Arjun Kapoor – Parineeti Chopra “Understanding The Mindset And Emotional Plight Of The Other Person Is Really Important”

Before coming to Bollywood, Do you think Acting was very easy? (Parineeti Chopra)
Actually before coming to this industry when I was all set to become a investment banker. I used to think why this actors get so much money, They only do acting and go away, they don’t have much work but now, I understand it’s very difficult to become an actor because if you are ill or facing any problem you can’t show it on the screen but you have to perform your best at any cost.

While shooting for Ishaqzaade, haven’t you got the call in the morning from Yash raj production?(Parineeti chopra)
During Ishaqzaade shooting we were on the set at morning 7.00 clock and Arjun was giving his close-up so, I was waiting for him suddenly my phone rang with the name written Yash chopra calling so I directly stood up and receive the call and Yashji said, Thank you for doing my film at that time, I understand what is the value of humility in this industry and he is truly a gentleman, I don’t think any actor is as lucky as I am.

Arjun, from a director to an actor, did you realize yourself that you had a spark before Salman Khan came into the picture?
I think subconsciously, I would have liked to but because of the weight I put on it played on my mental state of mind so I didn’t think, I would be convincing as a commercial, mainstream actor. I guess, I lose that confidence so that’s where Salman bhai came and gave me confidence and made me realize that if you push yourself hard enough, you can become an actor.

So, What was your head space when Salman Khan used to make you drive bicycle behind him from the location to the film studio through Mumbai?(Arjun)
At that time, I was just numb and was trying to be positive about the experience. I was focusing on the weight loss. And didn’t focused on whether it was absurd or not because of Salman Bhai. He made me believe, If you don’t have that belief, you can’t go through. If you don’t have that confidence, you can’t go through cycling for two hours.

Parineeti, you called up your dad and had a meeting with him in Ambala? What was that meeting like? (Parineeti Chopra)
Ohh – very scary! I had already given my parents a shock when I told them I’m leaving London and coming back to India they knew for eighteen years of my life, “I want to go abroad, I want to study and live there and I don’t want to live in India, I wanted to be a banker.” I studied, worked, and went to university to pursue my dream. So, when I tell them I’m packing my bags and coming back to India that was a shock to them. A year later, I flew down to Ambala and said “Papa, I want to become an actor now”. So for him, not being part of the profession, he thought I was doing it for all the wrong reasons, either for glamour or wanting to become famous, at the age of 21. But fortunately, I did have my sister who set a very good example, and had done quite well. My parents are very cool though. They have never said no to anything I’ve wanted to do. They said you know, “we hope you know what you’re getting into” but then do it well. So I knew, from the first day, I’m an extremely hard worker, and from the first day, I’ve done that. So even if I wanted to be a butler tomorrow, they know that they would support me because they know I would really work hard and I do well at it. It was a really big shock for them but they were then very cool – they said “okay, go ahead. We know you’ll do well.”

Arjun, for you to be a director, what was the conversation with your father when you decided to make the switch?
I think Salman Khan played a big hand as an actor, as a human, as a personality, as a person who showed so much interest in you. He made me believe in hopes. My family also knew that he was coming from a very genuine place to inspired me and made me do for the right reasons. It wasn’t like he suddenly left. He took it upon himself to start training me personally, and taking interest in what I do, how I eat, how I live and said from today, I’m working toward being an actor. And I started taking training from Salman Bhai to lose my weight and eventually, when I started losing weight, then I started getting the confidence. My father was happy about the fact that I was pushing myself to lose weight for health reasons and as well as, you know I could be an actor and direct in the future. My mother was slightly confused as to why I made this jump because, I don’t think any mother in the world would want her son jumping from one job to another especially at the age of twenty, but she also accepted the fact that Salman Bhai believed so much in me and she always held on to that. It was only him who saw that. It never came down to having that conversation. It was just a gradual thing that happened.

Parineeti, you’re doing marketing with YRF what was the turning point? Was there a moment that it crystallized you to be an actor or was it a gradual thing?
Yeah, for me, it was a gradual thing. I think what happened was, when I went into YRF, I wanted to leave in six months, then go back to London, study further, then look for any other internship there or start working there. When I got the job, I started looking at the actors every single day. So every day, I used to sit there and look and think “Oh My God! what he’s doing, I can do it better. Oh My God, what she’s doing, I can do it better.” So, you know, I started thinking like them, like how would I answer that question? What would I wear? What would I do in that situation? So I realized and started thinking like an actor and I just fell in love with it.

Arjun, what Salman said, that became crystallizing moment, when you did – a specific line, a specific sentence or was it a gradual thing for you as well?
He said “do this or else you’ll break up ten years from today and regret it.” That some how struck a chord because he woke up that sleeping, dormant volcano of ambition in me. And it was a win-win situation? I mean, what’s the worst that could have happened at that time? I was just an assistant. I could have worked hard and lose my weight in the six months, and would have still been healthier. I just did it keeping in mind that I’m going to do it for the next six months and see how it goes. I didn’t think it would take me four years to lose all the weight. It wasn’t a plan. I’d always thought I would do it for six months and see how it pans out. I kept pushing myself, and I pulled through. Thankfully, the six months went really well and I kept going. Four years later, I was fit enough to be in front of the camera. That’s when Yash Raj Films – and Ishaqzaade happened.

Arjun, you knew a lot of things from being on film sets and assisting.
I had a grasp of the making and understanding of how the evolution from paper to film it would be. I was not awed by being on a film set so that helped me. If you haven’t been on a set in front of two hundred people, there is certain nakedness in an actor so that quality always helps you. The only one thing when going into the shoot was that I don’t need to worry about any other technical aspects because there are qualified individuals who know what they’re doing. They will make sure that I look my best, sound my best, and come across being the best I can be, and I need to put my best foot forward. And not to worry about the acting part. I know behind the camera, they are talented, which is why they are involved in the film.

So what was the most difficult part of shooting in Lucknow then? (Parineeti)
It was the weather! It was unbelievable. You know, in the film, it looks warm and beautiful and rustic. But we’ve shot in zero degrees weather, wearing those costumes – me with the Churidar Salwar and him with the jeans and vest. It was difficult to shoot! The weather was horrible. There was fog. There was rain and our D.O.P. (Director of Photography) only shoots in natural light. So we had to wait for the sun to come out before we could shoot and it was just crazy! I was glad we had work-shop for months. So, whenever the conditions were ready, the actors were ready.

Going back to the characters, do you think in real life you would be attracted to someone that similar? (Parineeti)
Uhh, I don’t know. Maybe my relationship would start that way. I don’t know. I’m not in a relationship so, I can’t say. But it may be the starting point if we have similar interests, and the first ten days, we can use that to do similar things. But I don’t know what the thing is that would make my relationship work. People always say opposites attract but all my friends are my friends because we are all similar. See, I’m single so I don’t know if I’ll fall in love, because we’re similar or because I don’t see anything of myself in him. When the time comes, I’ll let you know.

Arjun, there were very many influential people in your life, your father, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, your cousin – Sonam Kapoor. Who perhaps has had the most influential role to play in your development as an actor? (Arjun)
As an actor, I like to believe that everyone is an individual and that your process is your own. There has never been a major influence in acting because in a sense, that would make me seem like someone else. As an actor, I think you should have to respond to how you impulsively feel about the character. You can’t think about how someone else would do it – that would be a crutch in life. That can’t get you very far.

I’m more influenced by them off-camera – like the dedication you should bring to your work, I’ve learnt from Anil chachu. The spontaneity is from Salman – he is effortless in what he does. Govinda is watched for his comic timing. I try to learn from each but my performances, I like to hope, pray, and believe that I am never influenced by any one person.