Elusive actor-director Rajat Kapoor talks about his upcoming film and why it is that we don’t see him as often as we would like to
Rajat Kapoor
Rajat Kapoor, associated with films such as Raghu Romeo, Mixed Doubles, Mithya and the highly-acclaimed Aankhon Dekhi, isn’t your ‘mainstream’ actor. A word by his own admission, that he stays away from. He talks about his choice in films and how few have the luxury of choosing them like he does.
We hardly see you on screen these days. What made you choose X: Past Is Present?
What would make me choose a film? Either the role is good or the idea of the film is exciting. Very often one chooses a film because one identifies with the passion of the makers. X: Past Is Present was one such project, where the idea of the film seemed exciting.
The film’s title suggests a deep connectivity between an individual’s deeds and repercussions. Is that right?
That is one way of seeing it for sure. It is also how your choices lead you up to a point in life. It is the story of a filmmaker ‘K’, who is at a certain point in his life, who is looking back at his past, having made movies, had relationships and is running away from them.
Could you describe your rapport with the different directors in this film?
Each one made their own segments, and then it was the editor Sreekar Prasad’s job really to make all look like part of one film and find one overriding voice for the film.
You are an actor in this film. Was it difficult to let the director in you take a backseat?
Not at all. When I act in a film, I am completely subservient to the vision of the director or directors in this case. My job is just to be a part of somebody else’s vision. And acting is such an easy job, why would I even want to do more?
Anshuman Jha plays the younger version of your character. Did the two of you collaborate in creating one character?
Not really. He plays the younger ‘K’. People change with age. Moreover, I believe the filmmakers would have taken care of any inconsistencies.
I believe the film’s erotic content is high...
There wasn’t really any erotic quotient in what I did. It is more in the words than the visuals I think.
Why do we see so little of you?
Like I said earlier, I wait for a good role to come my way. And I can only choose from what is offered to me. So I suppose, not many people trust me with good roles. Whenever I am offered something where I feel the role is meaty enough for me to sink my teeth into, I go for it. But you know, I have done about 40 films in the last 15 years. That’s not bad and I am not greedy. I’d rather be a part of films that I am proud of, than just work because one must work. I don’t work for money, or for the sake of working. That is why I have the luxury of choosing.
Are you satisfied with the kind of audience your cinema gets?
It’s a start and it’s a long process for the taste of the audience to change. Especially in our country where mainstream cinema has such a huge hold on the collective consciousness. Ankhon Dekhi may not have a huge audience, but the love it has generated has been incredible. Moreover, a film has a life. So, if a film is good, it would live and the thought that somebody might watch it after 20 years is a very gratifying thought.
Have you enjoyed any mainstream film lately?
I don’t really watch many mainstream films.
Finally, do you think politics should be kept completely out of films and actors’ lives?
I think politics is a part of everything that we do. How can one keep oneself away from the world around you? It is impossible. You can only pretend that the world around you does not exist. But it does. And it affects everything that you do and is affected by all that you choose to do. So ignore it, at your own peril, actor or not!
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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