Tusshar Kapoor on <i>Golmaal</i> and a lot more

Courtesy: IndiaFM

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Despite his last release Kya Kool Hai Hum being a superhit at the box-office; Tusshar Kapoor was out of the scene for almost a year now. The actor feels that he has to be choosy about his roles.

In an exclusive conversation with IndiaFM, Tusshar Kapoor talks about his forthcoming films, the graph of his career so far, wrong choices of movies, his relationship with Sister Ekta Kapoor, his most boring Balaji tele-serial and a lot more.

Kyaa Kool Hain Hum was a super successful film. But we didn't see much of you after that. Why so?
That's because I am playing my cards very carefully. I am trying to be very choosy, careful and conscious. I don't want to make the mistakes that I made in the past. Golmaal and Good Boy Bad Boy are the two films that I signed immediately after Kya Kool Hai Hum. But they took a lot of time in the scripting stage. Finally, they are ready to release. I think it's better to wait and get good films rather than doing anything and everything and diluting the effect of a big hit.

Golmal is a comedy, again. Tell us something about it.

Golmal is a family comedy. It's about four guys who are college dropouts. How they land up in a house and manage to stay there is basically what Golmaal is about. There is a lot of fun and entertainment because there is Paresh Rawal as well. I am playing a mute character in the movie. It's a new role for me and something very unique. The four guys accidentally land up in a house. Without being the owners or managers, they stay in it. You'll have to see the film to know what happens after.

Since you have never played a mute character, did you have to do any preparations for the role?
Yes, I worked very hard. I trained for the sounds of a mute character. Everybody thinks that to play a mute, you have to learn sign language. But that's not the only thing. I had to rehearse the pitch level of the sentences. I had to express myself, using particular sounds.

Did you attend any special training classes?
A theatre actor, Vikas Kadam was a part of the play 'All the Best'. He used to come and train me everyday. He was there on the sets throughout. It was very challenging because if I had done the character only by using sign language, it would have become very routine. This character is not the type who seeks sympathy. On the contrary, he is a complete harami! He doesn't want anyone to feel bad for him! He is a cool and fun loving guy. There are naughty shades to his character.

What made you sign this film?
Firstly, the script was very good and I was getting to play a mute character for the first time. The character is a rocking guy, who is cool and chilled out. Just because he is mute does not mean that he is serious. Of course, the remaining star cast of Ajay Devgan Sharman Joshi, Arshad Warsi and Paresh Rawal was also very interesting.

How was your experience of working with these actors?
I had a blast. We went to Goa for 35 days, where we completed most of the portions. It went off really well, because we were literally living together! The shoot was happening in the hotel itself. We used to party in the hotel, together. It was like one big family. We used to play volley ball and pool everyday. Some of my co-stars are married. Their wives came down and we had a big group. It was just like being at home. We also shot in Bangkok. The four of us had a great chemistry and there were no ego problems, whatsoever. So I am really looking forward to seeing the reaction of the audience to our chemistry!

What is the USP of this film?
The script is written by Neeraj Vohra. His situations and one liners are awesome. Even the characterizations are great. Everything put together is the USP. But I think the best part is the script.

Who is your love interest in the movie?
There are four guys and one girl, Rimi Sen. She is our neighbor in the film. I don't want to reveal who she ends up with. You have to see the film for that. But most of us are after her and she has to choose one person in the end. That's the mystery and I don't want to reveal it.

With Good Boy Bad Boy, you are attempting comedy again...
Good Boy Bad Boy is not a comedy film but a fun campus musical. For example Main Hoon Na was a campus musical. It was not entirely a comedy. There is also an issue that we are trying to highlight. It's not about being good or bad but about being smart. Within a college, there are certain issues that you need to deal with. It's about segregating students according to their intellectual level. All that comes into play, but essentially it's a commercial fun film.

Emraan Hashmi said that he plays the bad boy. That makes you the good boy! How good are you in the film?
I am pretty good and he is pretty bad! We turn out to be best friends in the movie! We influence each other and also the rest of the college. The entire situation in college changes. That is basically what the film is all about. There is also a message. Students will learn from this film. It has comedy but I can't put it in the genre of comedy. It has emotions as well. There is also a romantic track.

Most of your films are comedies. Are only comedies being offered to you?
It's not a conscious effort. It just happened that the scripts I liked were comedies. Today, people are writing very good comedies. I am not closed to the idea of doing thrillers or serious films. I even did Khakee and Gayab, which were not comedies. You have to select the right script.

What interests you the most?
I enjoyed Gayab a lot. It was very emotional. I also enjoyed Kyaa Kool Hai Hum. Doing an emotional film takes a lot of efforts. You have to do a lot of homework. Getting into different characters like Gayab also requires a lot of homework. I enjoy those equally. Comedy is also not that easy. Although you might not require a lot of intensity, you have to have a flair for it.

How was it working with Subhash Ghai?
He does not come on the sets. We had a couple of meetings before the shooting began. We discussed the script and character. This film is very close to his heart. He has been involved from the scripting stage. When the shooting began, he was busy with Whistling Woods. So he has not been coming on the sets. But I had a very good experience working with his banner. Everything was provided for on the set. It's a very comfortable atmosphere with educated and young people. Every body is friendly and gives their inputs. You have not just the director's view but also that of the other young people. I think Subhashji has built an empire which is very much in tune with today's scenario. The company is very trendy and young.

