I wasn’t sure of doing Abbaji’s role in Maqbool: Pankaj Kapur

At 18, when Pankaj Kapur shared his desire to pursue a career in acting, his father asked him if it was the glamour that he found attractive or if he truly had the ability to act. To find the answer, Kapur decided to join the National School of Drama. When he was leaving home to join NSD, his father, an English professor, told him — ‘Now, don’t look back.’ Kapur didn’t. In a career spanning five decades, the actor has excelled in almost every genre. During a recent interaction in Nagpur, moderated by Ajey Gampawar, the actor reflected on his journey in showbiz, recalled his NSD days, and more.

‘Discussions helped shape Abbaji’s character in Maqbool’The conversation steered towards Kapur’s powerful screen performances and it would have been incomplete without the mention of Abbaji in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool.

Interestingly, Kapur was initially hesitant to play the character. “When Vishal Bhardwaj approached me with the role, I wasn’t sure of doing it. But he was insistent. So, I asked him to leave the script with me and said I would get back within a month. Eventually, I agreed,” said Kapur, adding, “I later got to know that Bhardwaj had offered the role to Naseeruddin Shah first, but he was interested in playing another character and suggested my name instead. Multiple meetings and discussions helped shape Abbaji’s character more effectively. For example, I had suggested to Vishal that Abbaji, who is short in height, be surrounded by tall, well-built bodyguards. The thought was that it will subtly reflect Abbaji’s authority and power,” said Kapur, who featured in the film with Irrfan and Tabu.




‘Shahid has made right film choices’Appreciating his son Shahid Kapoor’s professional moves, Pankaj who has directed him in Mausam, said, “It is not easy to direct him because he is a huge star and a fine artiste. I would like to say that he is the best actor in his age-group. The kind of characters he is picking need a lot of courage considering the fact that he is a star. He is constantly finding his way, which is a sign of growth for an actor.”

On Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro...Kapur, who played the builder Tarneja in Kundan Shah’s cult comedy Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, says that many have thought of remaking the film, but no one has till date. “I think such films are made only once in a lifetime. Many have contributed significantly to the film, but Kundan Shah’s name comes first in that list. It was commendable for him to think, write, and then execute with so much hard work and little money. It’s a film which will stay with the audiences for a long time to come,” Kapur shared.

On losing his job because of GandhiAfter his graduation, Kapur served in the Repertory Company of NSD for four years. However, it was during the making of Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi (1982) that he was laid off. “I was initially given a go-ahead from NSD to work in the film. But when I was half way through the project, the management asked me to join them for a theatre festival in Goa. I had to refuse as I had my commitments for the film. They asked me to resign but I refused because I was not at fault. Eventually, they gave me a termination letter,” said Kapur, who played the role of Mahatma Gandhi’s secretary Pyarelal, and also dubbed for Ben Kingsley for the film’s Hindi version.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”