Interview - Bombay times (24th April 2012)

Shahid Kapoor has always been the quintessential boy-next-door - super cute, but never carnal.

Not until he took off his shirt and ran with the horses in Kaminey. That was the beginning. Then came the split with then girlfriend Priyanka Chopra. Soon, everything changed. Suddenly, the boy who didn't drink or socialise began partying. Hard. The guy who had longterm relationships was, within a short span of a few months, linked to Anushka Sharma, Bipasha Basu and Nargis Fakhri. The workaholic then took off for a vacation with his buddies. And finally, there was his "naked birthday" in Goa - a three-day pool party that began trending on Twitter after pictures of him and some babes in bikinis surfaced on the internet.

Shahid is suddenly sexy, with a fan following of 1.21 million on his micro blogging account. Singledom seems to suit him. Over a cup of cold coffee, he answers questions on love, life and the ladies...

You've become suddenly sexy! What's changed? I've been sexy for a while (grins). Ever since I crossed 30, women have started taking me seriously. Until now, my target audience was school-going girls!

Does the sexy vibe have something to do with being single? No. I think it's because I've stopped shaving for a while, so maybe the stubble is helping. And I think this unemployed vibe I have right now is working for me. When you have to work, you have to look proper, and you have time for very little apart from shooting.

There's something different about you... I think I have changed over the last four years. Also, I've been living on my own and doing my own thing...

Haven't you been living on your own for years now? Yes, I mean kind of...for the past six years I've had my own apartment.

What are the other changes? Oh God, you are asking me to analyse myself! I think I've become more relaxed and laidback. Earlier, I was very fixed in my ways. I used to only go with what I wanted. Now I go with what other people want and, it's an easier ride. You have to believe in whatever you do workwise, but it's wonderful to go with someone else's vision because it's liberating. As an actor, it's a beautiful place to be in. And in my personal space, I've become more social...

What made you more social? Nagging ex girlfriends? No! (laughs) It's just a natural change. I can't define it, but I think with age you realise that I prefer being this way. I can't analyse why.

Your former girlfriends call you boring! See, this is what happens when you don't defend yourself and only one side's version is put across. No one knew me, so they believed whatever they heard. I was always a well-behaved boyfriend, which I am not anymore.

Yes, you are the new bad boy, with lots of link-ups! That's because I was in a very public relationship for a long time, after which I haven't been in one. I also don't talk about my personal life anymore, so everybody wants to know what the hell is going on. Since speculation is on, I'm being linked to any woman I am seen with. But nobody knows what's really happening, which works for me!

You are happy being single? Very happy!

You always seemed to be a guy who preferred a relationship to a romp. (Smiles) I've kind of discovered myself in the last year-and-a-half. I've learnt to enjoy 'me' time and do stuff that I want to do. I haven't been working much of late. In the last eight years of my career, I have worked on an average of 320 days a year. After Mausam, I was supposed to start a film but it got pushed to the end of the year, which left me unemployed. I am hating it, I've come to realise I love working. It's my first love. I feel incomplete without it. The last I was on a set was three months ago. That's really long!

You began working at 16, so you've earned a break! I am a workaholic. But this time-out has its plus side. I have had a lot of time with myself, friends, family and just chill. I have met lots of interesing people from different walks of life. I think I have experienced a lot more. As an actor you tend to live in a really small world which is not very healthy. It is enriching to go to new places, meet different people know and learn about things which you didn't know about..

You took off for a holiday, too! Yeah, I did a holiday in Barcelona with three boys. We had a banging two-week vacation.

Pun intended? (laughs) Take it how you will, no it was the best boys' vacation I have been on.

One gets the feeling that you are now easier on yourself. True? I am very passionate about what I do, I give it 200 per cent, and I don't think it will ever change. But I've realised that as an actor you have to give it your best and let it go. That's the most difficult journey and it comes with time. When you start out, there's so much eagerness, excitement, and you want all that appreciation to come your way. But with time, you come to realise that you cannot chose to make things go in any particular direction. Every film has its own journey and it works/ doesn't work for so many reasons... It's important just to enjoy work without worrying about other stuff. I am at more peace with myself. I just go with the flow. I don't judge myself all the time.

How do you remember Mausam? I always smile when I remember Mausam. The first memory of the film is that I got to spend two years with my family and work at the same time. My parents separated when I was very young so I never got that kind of time with my dad and the entire family. I am definitely dissatisfied with how it was recieved.

Cop films are big these days. Wanna wear a uniform and grow a moustache? I grew a moustache and are a uniform (air force officer) in Mausam. I have done 18 films, and have completed eight years in the industry. Now, I feel that, as an actor, I am ready to attempt everything - action, romance, comedy, an off-beat film, or even a full-on massy film, because I've learnt to enjoy these films. But there are still some films, that I don't understand. They make lot of money and I wonder, 'Yeh kya hai'?.

