‘My journey has just begun’
He has been around for three decades but Anil Kapoor’s zest for life and cinema remains unfazed. With every year and every film, the man keeps reinventing himself. “It’s a slow process and not everybody has it in them to not let age and the stress get to them. It was a choice I made long ago,” he smiles. That’s probably the exact reason Anil has managed to look so fit and young. “I’ll never look old,” he assures.
From Padmini Kolhapure to Madhuri Dixit, Kajol to Katrina Kaif, the superstar of many decades has romanced top actresses of their generation. While his contemporaries such as Rishi Kapoor and Jackie Shroff have settled for playing character roles, the “Anil Kapoor magic” continues to rule the roost. What’s the secret? “I’ve been extremely fortunate. I’ve worked hard, led a simple life and never abused my body. It’s the healthy and happy state of mind that keeps me going,” he says. “There were times when my colleagues and friends from the industry insisted that I indulge in alcohol and drugs. But the choice was mine. I preferred a clean lifestyle. A little bit of indulgence was fine, but I never got carried away.” And the effects of his choices are clearly showing.
On the work front, Anil is getting rave reviews for his performance in Shoot Out At Wadala (SAW). “I’m happy that people have liked my performance. But I’m not the kind who’ll rest on laurels.” With an ensemble star cast and leading man John Abraham hogging the limelight, did Anil ever feel uncomfortable? “I’ve worked in many multi-starrers like No Entry, Race, Race 2 and Musafir. The idea was never to stand out or outdo each other. When you work in a multi-starrer film, you work as a team. The true hero of any film is the script, and as an actor, you just do your bit to the best of your ability. But, to answer the question, John’s role in SAW is very exciting and so is mine. The story of the film revolves around a villain and a cop; he is the villain and I play the cop. We knew all about our respective roles. So there can be no fear or insecurity.”
Anil admits that he wants to give his career in the West as much importance as he does back home. “My TV show 24 is my priority. Since it’s an international show and has big names involved, the pressure to make it better than the best is mounting. I’ve put my heart, soul and money into that project. But I think I can handle both my Bollywood and Hollywood responsibilities well. I honestly mean it when I say that this is the best phase in my career. At my age and with my experience, I feel my journey has just begun.”
The latest star from the Kapoor family is Arjun Kapoor. Recently, Arjun revealed that he watches Anil’s old films for inspiration. Has he helped groom his nephew for stardom? “Arjun is a very smart guy. Yes, he is a lot like me. He is a good actor and has a great script sense. He doesn’t really need to be groomed. He made a debut with the right film at the right time. Both Boney and me will always be there for Sonam, Rhea, Arjun and the other children of our family but finding your own way to success is better than anyone’s guidance.”
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