"Comedy films are cheap and nonsensical today": Pankaj Kapoor
News
oi-Staff
By Super
Thursday,
June
07,
2007
Beginning
his
career
with
the
film
'Gandhi'
in
1973,
Pankaj
Kapoor
has
been
associated
with
theatre,
a
passion
that
continues
till
today.
Critically
acclaimed
for
his
performances
in
films
like
'Mohan
Joshi
Hazir
Ho'
and
'Ek
Doctor
Ki
Maut',
this
versatile
actor
has
also
made
his
mark
in
the
television
industry.
Pankaj
will
now
be
seen
in
Bhavna
Talwar's
directorial
debut
film
'Dharm'.
Here
is
an
excerpt
of
a
tete-a-tete
that
we
had
with
him
recently.
Q:
Tell
us
something
about
your
character
in
the
upcoming
movie
'Dharm'? A:
In
this
movie
I
play
pundit
Chaturvedi
who
has
been
leading
his
life
rather
religiously
as
written
in
the
Vedas.
He
has
a
lot
of
faith
in
spirituality
and
he
believes
that
whatever
is
written
in
the
holy
books
will
take
him
to
salvation.
He
lives
with
his
wife
and
son
in
the
sacred
city
if
Banaras.
It
is
a
story
which
revolves
around
religion
and
spirituality.
Q:
Do
you
happen
to
be
spiritual
in
your
real
life
too? A:
Such
things
are
something
very
personal
to
a
person.
One
cannot
talk
about
it.
One
can
only
feel
such
things.
Q:
What
led
you
to
work
with
a
new
director
like
Bhavna
Talwar? A:
Firstly,
this
film
has
a
sensitive
subject.
The
way
in
which
spirituality
and
family
have
been
blended
together
is
unmatched.
These
two
factors
led
me
to
sign
a
film
even
with
a
new
director.
Q:
Do
you
think
Bhavna
has
been
successful
in
delivering
justice
to
the
concept
of
the
film? A:
Bhavna
might
be
new,
but
her
understanding
of
directorial
requirements
is
commendable.
The
way
she
has
dealt
with
the
film
in
no
way
shows
that
it
is
her
debut
movie.
Q:
Tell
us
about
you
next
film
with
Vishal
Bharadwaj
'The
Blue
Umbrella'. A:
I
play
a
shopkeeper
by
the
name
on
Nandkishor
in
this
film.
It
is
the
story
of
a
village
in
Himachal
Pradesh.
Now
Nandkishor
is
an
extremely
greedy
man
and
when
he
notices
a
blue
umbrella
with
a
small
girl
named
Shreya,
he
wants
it.
In
his
greed
he
steals
the
umbrella.
Q:
In
'Dharm'
and
'The
Blue
Umbrella'
you
are
working
with
kids.
Is
it
easy
or
difficult
working
with
children? A:
It
all
depends
on
an
individual.
If
you
treat
kids
like
kids
they
might
take
offence.
You
have
to
treat
them
like
friends
and
give
them
the
same
respect.
Once
they
consider
you
their
friend,
it
makes
it
easier
for
you
to
work
with
them.
I
did
the
same.
I
made
friends
with
them
from
the
beginning
and
thus
they
co-operated
with
me.
Q:
'The
Blue
Umbrella'
is
your
second
film
with
Vishal
Bhardwaj.
How
is
he
as
a
director? A:
What
can
I
say
about
Vishal
Bharadwaj.
He
is
not
only
a
good
director,
but
also
a
good
storyteller.
His
choice
of
scripts
is
unique
and
of
a
greater
standard.
His
dialogues
writing
and
music
sense
is
also
excellent.
Q:
Would
you
like
to
play
your
character
in
'Maqbool'
for
the
second
time? A:
Why
do
you
want
me
to
play
the
same
kind
of
role
again?
Do
you
want
be
to
have
a
trademark
of
a
villain
in
Bollywood?
I
do
not
like
to
repeat
the
character
that
I
have
played.
I
would
like
to
play
different
and
a
variety
of
roles.
Q:
Comedy
films
are
in.
Have
you
any
comedy
films
in
the
pipeline? A:
Whatever
comedy
films
are
made
today
are
cheap
and
nonsensical
comedy
films.
I
do
not
want
to
work
in
such
films.
Q:
What
about
'Jane
Bhi
Do
Yaroon'?
Would
you
be
interested
in
doing
that
kind
of
films? A:
What
not.
It
would
me
my
privilege
if
I
get
to
work
in
those
kinds
of
film
again.
But
no
one
has
the
time
to
deal
with
such
subject
today.
Those
kinds
of
films
were
not
just
a
taunt
on
the
draw
backs
of
the
society,
but
also
a
light
hearted
comedy
which
entertained
the
audience.