What kind of roles are coming your way? All kinds - from a rustic guy, to a mentally challenged person, to an underdog, to a politician. When they feel you are good in comedy, they offer you comic roles, and you choose the best. But it gets difficult when you are offered everything and it's up to you to choose what kind of films you want to do.

That's because you are considered a good actor. I thought I was okay in my first film, and then I was really, really bad in some films. I really cringe when I see some of my scenes. There's a scene in one film where a dog is biting me, the expressions I have made should be qualified as the most over-acted scene in the history of the cinema. The dog's expressions were more real than mine. I was going bananas!

Speaking of bananas... Let's talk about your naked birthday... That is Atul Kasbekar's fault, who decided to turn me into a calendar model. About 30 of us went to Goa. We booked the whole place, there were around 20 rooms; all my friends were there. We had a 24-hour DJ who played music from noon till 2 am in the morning. It was a three-day pool party. As for the girls in bikinis, they wore them for obvious reasons. (Grins) I requested everyone to be in their saris and pyjamas but they refused. Eventually, all of them wore swimsuits and shorts. I had a great time. It was the most fun birthday I have had. As the whole place was just ours, I could let myself go.

Your next film is with Priyanka. Any awkwardness? Not at all. It was all very smooth and comfortable.

You decided to work with PC and haven't worked with your first ex Kareena Kapoor yet. How so? But we haven't been offered a film together.

Official posters of 'Teri Meri Kahaani'

Here you guys! Some of the official posters of Shahid Kapoor's upcoming film 'Teri Meri Kahaani'.

Shanatic of the Month - Keshie

Once again, its that time of the month when we meet a Shanatic and ask him/her about their experiences of being a Shahid Kapoor fan and why they love him so much. But first, let me THANK all of you for the amazing response we keep getting every month for this contest. We enjoy reading your tweets and love interacting with you. We would also like to apologise for not being consistent with our blog posts of late, but with exams and other priorities, it does become slightly difficult for our team members to take time out and post an interview. But we are back with the interview of our 'Shanatic of Month' winner for March, Keshie Patel from Australia.

'Shanatic of the Month' (MARCH) - Keshie Patel from Australia

SW team: Hello Keshie! Its always a delight reading your tweets to us on Twitter. You also finished as the runner up in our other contest. Well, lets get back to knowing the 'Shanatic' side of you. How long have you been a fan of Shahid Kapoor?

Keshie: I've been a fan of Shahid since his Ishq Vishk days. So you can say, I've been a 'Shanatic' since his first film.

SW team: Wow! That's amazing. Sounds great. So if you are given a choice to watch any ONE Shahid Kapoor film non-stop 100 times, which movie would it be and why?

Keshie: I would pick Kaminey! Its a classic, hands down. I'm a HUGE fan of Charlie (I guess everyone knows that). Its one of Shahid's finest films till date and I cannot stop loving Charlie. What a superb character.

SW team: Fuperb! Fhahid played charlie really well and no wonder, he walked away with all the awards that year.  Lets move on to a different genre, romance. Which is your favourite romantic song filmed on Shahid Kapoor, from his film?

Keshie: Tum se hi from Jab we met. Its such a wonderful song. It tops my iTunes play list.

SW team: True! Its one of the most brilliantly composed romantic number. Moving on, I think every Shanatic's dream is to meet Shahid and click a picture or probably take his autograph as a memory. So if you ever get a chance to meet Shahid and take his autograph, on what would you take it?

Keshie: An autograph book, nothing fancy. Plus, I have one at home already! Waiting to get his signature on it.

SW team: How sweet! :) Lastly, any message for Shahid Kapoor?

Keshie: Shahid your my hero and inspiration always keep smiling. Remain as beautiful as you are much love to you always :)

SW team: Thank you so much Keshie! Keep the 'Shanatic' spirit alive for life.

Edited and Interviewed by - SW team representative

New Hind Article with Translation - Top 10 with Shahid Kapoor

1. I hate lies to the core.
2. I hate double faced people to the core.
3. I hate cheating and cheaters alike.
4. Roaming around all night and partying till the wee hours.
5. People publishing link-ups without any proof.
6. When people write 'I am single, ready to mingle'.
7. I dont like people trying to meddle in my life.
8. Because of smoking, sometimes I even hate myself.
9. Due to hectic schedules, I hate missing my workouts.
10. I dont like comparisons with my seniors.

(Please NOTE: This is a translation of the exact same article printed above in Hindi. The views may or may not be true, as media reports are not always true.)

