Aditya Roy Kapur: I’ve a different attitude towards my work now

At a time when every actor is a call or a text away, Aditya Roy Kapur happens to be cut off from the world. Point this out to him, and he laughs, “I think everyone, including my team, has the same complaint.” He reasons, “I believe that you should only speak when you have something to say. I have a film coming out, so here I am.” Aditya hasn’t had a release in the last two years, which explains his absence. While he agrees that he needed some time for introspection, he also feels that it has helped him realise his aashiqui with his craft. Today, he’s busier than ever before, with four films lined up in the next one-and-a-half years. We chat with him about his break, choices and life, the way he wants it.

You didn’t sign anything between OK Jaanu (2017) and Kalank. Was this a conscious break?

It just happened, actually. In some ways, it was a self-imposed sabbatical. I hadn’t signed anything around the time OK Jaanu released, and after that, I wasn’t convinced about the stuff that was coming to me. So, I didn’t take anything up and it ended up becoming a break. I was away for a year, and, I started working on Kalank in 2018. It’s been a long absence for me at the theatres.

Has it also been a time for self-analysis?

There definitely was a certain amount of self-analysis. When a film doesn’t work, everyone analyses what they could or should have done. Without that, there can be no growth. You have to be able to tell yourself certain truths, and I went through that process as well.

Did you feel dejected at any point?

I’m lucky that to me, films are just one part of my life. Usually, we get so caught up with work that we tend to neglect other parts of our life. This takes up so much time that it looks like the be-all of and end-all of things. But it’s not. There are so many other things that give me joy, meaning and purpose and I like to keep it that way. I have a friend circle that I like meeting. I enjoy travelling and sport. So, I used this time to do a lot of other things in life.

How similar or different are you from Dev, your character in Kalank?

There are many parts of Dev that one can aspire to be like. He holds his principles high up, always trying to do the right thing and stands by his country and his family. It was a challenge to play this character because I’ve never done a period film before. 

What about insecurities of sharing the screen with a big star cast?

Security comes completely from the director, and what he makes you feel like. From day one, when Abhishek (Varman) came to me with the script, one could see how clear he was about portraying every character in the film, everyone’s role and how important each person is to the film’s narrative. Everyone felt like they were in safe hands, because of how passionately and stubbornly he looked at this film.

Varun said in an interview that you’re so giving that you give up on your own lines for your co-actor...

(Laughs) Acting is about giving, no? Varun was  being a little too magnanimous. I’m not someone who’s going to give away all my lines. It’s because of the scene we had to do together. It had to be a synergy between those two characters. Often, when you are like that with an actor, they pick up on it and reciprocate to it. It’s important to do that because then everyone’s guards are down. It sends out a good message of teamwork. We are here to make the scenes look good and not make ourselves look better.

After Kalank, you have Anurag Basu’s next, Malang and Sadak 2. Are you enjoying being busy?

I need to learn how to multitask a little better. A part of why I love making a movie is because I treat my outdoors and my schedules almost like an escape from everyday, mundane life. I’m really happy to be working in all these films. My only fear is, I want to be able to give my best in everything I do. Certain things require preparation and time. So, I’m having to find more hours in a day to be able to do justice to my work. While I’m very excited and really happy working 18-hour-long days, I really need to put in that effort in doing the homework, too, and not let it go just because I’m tired. It’s the time where I’m having to push myself a little more than normal.