Ashwini Chaudhari has done offbeat cinema earlier. How was it working with him?
The fact that he doesn't come from the commercial background gave me more security. Directors who have made offbeat films are very good with actors. I have seen his movie Dhoop He knows how to get good performances out of actors. That made me very secure. The entire subject was his. Also the script is written by him. It was something new for me. He is very comfortable with the screenplay. And we are very comfortable with him. I have a lot of confidence in this movie.

Are you a part of Sanjay Gupta's forthcoming film, co-produced by Ekta Kapoor?
Balaji Telefilms has a tie up with them, but I don't think we are producing it. I have not really been in town to know the details. I have heard the script and I like my role but things are not confirmed.

You worked with Amitabh Bachchan in Khakee. How was it sharing screen space with him?
He is a very sincere actor. I could see his sincerity even at this age. He set an example for us by landing up at the gym before everyone, after the pack up. That shows his passion for work and his performance. He set a big example for me. Of course, during scenes you learn subconsciously. His attitude towards work and his approach towards the film at that point of time was a learning experience for me.

Do you think after Khakee, Insaan was a wrong choice?
In Insan, I was not happy with the end product but I won't say that it was a bad decision. I was not even promoted in that film. I had a very small role. I did it because Rajkumar Santoshi was producing it. It was neither a loss nor gain for me. The film came and went and was forgotten very soon! So it didn't leave any bad impression.

What are the other films you are working on?
Golmaal will release in July. Good Boy Bad Boy should release in September. Then I am doing a film called Shootout at Lokhandwala, which should come out in 2007. I am also doing a film for T-Series, directed by my friends Rakesh Singh The rest of the cast is not finalized, but the movie will start in July.

From Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai to Kyaa Kool Hai Hum, how much growth do you see in your self as an actor?
I have not really measured the growth in me as an actor. But yes, I have learned how to select films. I am more confident now and can say no to a film. I have learnt how to conduct myself on the set while shooting. When I am not confident about the director, I know how to approach my role at that point. I have learned these things in these five years. You learn everyday. You can never be in a stage where you can say "I have learned everything." My experience was great as the beginning was excellent with Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai. Then there was a bad phase. I did some wrong films. Khakee was a turning point in my career. Gayab didn't become a hit, but it got a good opening. Kyaa Kool Hai Hum became a good hit. I think since Khakee things got better and better. I hope it stays that way.

Are you happy with the way your career has shaped up?
I am extremely happy with the way my career has shaped up. Some people still have questions in their mind but sooner or later, they have to shut up. I believe that I am confident.

Do you ever get intimidated by the thought of being compared to your father?
I don't think I can ever compete with my dad. And I was never scared of being compared with him. It took him 35 years to reach where he is. People shouldn't compare me with him since I am only five years old in this industry. But I know that comparisons always happen. It's fine with me. I can never compete with my own dad. Even if I am lesser than him, I am fine. If I even achieve 50% of what he has, I will be happy.

Are you acting in any of your home productions?
Right now, we are in a planning stage to make something with Rohit Shetty. It will start next year and the script has been worked on. So nothing is on floors as yet.

If not an actor, what would you have been?
Today if I were not an actor, I would have become a producer because I enjoy the process of filmmaking. Rather than doing one thing I'll be able to see so many things at a time and that is fun. I was not sure that I'll be an actor. I was assisting a director. And in that process I got an offer just by fluke and I took it up. Now I love my work but number two would be production.

So do you plan to get into production it anytime soon?
I was very involved with the production of Kyaa Kool Hai Hum. I would like to be more involved in our home productions in the future also. So you can say that I have already turned producer! But the name will always be Balaji Telefilms.

Describe Ekta Kapoor as a sister and as a producer?
Ekta as a sister is over protective and as a producer very passionate. We are like friends now. We don't come in each others way. We don't interfere in each others work but she knows what is happening with my career and me too about her. We used to fight as kids but now we are more like best friends.

What kind of bonding you share with her?
Ekta gives me opinion once in a while if she feels I am wrong. If she likes whatever I am doing then she encourages me. Likewise I encourage her too. She's like a consultant, you could say and it's always best to follow her opinion. Her opinions are always true and honest so in that case she is like a friend.

Any childhood memories that you remember?
We used to fight a lot as kids. We used to go to school together in a same car so we used to fight in the car. We used to tear each others clothes out. Once she tore my school uniform and I had to go back home to change my clothes. We were very close to each other as our age is concerned.

Who is more dominant amongst the two of you?
She was very dominant but I used to always fight more than her and then she used to go and complain to my father. So I had to bare the brunt (laughs).

Do you watch the tele-serials produced by Balaji telefilms?
I don't get much time to watch them but I do catch up while having dinner. I used to watch serials like Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kahi Bahu Thi and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki produced by her when I was shooting for my first film. Whenever I went to outdoor shoot, I used to watch them.

Which is your favorite amongst them?
I used to like Kasauti Zindagi Kay at one point of time but I have lost the track now.

Which do you think is the most boring?
The most boring serial I feel was the new Hum Paanch. But it's all fair now.

If you were to act in any of the Balaji tele-serials, which one would it be? And whose character will you play?
That would be Mr. Bajaj from Kasauti Zindagi Kay. He is very classy. He is a nice guy and has a smart personality.