Rishi: Avoiding the ‘father’ stereotype

DAD'S GAZE: Rishi Kapoor, left, plays the father in Bewakoofiyaan, also starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sonam Kapoor, who are pictured next to Rishi.

DAD'S GAZE: Rishi Kapoor, left, plays the father in Bewakoofiyaan, also starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Sonam Kapoor, who are pictured next to Rishi.

Published Mar 17, 2014

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Rishi Kapoor plays a fatherly figure in Nupur Asthana’s Bewakoofiyaan but says he’s not one usually given to playing such roles. Bollywood Hungama’s Subhash K Jha reports on why the esteemed and versatile actor made an exception in this case…

 

RISHI Kapoor – who plays Sonam Kapoor’s father in Nupur Asthana’s Bewakoofiyaan – says he isn’t likely to be seen in any future fatherly roles, even for his own son, Ranbir.

Says Rishi: “If you notice, I didn’t play my own son’s father in Besharam. It is not vanity, just sanity. I can’t do the stereotypical father role.

They don’t challenge me as an actor. So I avoid doing father roles. To my good fortune I am getting roles that do not require me to be the so-called father.”

Bewakoofiyaan offers Rishi a rare chance to “further” a father’s role. Says the happy actor: “In Bewakoofiyaan there are only three main characters: Sonam’s, Ayushmann’s and mine.

“The film gave me a chance to do something more than what we generally see fathers do in our films. Not that there is anything revolutionary about a father frowning over a daughter getting married.”

The versatile actor sees Bewakoofiyaan as sign of the changing times.

“When I did the role of the lover boys, parental approval for my choice of soul mate was very important. And if the lover boy of yesteryear didn’t get the father’s blessings, he had to elope with the girl.

“If you remember, in Bobby I had to flee on a motorbike with Dimple Kapadia. Now in Bewakoofiyaan my daughter says: ‘This is the guy for me. You better accept it.’”

Rishi sees his transition from a rebellious lover-on-the-run in Bobby to the disapproving father in Bewakoofiyaan as an interesting one.

“Today in Bewakoofiyaan, I am in the position that Pranji as my father occupied in Bobby. I’ve been working for the past 42 years. And look at how much has changed. In Bobby the parents tried to bully the lovers.

“One can’t do that anymore. In Bewakoofiyaan the father has to accept that his daughter is an adult and can makeher own decisions in own life, however concerned he may be about her.

“Couples today work together towards achieving a common goal, whether it’s a house, or holidays abroad. The parents have little say in their children’s life.”

Rishi doesn’t interfere in his own children’s lives in real life: “They are independent individuals with minds of their own. If I was to behave like Pran Saab in Bobby, my kids would laugh in my face.

“Today parental intervention is permissible only to the point where the kids respect your opinion.”

Rishi plays a variety of characters in his forthcoming films. In fact, he is shooting Ayee Balaa Ko Taal Do in Chandigarh.

Says the actor: “It is an ensemble cast with Shefali Chhaya, Divya Dutta, etc. It’s directed by Shubho Bhattacharjee, who was the executive producer on Do Dooni Chaar.

I’ve been very lucky. I am the main character. To head an ensemble cast at this stage of my career is a blessing for me. I couldn’t ask for more.”

– bollywoodhungama.com

 

• Bewakoofiyaan releases on Friday.

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