he’s be thinking what the hell is he doing (laughs). And I think the biggest compliment is that he choose to cast me in the first film that he’s directing, Mausam. And my father is a thorough professional — he’d never cast me unless he feels I’m good enough to fit the role.

How much does the co-actor matter in picking a movie?In decision making not at all. But when you are performing with somebody the afct that they are good actors really help. Coz I don’t think that an actor is an island. I think any scene/performance of mine that people might have liked is as much…. what the co-actor has done or the rest of the team has done — is as much a part of that achievement as my work is.

So who is the one co-star you are most compatible with?
Right now Sonam.

You are one of the best dancers in the country but you’ve taken a form which is very different from your mom?
She’s always very insecure. Tu kathak mat seekhna. Learn a dance form which is more boyish. But I think whatever I am as a dancer is because of her. It’s running in my blood.

Does she like your work?
My mom is a bit biased towards me she likes everything about me. That’s a bit of a problem. I keep telling her to criticise me a little. But then dad covers up... he’spretty critical of me.

You were planning a flash mob?
Yeah, we were planning to do a flash mob in New York. But then this hurricane Irene had hit the place so there was flash floods and no flash mobs.

Don’t you want to do one here?
Mumbai mein toh kahi par bhi naachne lago flash mob ho jaayega.

Would you want to do a dance-based reality TV show?
I have been offered. I’d want to do something in TV that excites me, something new and different. Yes, I love dancing, so if it were something associated with dancing I’d love it. A lot of these reality shows however I think are totally crappy and are leading people into wrong directions.

You flew in a F16. Are you planning to take it further?
I want to. I’m really keen on the idea. And after the flight on F16, I have lost all inhibitions I had. It is just extreme. You can blank out and all that stuff can happen. There are G forces that act. At G9 you feel you feel nine times the weight of your body…

Is Sonam your 3am buddy?
See, I am an insomniac. So most people who know me are aware that I will be available to talk at 3 in the night.

Any particular role you’d really want to do?I’d love to play the Joker in Dark Knight. I don’t mind if I die after it.

You are one of the contenders for india’s most desirable man.
Laughs. Yeah, put them in a boxing ring man… what contendersand all.