‘THE IDEA IS TO JUST KEEP GOING’

Shahid Kapoor believes that making plans is the worst thing for an actor

Actor Shahid Kapoor is on a high with the great response he has got for his performance as Maharawal Ratan Singh in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat. The film has so far made almost ₹250 crore at the box office, in about 15 days. The actor, feeling “happy” and “content”, is glad to be working at his own pace.

“The idea is to just keep going. Zyaada aage ki sochne ki zarurat nahi hai. I like to immerse my energy into whatever I have in hand, but I’m open to new challenges. So, there are no problems, no fears, no inhibitions, and no insecurities,” he says.

In fact, Shahid admits that he has no long-term plans. “I honestly feel that the worst thing that an actor can do is planning, and that’s why I don’t plan. For me, it’s all about [taking up] one film and one opportunity at a time, so that I can go ahead, give my 100 per cent, see it release, laugh or cry over it, and finally move on,” says the actor.

But, being a family man now, has life become different as a professional? “Absolutely. For starters, I get limited time to enjoy work-related things, as I have to go back home and look into normal things and think of stuff that I have to do for my family,” says Shahid, who has a daughter, Misha with wife Mira Rajput Kapoor.

The Udta Punjab (2016) actor adds that when one has responsibilities, “you don’t have a lot of time to waste vis- à-vis thinking about good or bad things when it comes to work”. He says, “Now, the distinction (between one’s professional and personal life) has also become clear. Earlier, even when I’d be back home, I’d keep thinking about work. By doing that, you feel you’re being a great professional, but I think life teaches you more lessons than work does.”

Shahid feels that when “you engage with life, you actually become better at your work... especially vis-à-vis acting”.

This is Shahid’s 15th year in Bollywood. And not just his histrionic skills, but his physique, too, has undergone a transformation since his Ishq Vishk (2003) days. “Old photos [of mine] keep coming up on Instagram and Twitter,” he says. “Mira often says with a smile, ‘This isn’t the same guy I married’ (laughs). So, it has been a huge transformation.”

For me, it’s all about [taking up] one film at a time, so that I can give my 100 per cent, see it release, laugh or cry over it, and move on. SHAHID KAPOOR ACTOR