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In harmony with each other
Back to his “acting ki janmbhoomi”, Ishqzaadeactor Arjun Kapoor feels like a true Lucknowite guiding her co-actor Shraddha Kapoor about Idrees biryani and Tundey kebabs.
The duo was on a visit to the state capital and landed up at HT House for a freewheeling chat on Tuesday.
“I come from Mumbai, but this is the city where I learnt the nuances of acting handson during my stay for over three months. I feel lucky that I lived and learnt so much here. That is the reason I call it birthplace of my acting journey. I am class XI dropout, so I can very well say that my higher studies in acting happened in Lucknow,” he says.
Talking about his Uttar Pradesh connect, he says, “Ever since I landed, I am guiding everyone about specialties of the city. I love coming here as ‘pyaar yahan front foot pe milta hai’. People here express everything openly and as an actor it is most important to get an honest feedback.”
Arjun has done three films in UP, including his debut film Tevar, and his forthcoming film Half Girlfriend which they shot in Varanasi. “We have shot in the city but it has been shown as Patna in the film as I am playing a Bihari boy. When I am shooting in Lucknow, Agra, Mathura or Varanasi, it feels like home for me,” says the actor.
Shraddha is awestruck with the calmness of Varanasi. “It was my first time in UP and shooting on a boat over Ganga maiya was an incredible experience. Bahut hi shaant sheher hain aur wahan bahut sukoon mila,” says Shraddha.
To catch the Bihari dialect Arjun had to unlearn a lot of things. “I had to speak English but in a very earthy and distorted way. For ascent, I had Masaan-fame actor Shreedhar Dubey who was with me all the time and guided me about the language and diction. It was an interesting journey.”
This is Arjun’s second film on Chetan Bhagat’s novel by the same name after Two States. The actor this time too chose not to read the book. “I wanted to go with the director’s vision and his adaptation as reading the book would have created a metal block for me.”
Shraddha too stopped reading the book after reading a few pages. “I had taken permission from the director (Mohit Suri) but then I too thought that there will be conflict and went by the filmmaker’s vision.”
On their personal and on-screen chemistry, Arjun says, “We knew each other but were never close, so we started the film same way so that it reflected on the screen too. During the course of the shoot we went along well. Hope it shows in the film.”
The actor is awestruck with Shraddha’s singing abilities. She has also lent her voice for the film. “I am lucky that these days (during promotions) I am able to hear her sing so often,” says he.
The actor-singer has also turned lyrist and penned two songs. Arjun tells one about another talent of Shraddha. “She is also a very good painter,” he says. “We have just one life so why not explore what’s hidden inside you,” Shraddha gives back.
I am class XI drop-out, so I can very well say that my higher studies in acting happened in Lucknow. ARJUN KAPOOR, ACTOR