Actor Kunaal Roy Kapoor gets candid about his filmy journey, direction and family in an interview with City Express.
The fat, shabby photographer who trademarked the orange juice humour in Delhi Belly once again gave an impressive performance as Mandar Lele in Nautanki Saala that released recently. Meet Kunaal Roy Kapur, an actor who made his presence felt first in theatre before entering the film industry. In 2006 he directed a play called ‘The President Is Coming’, which he later adapted into a movie and released it with the same title.
Nautanki Saala
The experience was great because I was involved from an early stage of the adaptation, enjoyed the workshop process, it was almost like rehearsing for a play.
Rohan Sippy
He has a wonderful sense of humour and my association with him over the last few years was great. He guided me as a friend.
Nautanki Saala Vs Delhi Belly
They have a lot in common because we work-shopped both the films so the process was similar, but I think there was a lot more evolution of the script during Nautanki Saala...Delhi Belly was written in stone. The shooting of Delhi Belly was quite hard with the cement all over us and the heat. Nautanki Saala was long hours of hard work but that’s the only reason we finished in 33 days! Both were fun working experiences.
Choosy about films
I am always hoping to find scripts that excite me and characters that I would enjoy playing. Also its important to work with good people...all of these things together are not easy to find. But that’s what keeps an actor’s day exciting I think!
Other genres
Most defiantly, I am an actor and being funny is one of the things I try to do, but would love it if people could watch me attempt something serious.
Behind the camera
I am working on a script and hopefully will be directing by the end of this year.
Right opportunities
I think we are chatting because the right opportunities did come my way! It just took a little while but I’m happy they did. Also, I don’t look at films as a better medium, just one with more reach and a little more financial stability (in our country). I love movies and the stage, and hope to do both in the future.
Looks in Bollywood
I don’t think this is a modern phenomenon. We have always had unconventional looking heroes through the 70s...80s and we will always have that space. So I don’t really think things have changed that much. We are very quick to forget what exactly went before us.
Family trio together
Siddharth, me and Aditya in one movie? It seems a tad unrealistic, but never say never!
About family
Umm, I have been married for seven years or eight, I am losing count. And I have been with my wife for 10 years before that. So we have been together for 18 years now, which is a sizeable percentage of my age. I have two kids and a dog. My daughter Shazia is three and son Zahaan is two. My wife Shayonti is an interior designer.
Vidya Balan
Well apart from being a fantabulous actor, she is inspirational in the way she deals with fame and in the choices she makes and risks she takes.
What’s next
I am hoping to start a movie in July called Kala Ghoda directed by Aditya Bhattacharya. It’s a dark comedy and I play a cop. I also have a small role in Ayan Mukherji’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Then I have a movie with Vir Das, which may release by the end of this year.