Posts Tagged ‘pankaj kapoor’

Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor’s father Pankaj Kapoor who himself has acted in many TV serials and now he has directed ‘Mausam’ believes that he could be able to create it because of his childhood fantasy.

Shahid has played the role of Air Force Officer in ‘Mausam’ and it was Pankaj Kapoor’s childhood fantasy to be a pilot.

“As a kid I wanted to be a pilot. My real uncle was a pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF). I was very enamoured with him because he had a great personality. He used to look dashing in his uniform,” the veteran actor and now director told reporters in an interview.

“I am from Ludhiana and Halwara, an IAF base, is very close to our house. So whenever any plane flew over my house, I used to run out and think that it must be my uncle and that I would some day fly an aircraft like that. Yes, there was some childhood fantasy, which helped me create what I have created in the film.”

But destiny had another plan for Pankaj Kapoor and he moved towards acting in serials. He has acted in many TV shows such as “Karamchand”, “Neem Ke Ped”, “Office Office” etc. and has also acted in few films.

‘Mausam’ is slated to release on coming Friday, director Pankaj Kapoor says, film has “a sense of Journey as as shows a span of 10 years that the two characters (Shahid and Sonam Kapoor) pass through.”

“It`s a journey through the points or phase they pass in their life. We also call it a love story beyond romance; so there is a new aspect of love that reflects in the story.”

Though Pankaj Kapoor wanted to direct films earlier but he used to get interesting offers of acting in films and couldn’t ignore it.

He says, “My first love and my first instinct are acting. If you see the last 10 years of my work, I got some very interesting parts to play as an actor. So I picked up those roles and got busy with them,” He has delivered powerful performances in “Dharm”, “Maqbool” and “Blue Umbrella”.

He too wanted to act in Mausam but says, “It being my first film, I tried to concentrate on the making of the film. Just by chance I have not given any appearance in the film…I had thought I would definitely do a small cameo. The journey just ended in such a manner that I could not be a part of it on screen”.

Pankaj Kapoor had other scripts ready with him but he wrote ‘Mausam’ especially for Shahid.

“Over the last 20 years I had been writing scripts and I have about four to five scripts already with me. But `Mausam` was specially conceived keeping a young boy of roughly Shahid`s age in mind.

“I have been seeing his growth for the last five years in terms of both his choice of films and his performances, but in `Mausam` people will see him in a different league as an actor,” he said.

Pankaj informed that the ‘Mausam’ has also helped the family bond.

“It was natural…the bonding happened because the entire family was involved in making of the film. My wife Supriya (Pathak) is part of the film and my daughter was working as DA (director`s assistant) in the film.

“Each of us were involved in the film; so it was the family bonding that held our nerves and energies together and helped each of us to stay afloat during the making of the film,” said Pankaj.

“On the one hand, I`m hugely relieved because I have completed the film. On the other hand, I won`t say I am apprehensive, but I am anxious and also a little excited about how audiences, who have accepted me for 30 years and given me a place that I have in the industry, would accept my first film as a director,” he added.

Pankaj was asked if he would start directing another film soon, he said, “I would not take a call on anything for the next six months to a year. I would do a little bit of acting before I take up another direction assignment.”

Recently Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor finished shooting of Mausam directed by his father Pankaj Kapoor. While working with his dad Shahid felt that film helped to develop a whole new relationship between them.

Though Shahid has worked in many films before acting in Mausam directed by his father but his father made him to do many retakes during the shooting of the film.

Shahid shared his experience of working with his dad Pankaj Kapoor, he says, “Dad has a way of acting and showing how he wants a scene done. Initially, I found it very intimidating. The first few days were very tough for me. It was also hard to replicate what he was showing me. I was extremely nervous and awkward. But somewhere we found a comfort level and I can say that the making of this film helped us develop a whole new relationship.”

Shahid was asked whether his dad treated him differently, he said, “Well, yes. I have worked with loads of directors but have never been given a hint that I gave a crappy shot! Often dad would make me do several retakes and do the scene exactly how he wanted it. So, I had to work that much harder.”

Shahid further said, “This experience just made me realise that I would love to act in a film with him.”

Had Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor still been a couple, Kareena would have surely starred opposite him in his father Pankaj Kapur’s directorial debut, Mausam.

After all, Pankaj had written the script of Mausam keeping Kareena in mind. This, of course, was when Kareena and Shahid’s relationship was going strong. The former lovers last starred together in Jab We Met.

After the Shahid-Kareena break-up, Mausam got delayed to some extent since Pankaj Kapur had to drop his plan of casting Kareena and started considering other options for the lead actress. Also, Pankaj couldn’t get a producer for a long time before Religare Vistaar Entertainment came into the picture.

A source said, “Things are fine now but they can’t go back to Kareena saying that they want her to do the film. They are feeling quite awkward about asking her to star opposite Shahid and hence they have decided to launch a nationwide hunt to look for a girl who will be suitable for the film.”

When asked about him earlier wanting Kareena in his film, Pankaj said, “Who told you this? I am still writing the script. How can I think of casting actors before I have completed my script? I will further talk when we are ready to roll.”

Producer Sheetal Talwar said, “Well, Shahid and Kareena look fabulous together on screen. But we are now having a nationwide hunt for the lead actress for Mausam.”

Kareena had no idea about this till we contacted her to ask what she has to say about Pankaj Kapur writing a script keeping in mind her and Shahid’s jodi. Clear about not mixing her personal and professional life, Kareena said, “If they have a good script and a good role and ask me to do it, I see no reason why I shouldn’t.”

Now that Kareena has no problem starring opposite Shahid, we wonder if his father will drop his plans of a nationwide hunt for the lead actress and make the next call to Kareena.

Mausam is an out-and-out romantic film to be shot in five countries- UK, Spain, Italy, Austria and India. It is expected to start in January 2010.