He may be one of the most widely acclaimed and versatile actors in Indian cinema, but for Pankaj Kapur, acting is just another profession which has its highs and lows. Pankaj and his actor-wife Supriya were in the city to attend the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Festival. After presenting Pankaj Kapur’s novelette ‘Dupehri’ as part of the festival, the multi-talented couple shared their experiences, their journey thus far and the future of theatre in India.
As a theatre artist, television star and film actor – Pankaj Kapur has donned several hats. In fact, he also forayed into direction with Mausam (2011). The veteran feels each has its own appeal.
“There are good platforms as long you are serious about work. By serious I don’t mean morose – but being honest about what you do. I started out as a theatre artist, so obviously it’s something very close to me. Television is a wonderful platform to connect with the audience, but the trouble with it is that it gets repetitive,” says the versatile actor.
“Gradually I moved to films as well and I feel cinema has evolved in our country. But theatre is still pulling me back, which is why I’ve come back to the stage. I hope that in the days to come, my children will join me on stage too,” shares Pankaj.
The actor, who’s known for his hard-hitting performances in films like Maqbool, The Blue Umbrella and Halla Bol, among others, says he’s choosy about the films he does but has also done commercial cinema to ensure a film releases.
“To need space to create, I need space. For me, it’s very important that the film releases in theatres. Because a lot of hard work goes into it and the combined efforts of many people are poured into a film and it gets disheartening when it doesn’t release. I have done commercial films to create awareness, in the hope that at least by looking at my face, people will come and watch,” the actor explains.
Pankaj, who won his National Award in 1989 for the film Raakh, laments the dearth of quality scripts in the industry and feels it is due to India’s needless obsession with the West.
“Out of 200-210 scripts that come to me, maybe one or two of them are impressive. The trouble is that since we have been ruled by the British for so many years, somehow people think that we are not good enough on our own and compare our work with the West. There is another section of the society, which considers the work done in the olden days as the purest form of cinema and compares other actors or stories to those done in that period,” he explains.
“As a result, Amitabh Bachchan is compared to Dilip Kumar saheb, Shah Rukh Khan is compared to Amitabh Bachchan and my own son Shahid was compared to Shah Rukh Khan when he started out. Why can’t we judge people by their own individuality and talent rather than comparing them with somebody else?,” he questions, furiously.
Pankaj, who’s a stalwart in the theatre industry, holds the medium close to his heart and says the future of theatre in India is bright. Even though most youngsters view theatre as a stepping stone into the glamourous world of cinema, Pankaj feels as long as youngsters are getting into theatre, it can only be a positive sign.
“It’s always a good thing because when youngsters go into cinema after a stint in theatre, they become better actors. I too have done films and people recognise me today. So if I’m coming back to theatre, there is a chance that people will come and watch the play because my name is associated with it. Even if I’m able to bring in an extra 100 people, I’m doing my bit for theatre,” expresses the 61-year-old.
“Similarly, if young actors proceed to cinema from theatre, there’s every chance they may come back to theatre with a whole new set of audience, which is wonderful,” he adds with a smile.
Apart from his star-son Shahid Kapoor, Pankaj’s daughter Sanah Kapur also recently made her Bollywood debut with Vikas Bahl’s Shandaar. When asked if he influences his children’s career in anyway, Pankaj proudly says, “I have always been there (and continue to be there) for my children for advice and support. However, they have been raised to make their own independent choices and I’m very proud to say that both Shahid and Sanah have made a decision on their own to enter this profession. In fact, my younger son Ruhaan too says he would like to act in films.”
So is there a Kapur family film on the cards? “I really hope so,” he says, signing off.
‘Indian television has become regressive’
Actress Supriya Pathak Kapur, who became a household name across the country as Hansa Parekh in hit television show Instant Kichdi, laments the state of Indian television today and says it’s becoming increasingly regressive. “In most of these shows, women are shown wearing pallus indoors. I mean seriously? Even in villages, women don’t dress that way. So why are we going back to this? What message are we trying to send?” she furiously questions. Supriya, who was recently seen in films like Goliyon ki Rasleela Ram-Leela, Bobby Jasoos and All is Well, says Indian television needs to take a leaf out of American television to move forward. “I watch a lot of American shows and I quite like the concept of seasons they use. This way, it doesn’t get too monotonous for the writers, actors and the audience. It keeps everyone interested and fresh,” she observes. “Here, people are working 12 hours a day for 24 days a month on the same show. As a result, the writers lose interest, the actors lose interest and everybody works in a mechanical way. Needless to say, the quality drops,” the 54-year-old adds. The actress, who was widely appreciated for her comic timing in Instant Kichdi, also rues the lack of quality humour in Indian television today. “When Instant Kichdi came to an end, we decided to stop because we wanted a break. We always wanted to come back but since ours was a weekly show and the slots were booked to air daily shows, we were never able to come back. The humour on TV is horrible,” she quips in an exasperated tone. Supriya will soon be back on television with Jaane Kya Hoga Rama Re, which premiers on Life OK on November 16. “It is an interesting story and I really hope the makers don’t stretch it unnecessarily and do justice to it,” she adds optimistically.