‘Haider’ Kapoor’s best yet

Shraddha Kapoor

Shraddha Kapoor

Published Oct 20, 2014

Share

Shraddha Kapoor is basking in the glowing reviews of Haider. In this interview she speaks to Bollywood Hungama’s Subhash K Jha about the film and another flick that’s on the cards...

Do you see Haider as new phase in your career? Absolutely. Being a part of Haider is going to be something I’ll cherish for many years to come. Every detail of the film and how we shot it, etched in my memory forever. The experience of shooting in Kashmir. And working with technicians like Vishar Sir, Dolly M’aam (Ahluwalia, the costume designer) and Pankaj Kumar (the cinematographer).

Just to be in Team Haider has been a life-changing experience. And it was so much fun. All the intensity you saw was only for the camera.

You also got to sing again. Yes. I guess I’m lucky. But the Kashmiri folk song in Haider is more mourning than singing. It’s a lament. I sat down and understood the meaning of the song, so I could connect with it.

Your film has garnered immense praise. Is that a high for you? Oh yes, absolutely. People are calling it one of the best films of all time! Just to have the opportunity to work with Vishal Sir (Bhardwaj) was enough reason to do Haider. Of course, Shahid Kapoor had the title role and Tabu M’aam had an author-backed role.

But just to be part of a film so beautiful and so relevant so early in my career is a blessing for me. For Vishal Sir to see me as Ophelia and Horatio combined is an opportunity a lifetime.

Did you familiarise yourself with Shakespeare’s Hamlet beforehand? I had read the play in school. Vishal Sir didn’t set down a pre-condition that we should read Hamlet.

Your journey actually began with Aashiqui 2. How do you see that journey? I am extremely blessed to have been part of these films. And when directors like Mohit Suri and Vishal Sir show so much faith in you, see you in those wonderful characters, your confidence in your acting abilities increases.

It just opens up your personality. It’s like watching my childhood dream pan out.

What was your childhood dream? To act, always. When I was a child my parents knew I was going to be an actor when I grew up. They’d put hidden cameras out and watch me dance in front of the mirror.

My happiness knows no bounds when I see the sparkle in their eyes. At the end of the day I just wanted to make them proud of me. They’ve seen me make my way to where I am. They know what I’ve gone through. They never made me feel I was struggling. They were like: ‘Shraddha, go for it’. Their positivity has fuelled my dreams.

To see them happy about the lovely things that are happening to my career is sheer bliss.

Today you’re in a position to pick and choose your roles. I don’t know if I can pick and choose. But I have been very lucky. I just hope my journey continues.

Are you looking at doing a lighter film now? It’s not as if I go out and look for serious, dark films about suffering heroes. I have to make the best of the opportunities that come my way.

By God’s grace I’m getting the kind of roles I want to do. And yes, by chance my next film, ABCD2, will be a lighter film. And it came to me in an interesting way.

How? One day my friend Varun Dhawan was talking to me. He told me about ABCD2. And he felt I’d suit the role as I love to dance. Then I met Remo Sir (D’Souza). So yes, this is a happy film and completely in contrast to the films I’ve done so far.

I play a hair stylist who loves to dance. I feel I am actually living my dream. I genuinely feel a crazy amount of happiness when I dance. I just hope by the end of this film I’m a really good dancer.

Remo and Varun are making you dance to their tune in ABCD2? Yes, so much so that I actually had a partial muscle tear. The leg is still tender. However I’ve finished shooting one song. I don’t know how I managed. But I had a blast shooting it. The last thing I was thinking of was my injury.

Was it tough keeping up with Varun? Of course, Varun’s had a lot of dancing to do in all his films. My films didn’t have the same opportunity. But I feel lucky that these films are coming my way. – bollywoodhungama.com

Related Topics: