He might not have had a successful stint as an actor but Sanjay Kapoor isn’t giving up yet. The actor-turned-filmmaker is looking forward to the release of Tevar, his first film as a producer. With his elder brothers Boney Kapoor and Anil Kapoor already running their independent production houses, one wonders why he started a third production house within the same family. Sanjay says, “A lot of people have told me that collaborating with Boney or Anil’s production house was one option that I could’ve explored. Yes, we’re family. We were and will always be there for each other. But being an independent producer gives you a lot of leverage. I want to make films that I believe in, where I can take my own decisions.”
His friendship with the who’s who of the industry has been evident by his presence at the various events. Wouldn’t it have been a more commercially viable move to cast Salman Khan or Shah Rukh Khan in his debut production? “Salman and I go back a long way. He’s family and so is Shah Rukh. Meeting up for dinners and parties is one thing, but putting them in a spot by offering them films is something that I’ve never done. I’d approach them for a film when I have an apt script for them. Imagine asking them to work in my film holding them at a gunpoint!” he says with a laugh.
Does that mean getting his nephew Arjun Kapoor on board was a cakewalk? “Not at all!” he says. “This generation of actors works differently. Arjun is my nephew, but he had the liberty to turn down Tevar had he not liked it.” Sanjay recalls growing up with Arjun; he says they share a strong bond. “I was in my 20’s when Arjun was a kid. For years, we lived in the same house with my parents. As a family we’ve witnessed the ups and downs, we’ve shared our victories and fears. Honestly, I think we grew up as friends.”
Sanjay was a witness to Arjun’s struggling days. “I was taken aback when he revealed that he wanted to be an actor. My first thought was ‘Oh my God! How can this obese boy even think of being an actor? But he was my buddy and I just didn’t want to shatter his dreams. That’s when I introduced him to Salman who was about to start working on Salam-e-Ishq at that time. He agreed to mentor Arjun. Salman’s implicit faith in the fat kid was reassuring. If not an actor, I was confident that Arjun would at least succeed knocking off the extra pounds. It was Salman’s vision and Arjun’s hard work that paid off,” says the proud uncle.
When it comes to niece Sonam Kapoor, Sanjay’s equation with her is very different. “It’s definitely not the same as what I share with Arjun. Sonam has always been sensible and sorted. She’s the daughter of the family and I’m very fond of her. After Raanjhnaa and Khoobsoorat, she’s is in the top league. I’ll have to work hard to get the right script before I approach her for my film. They are the star kids of the family but none of us take them for granted. They have the right to take a call on the work they want to do.”
Recently Sanjay’s 15-year-old daughter Shanaya was spotted with SRK’s daughter Suhana Khan. The stunning Kapoor girl has all the elements of being the next super star on the block. “That’s scary!” he says with a laugh. “At her age, I want to keep her away from the media glare. Yes, I’m sounding like an overtly protective parent. We’re in an era of social networking websites and selfies, it’s difficult to protect the teenagers from too much attention.” Sanjay adds, “I want both my children to grow up sans the extra baggage of being a ‘Kapoor.’ They’ll be given the freedom to choose their own profession but right now, they need to focus on their education. My wife Maheep and I are of the opinion that as of now we should keep our children away from the limelight.”
Sanjay’s 12-year-old son Jahan Kapoor has already decided his next big investment after the release of Tevar. “Jahan, who is good friends with Bobby’s (Deol) sons frequents their farmhouse. He finds the concept of owning a huge farmhouse, having dogs and all, basically living the laid back life extremely fascinating. He has been praying for the success of Tevar because he wants me to invest the profit in a farmhouse. I had no choice but to tell Jahan that the Deols’ farmhouse was bought by their grandfather Dharamji (Dharamendra) and I’m just starting off my career as a producer,” he says with a smile.
While his production house is ready to churn out more films, Sanjay’s acting career too seems to have resurrected. He’s looking forward to the release of his comeback film, Vikas Bahl’s Shandaar. “2015 is a very important year. I am really looking forward to it.”