Teri Meri Kahaani

For more pictures log on to www.facebook.com/shahidsworld

The title of Kunal's Kohli's next is confirmed - 'Teri Meri Kahaani'

Exclusive picture of 'Teri Meri Kahaani'

Overcome your workout blues - Shahid Kapoor in an interview for Men's Health Magazine

Never mind the dashing figures he cuts in his films, but it is hard to miss the boyish affability Shahid Kapoor oozes when you meet him in person. The fraternal backslap, the broad grin and that unshaved, unkempt look brings him agonisingly down to earth. In real life, Shahid Kapoor doesn't look one bit the burgeoning marquee idol your girlfriend swoons for every time she sees him on the screen.

Wean him away from the sets and you wonder where the silver-tongued sure-footedness you expect from stars of his stature, the sex appeal that attests to his top-liner bona fides, and that unmistakable swagger of Kaminey, has disappeared. "What you see of me on the screen is actually the hard work of a team of people who come together to make me look good. I trust their instincts. I am confident of their conviction in me," says Shahid.

On being a 'hero'
I don't know if I am good or bad at it, but I know how much I have slogged for all this... those auditions, trying to be noticed, my desperation to be accepted... yes, all of us have to go through the grind. What works for me is that I love what I do. When you know that you don't suck at what you do, it's a great feeling.

If you are passionate about your job, the hard work it takes to be successful comes easy. Also, then, somewhere deep down, you are convinced that you are good at what you do and better than many others you are pitted against. Yes I know that just being good is not good enough, and that's when you push yourself that extra mile.

On following the herd
I am not really good with fashion-I am told I don't have a very good taste when it comes to clothes! If you are not sure, it's better to stay casual and not try to experiment. It works for me. Style is very individual. You need to be comfortable in your skin: with your face, your body…. Until you reach that comfort level with your own self, whatever you put on will all be useless.

It is not about flaunting a six-pack ab. It is about being comfortable with who you are and what you have. First, get it right in your mind. The rest, people say, follows effortlessly. You only need to be careful about being presentable and you are ready to make an impact on people around you.

When it comes to my style, there are certain things I will never wear: a tight T-shirt, for one. The thing is, you must reach a level of confidence where you are able to tell yourself that you don't need to fl aunt anything, and still people will see it.

It is much cooler like this. It simply exudes more confidence, and instead of coming across as a person who is trying to impress people all the time, it is better to be looked at as somebody who is into fitness but doesn't feel the need to show it.

On experimenting
Change is good, but never do anything if you are not sure of it. Even in my career, I have never been part of a project in which I didn't believe in. It is the same when it comes to my style. Once I get comfortable with a particular look, I stick to it because I believe in it.

But change is important... because it helps you grow as a person. For instance, these days I am trying to be comfortable in a formal dress: earlier I used to feel claustrophobic in them. Times change and I am growing with it...I am getting used to a formal dress now.

On fitness
Looking good is part of my job. But fitness means much more to me. It is a very personal feeling. I don't think I was born with a great body: I was a very regular, skinny, average, middle-class boy... half-Punjabi, half Muslim.

I have worked really hard to get this far. It is not about perfection. It is about how you feel about yourself. I look at it like this: if you are happy about your body without any clothes on, in all probability, you will be happy with whatever clothes you put on.

Fitness is an essential part of me. The fact that I want to hit the gym and work out makes me feel good about myself. Even if I was not an actor, fitness would have definitely been constant for me. I am not in shape because I am an actor and I need to show off my body. I am in shape because I like being in shape. It's been an part of me since I was a teenager.

On overcoming failures
The fact is that all of us put in a lot of hard work when it comes to our careers and we are all passionate about what we do. But any success comes with its own price...there are times when life's script turns out differently from your expectations. These are times when you need to look within to pick-up the pieces and start moving.

Our lives are like a T20 match: there is no way any of us can ever predict a match-winning score. The key is to believe in yourself. The fluctuations in life are so huge that if you are not strong, you could have a nervous breakdown. Success scares me as much as failures: because when everything is going great, you fool yourself into thinking that you've got it all sorted out.

Of course, failure is difficult to accept because you know you've worked hard on a project, your career, and you want it to be a success. The key is to believe that even the most successful person carries the baggage of an equal number of failures.

On handling criticism
How I deal with it? I shut myself to all kind of opinions, good or bad, immediately after the release of my films. When you are in a vulnerable state of mind, it is always better to close yourself to all kinds of opinions. There are times when you need to just shut up and follow your gut. You cannot be objective to criticism all the time.

Come on, we are all humans. I give myself three to four months after the film is released before I open myself to the reactions. The fact is that sometimes shit movies do great business, and sometimes great films just flop. Great movies and successful films need not always be the same.

The key is to have a sense of humour about it. It is cruel, no doubt. I remember the first time I went for an audition: even before I could finish my lines, the director had said "Cut". That was the end of my audition. In the beginning, rejection feels like a slap on your face.

On feeling insecure
It's got nothing to do with what you do etc. but it is about how you look at life. Everybody in this world have their moments of insecurity. If anybody tells you that he never feels insecure, he is the biggest liar.

New Photoshoot - Men's Health Magazine

 

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