Shahid Kapoor: I always had my own voice and protected it fiercely

On Rustomjee presents Bombay Times Lounge, Shahid Kapoor reflects on the philosophy that has guided his career, shaped early on by his father, Pankaj Kapur, and why playing characters that are flawed, unsettling or misunderstood is essential to meaningful art. The O Romeo actor talks about fear, fearlessness and the responsibility of staying ahead of the curve without losing authenticity. Amid the serious reflections, there were lighter moments on the show too — ones that had the audience, including fans who travelled from far and wide, clapping and laughing at his frank, unfiltered responses. The full episode with Shahid Kapoor is now live on the Bombay Times YouTube channel.

Few actors of your generation have taken as many sharp turns as you have — from romantic leads to deep, complex, even grey characters. What has guided your instinct to disrupt your own image?

There is something that my dad (Pankaj Kapur), who is such a great actor himself, said to me when I wanted to become an actor. He said, “Just remember one thing – if you want to chase the path of being an actor and not just be a star, your endeavour should be to play characters in a way where no two characters are similar to each other.” And that thought has been haunting me and torturing me since then. It’s difficult to play a different character every time, but it was just something which was so true and simple that I just couldn’t walk away from it. I can only choose from what’s in front of me, but my choices are driven by that one line that my dad said to me. And I feel that every actor should try and find characters that help him express humanity in a different way.




Has there ever been a role that scared you enough to almost say no — and what finally made you say yes?

Yes, roles like Udta Punjab, where I had to play an addict, or Kabir Singh where I’m an alcoholic…as I live a very different life, I’m vegetarian and I’ve never had any alcohol, so I don’t know what it is to be high. So, of course, those are like very direct challenges that are thrown at you and that is where your skill and craft come in, where you have to learn things that you don’t know or perform things that you haven’t experienced. When you choose characters who are flawed, volatile, or polarising, is there ever a fear of being misunderstood — or do you believe misunderstanding is part of meaningful art? Why do we underestimate the audience so much? Why do we treat them like they’re two-year-olds? They know this is a script. They know someone else has written and directed it and the actor has been given the role to perform. If you keep playing the same kind of character endlessly… then I think something like this applies. I have never seen the audience say, “You are a bad person.” They never bring the screen character into real life. They know that’s not who I am, and that’s the character that the director requires me to play. Sometimes, if you do a scene where the experience that the audience needs to have is not necessarily a positive one, and you have achieved that, then your craft as an actor is actually at its height, as you have been able to make people dislike you, and that is what was needed of that character.

Was there a moment in your journey when you felt you had truly found your voice as an actor — that one instinct or quality you knew you could carry forward, even as the industry tried to define you?

I’ve always been very territorial about my creative instincts, so I never felt I needed to find my voice. I just needed to find opportunities where I could express myself, and of course, over time, I have learned to do it much better. In the beginning, I think the intent was very strong, but the craft and the maturity had not come. Now I have spent a lot of time absorbing and growing, so I am able to do it better. But I always had my own voice, and I always protected it fiercely. I think every artiste should have that. The people who critique don’t have the ability to create. The ability to create is a very, very special ability and you should never let the critique of that takeaway the energy that helps you create.

In your 40s, there’s a noticeable calm and centeredness about you. A zen-like vibe. Is that something you consciously feel and embrace?

There are many un-zen moments also, which you guys don’t see. Maybe I pull this off well for these two hours of the interview (laughs). As you grow older, you learn to react less, and you learn to respond more. There’s this favourite saying of mine: The only water that can sink the ship is the water that’s inside the ship, and not the ocean around it. If you allow everything to go within you and affect you, then you will react. I am working a lot on that, because this is not an easy job. This job has big highs and big lows. I’m a parent now and I don’t want my children to be affected by the ups and downs of my journey. So, you have to do a lot of internal work to not let it spill over.

You’ve seen the industry transform — from star-driven cinema to content-driven storytelling, from theatrical dominance to the rise of OTT platforms. What excites you about this shift, and is there anything that worries you?

What I’m very scared about is that we’re only making one type of movie for the theatres, and that the audience is also only watching that. They watch a lot of other movies, but at home. So, to me, that’s scary. Look, the audience shapes the business because demand defines supply. Everyone has too much at stake, and we don’t know what’s going to work. There are no minimum guarantees anymore. I think very similar cinema is happening back-to-back, and there should be space for different genres to survive in theatres. I don’t know where that journey is going. We need a few filmmakers who are fearless and a few actors who are happy to collaborate with those fearless and talented filmmakers who are clear about what they’re making. Sometimes being fearless can also be a little like rebel without a cause…kuch alag kiya but bada kharab kiya, for the sake of doing something different. At times, your choices should not be governed just by what’s working.

Are you very self-critical of your work?

Yes, extremely. I am working hard not to be. I’ve gone through phases where I’ve been overtly critical, and I don’t think that’s good. Now I have two kids, and they come and talk to me about the negative chatter in their heads when they feel they’re not good enough at something. I would never want them to think negatively about themselves. I would always want them to give themselves positive reinforcement. I think that’s important from an early age, because eventually, you never know what’s going to happen in life.

Mira and you have consciously kept your children away from the limelight, and you’ve spoken about how that kind of exposure can influence them. How do you create a sense of normalcy for them when your own life is constantly in the public eye? And what does ‘normal’ really mean to you in that context?

Main BEST bus aur rickshaw main school jaata tha, yeh log toh mehngi gaadiyon main school jaate hain. So that’s their reality, and that’s what’s normal for them. Jis jagah mein woh rehte hain, that is their reality. Jahaan main rehta tha, jaise main bada hua tha, woh meri sachai thi. You know what they are born with is what is their destiny. Unki kismat mein hai, unko mila hai. And life will ensure it takes you through the beats it needs to take you through to make you who you need to become. What Mira and I can do is try and be good examples and find the balance between giving them love, support and positivity and correct them where we feel that they are crossing their boundaries. Beyond that, I want them to discover their own life and their own journey. They’ll find themselves, and we are always here, regardless of everything.

Title Sponsor: RustomjeeShot at Parishram by Rustomjee, Pali Hill, Bandra, Mumbai

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