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I am what I am: Shahid Kapoor

In an exclusive interview with Swati Chaturvedi of Spicezee.com on her chat show ‘Kahiye Janab’, Shahid Kapoor talks about his career and life.

Blessed with chocolate boy good looks and a killer smile, Shahid Kapoor became an overnight star with his debut release ‘Ishq Vishq’. Through the years, Shahid gave some exhilarating performances with ‘Jab We Met’ and ‘Kaminey’ and consolidated his position in Bollywood. The star, who made headlines after his unceremonious break-up with Kareena Kapoor, has moved on in life. Self-assured and oozing with confidence, Shahid has buried the ghosts of his past and is ready to conquer the Box Office.
In an exclusive interview with Swati Chaturvedi of Spicezee.com on her chat show ‘Kahiye Janab’, the actor reveals about his career and life. Swati: Shahid, welcome to ‘Kahiye Janab’! This is the third time you are on the show and every time you come, you appear in a different avatar? Shahid: Thank you, I am happy that you noticed that. Yes, I am trying to do different things. People try to re-invent themselves, but I don’t want to re-invent myself. Yet, I always try to do things differently. I like to keep experimenting with myself. Swati: How do you find forty-year old actors re-inventing themselves with six packs et al? Shahid: Well, if you look at all the three Khans – Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman - they were first actors and after that they built their bodies. The concept of fitness has just come to Bollywood. Five years back in Bollywood, there was nothing like six or eight packs. Swati: Vishal Bhardwaj recently said that if Shahid does not focus on his face and hair, then he could become a superstar. Shahid: (Smiles) I never feel bad about whatever Vishal says. In fact, the idea of growing long hair in ‘Kaminey’ was of Vishal himself. But as my directors say, I have now got my hair cut short. Swati: But talking about Vishal Bhardwaj’s comments, you looked so different in terms of aesthetics, physicality and appearance in ‘Kaminey’? Shahid: It is a very broad question, yes, looks and aesthetics are important. Every facet is equally important. However, script and character are a top priority. I think the beauty of ‘Kaminey’ was how I transformed myself in the film – to draw people into the theatre, we had to shock them and the movie did it perfectly. Swati: If we talk about films before ‘Jab We Met’ and ‘Kaminey’, were you content with the kind of films you were doing? Shahid: Yes, I did a few that were not right, but I still believe I can work better than ‘Jab We Met’ and ‘Kaminey’. When I look back now, I see something lacking in my work. For instance, in ‘Kaminey’ the character of Guddu could have been much better. But in all, ‘Kaminey’ was a great movie. Swati: Journalists are constantly scribbling about your relationship status, which is contributing a lot to global warming. So many things have been written about you on your link-ups. What do want to say on that? Shahid: (Laughs) I request journalists to write all stories about me on the Internet rather than on paper so that they do not contribute to global warming. Well, I do have a right to privacy and nobody can define my private space. Swati: When people see and read all such gossip about you, how do you react? Shahid: I see it, ignore it and laugh about it. It’s very important to have a sense of humour. I have stopped taking gossip seriously. I wish it were not there, but only if wishes were horses. Swati: But Vidya Balan and Priyanka Chopra have spoken about you? Shahid: I have not spoken about them, you should ask them. Swati: People say that you are stubborn and fight with people. What do you have to say about it? Shahid: (Smiles) Yes, I am a worthless person! I have stopped taking such talk seriously. After all, one cannot live a life according to stories. The bigger the name, the more are the controversies. I see it all with a professional detachment. I am what I am. You know, I love interacting with my fans and people know how much to believe and how much not to. Swati: After the last two hits ‘Jab We Met,’ and ‘Kaminey’, do you see any visible changes in yourself? Shahid: I am growing everyday and I keep changing. I am evolving, as each day I am learning something new. I have more sense of humour; I have a lot more faith. Swati: Both your parents were actors, but you never came from a lineage, filmy ‘khandaan’. What has been your experience? Shahid: My parents were actors, but there were no producers sitting at my home who would say let’s make a film with you. My grandfather was a professor in Ludhiana and my father came from Ludhiana to Mumbai to join NSD. It was my grandfather’s foresightedness that he believed in my father. The story of ‘Chance Pe Dance’ is quite like that. It’s a fun film in which I play the character of Sameer, a person born in Delhi who wants to make it big in Bollywood. I connect to this film; it’s about whenever you get a chance grab it with both the hands. In the film, I go through similar circumstances that I experienced during my first film ‘Ishq Vishq’, whose director Ken Gosh rejected me and then finally selected me. The movie had no big stars and was made on a shoestring budget. Whatever I am is because of Ken Ghosh and Ramesh Taurani. I was just twenty two years old when I signed my first film. In ‘Kaminey,’ Vishal had a foresight about me and it was a role of lifetime. Swati: News has it that you are working with your father’s film. Shahid: Yes, I am working with my father. It has nothing to do with my success or failure in Bollywood as the main idea was to have a right subject. When we got one, we went ahead with it. It’s a lovely story and I am dedicating an entire year to it. Swati: Grapevine has it that you are not working with your mom? Shahid: (Laughs) Yes, I sign everybody’s film except my family’s! All is well and all is good in my family. Swati: Last question, are you single? Shahid: Yes, I am single. Adapted By: Aman Kanth