I’ve never done riffraff parts: Sanjay
Destiny has its own plans. And there are few better than Sanjay Kapoor who can understand the essence of the phrase. After all, he was at a club in Andheri when he caught the attention of Dibakar Banerjee’s team, who were in the midst of casting for the anthological feature, Lust Stories. “It was pure destiny,” Kapoor says, adding, “I go for my workouts at that club. They were having a meeting and thinking who could play Salman when they saw me there. Unexpectedly, I got a call in the evening for the part. So, as they say, I was at the right place, at the right time.” We caught up with Kapoor, to talk about his role, the praise he’s received, and more.
Many feel such success and praise was long overdue for you...
Not really! I feel I got my due as an actor. Yes, I have had my share of highs and lows. But the kind of response I am getting this time around is a dream come true for any actor. You can work in hundreds of films, but such appreciation comes your way only once, twice or maybe thrice in a lifetime. That happens to superstars, too. You should never give up. Good things will happen and you will get your due if you are good enough. No one can snatch that away.
How have you kept yourself alive as an actor all along?
I always look at my life very positively. So, I may be seen in lesser projects, but I have never done riff-raff parts.
Is it true that Shah Rukh Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui went out of the way to reach you?
Yes, one of the biggest compliments came from Shah Rukh, who called when I was in Los Angeles (USA). He said that my performance was very layered and that it was a really difficult part. He also said, ‘Hindi films main aisi acting dekhne ko nahi milti’. I was dumbstruck, as it came from one of the most talented actors. Nawaz also took my number from Boney [Kapoor; brother] and texted me. When talented people like Zoya Akhtar, Farah Khan, Siddharth Roy Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, R Balki and Abhishek Bachchan reach out to you, it means they’ve really loved your work. I couldn’t have dreamt of it. It’s so heartwarming and overwhelming. It’s a special feeling and I just want to thank Dibakar for it.
Apparently, R Balki has said that he wants to work with you…
Balki was present at the screening/premiere of Lust Stories. I have known him for so many years and he texted me after the screening, saying, ‘I am looking forward to work with you professionally now’. What also gave me a high was the fact that out of the 200 people [at the screening], 70% wouldn’t have seen my earlier work but they showered me with praises.
From now on, do you intend to work more regularly?
I am ready to work every day of my life, but it has to be something worthwhile. Thanks to Lust Stories, I have got a great opportunity. With this kind of work and film, people’s expectations go up, so I have to be even more careful of what I do from now on. But I want to work, and even if it’s 365 days, I wouldn’t mind it.