Interview | Kunal Kapoor: Prithvi Theatre is part of our heirloom

Kunal Kapoor hates giving interviews, and that’s pretty evident when he settles down opposite us with a can of Coke and coffee (‘double dose of caffeine’, he explains), at his beloved Prithvi Theatre in Juhu. He pretends to get up and scoot when we tell him he’s free to not answer whatever he’s not comfortable responding to. But we can’t let go of him so easily. 

The iconic theatre, built by his father the late Shashi Kapoor, and where we sit now, will turn 40 this November. Hundreds of theatre practitioners in the city owe their careers to Prithvi, having worked here as actors, directors or technicians. “What’s interesting is how, right from theatrewallahs to audience, everyone has grown up with Prithvi,” says Kunal. Talking about the Prithvi Festival they held at Dubai two years ago, he recalls meeting expat 
Indians, who would share with him stories of their courtship, how they would meet their partners at the cafe in the theatre, enjoy the signature Irish coffee and watch plays. 

“I got to know recently that actors such as Vidya Balan and Varun Dhawan have attended our Summertime workshops. Anupam Kher, Annu Kapoor and Pankaj Kapur performed here and went on to make it big in cinema. Anurag Kashyap told me recently that when he first came to Mumbai and had nowhere to sleep, my sister (Sanjna) had allowed him to use the shed behind the theatre and the make-up bathrooms in the morning. I said ‘Good you didn’t tell me, I would have thrown you out!’” he guffaws. Over to the man himself...

When you think of the Kapoor khandaan, apart from movies, you realise that they have contributed immensely to theatre too. Do you think in term of legacies at all? 

These are words that journalists use, not words that we think about. So if dad built Prithvi, he did it because he wanted to do so. That’s why, it’s not even named after him. I don’t want to give interviews, I want theatre groups to give interviews, because it’s about them, not me. I spend a lot of time, energy and money looking after this place. I’m possessive about it because it’s part of our heirloom, something we believe in. I don’t do it because I’m trying to create an image, but because I care. And fortunately, my kids have the same feeling. They are also proud to be associated with it and are protective about it. 

How are your children, Zahan and Shaira, involved with Prithvi? 

They are young and are just starting their careers. So they are not involved in the day-to-day activities of the theatre. But during our festivals and Summertime, my daughter designs the decor. The lights are designed by both of them. My son shoots and supervises the video promos. The other day, we had a group meeting and he was a part of it where he was listening intently. So yes, they are not distant from it, but supportive.

Even the extended family is here at the festival’s  inauguration and often come to watch plays...

That’s what’s marvellous about our family. This theatre was built by my dad, the khandaan has nothing to do with it. Like the RK Studios was built by Raj Kapoor, it had nothing to do with Shammi Kapoor or my dad. But we are supportive of each other. And we are quick to rally around, just as we can tell each other, ‘Uss film mein tune faltu kaam kiya tha!’ (laughs).

Your father, Shashi Kapoor, passed away last month. Can you tell us how he was as a person and as a father? 

My father had an amazing memory. Once at an airport when he was going through security, a guy came running up to him and said that he had met my dad 20 years ago. 

Dad just said, ‘Ya, your name is Sachin, na?’ That guy literally fell down! (laughs) He knew he was a star but he also knew how other stars behaved with people. He was a genuinely charming, extremely good-looking man and gained a lot of respect because he behaved himself. He was a gentleman, but to me, he was my father. If you see his bedroom, there are only photographs of his grandchildren and his family. His work never came home but it was difficult going to public spaces with him. However, we used to travel a lot and get to spend quality time with him. Even when he had a crazy schedule where he had four to five shifts a day, he would be at the breakfast table at 7.30 in the morning. 

His theatre, Prithvi, is a place that’s dear to so many people. What are the challenges that the theatre faces? 

This place was built not to make money but to be self-sustainable and a catalyst. It was the birthplace to promote theatre and develop an audience for this performing art. Worldwide, theatre is not a profit-making venture, it struggles to survive. And in India, particularly in Bombay (now Mumbai), there was a time when it had virtually come to a standstill. It was then that my dad built it, because it was his father’s dream to have his own theatre. So what are the problems that we face now? For starters, I would like our festivals to be bigger, to have them not only at Prithvi but at several other venues simultaneously. We would like to have theatre companies, from other cities in India as well as internationally. 

Now this costs money and it can’t be paid back by ticket sales. This is where it requires sponsorship, or, I prefer the word patronage, but that’s not forthcoming. I’d like a larger sponsorship for my November festival. Institutions like Prithvi help in development of the arts, which is integral to the development of a civic society. Unfortunately, post-independence, we have paid little attention to that. As a nation which is so rich in the history of the arts, it’s a crying shame that we neglected it. We don’t need a 1,000-seater with big monstrous chandeliers but theatres like this that are 200-300 seaters, with vibrant cafes, bookshops and art galleries, even rehearsal spaces. Mumbai can accommodate at least 20-25 Prithvi Theatres. There are enough viewers and theatre groups. 

What do you think has been Prithvi’s biggest contribution to the city? 

Naseeruddin Shah had once mentioned in his interview that one of the best things Prithvi has done is, it made going to theatre a habit for the audience. It has created an experience for them. The property is open, it’s inviting, there is free seating and no hierarchy inside. In the 1950s when Prithviraj Kapoor was in the Parliament, he had said while watching a play you’re not bothered about who’s sitting next to you, whether a Hindu is seated next to a Muslim or a Dalit is beside a Christian. It breaks all barriers where you laugh together or cry together. It makes society one. That’s what entertainment does, it builds a healthier society.