‘I am in a great phase of my career’: Sanjay Kapoor

Sanjay Kapoor may have had a small role in Mission Mangal, but the actor is ecstatic with the response he has got in the hit movie. As Vidya Balan’s nagging husband and father of two, the actor had a moment on the screen when he danced to his hit number Ankhiya Milao from Raja (1995). “That got maximum claps and whistles! Initially, they were planning to take another song, Bee Gees' Staying Alive for the scene, as they didn’t want any of my tracks because it would have been obvious. Later, they zeroed in on Ankhiya Milaye and it worked out in my favour. I can say that in the era of remixes and recreations, I am the only actor to have danced to my song twice on-screen! First in 1995 with Madhuri Dixit and 24 years later with Vidya Balan. Besides, the dialogue after the song is crucial to the narrative,” Sanjay beams. 

Ask him why he decided to be a part of a film that already had such big stars, and he says it was the ensemble cast that drew him to it. “Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan have got the main roles but the rest of us have our moments. It’s like Oceans 11, where George Clooney and Brad Pitt are the leads and the others have their moments,” he reasons, adding that there is no point playing a lead role in a film that won’t be seen by the audience. “I am not living in a dream world asking for lead roles. When you’re in a film with Akshay, you know it will have a wider audience,” says he.

It was his outing in the web anthology Lust Stories that impressed filmmaker R Balki to cast him in Mission Mangal. “When I met him and Jagan Shakti (director) they told me it’s a special role. They needed someone young for it as he’d burst into a dance, and not a typical husband to Vidya,” says Sanjay, who feels his character resonated with the audiences because it was real and identifiable. “On social media, a girl wrote to me saying my character reminded her of her father,” smiles the actor.

In real life, the 53-year-old is a cool dad to his son Jahaan and daughter Shanaya. Interestingly, he will be seen playing his niece Sonam K Ahuja’s father in The Zoya Factor. “When we were filming it, Sonam was newly married and Anand (K Ahuja) used to come to the sets often. It was lovely working with her,” he says, adding that his bond with the actress became stronger after the film. “I share a warm and affectionate relationship with Sonam. All my scenes are with her and we used to spend 13-14 hours on the set every day. We used to share lunches and dinners and I got to know her really well. Earlier, we’d meet for family functions and festivals like Rakhi and Diwali, but for the film, we spent a lot of quality time together,” he avers.

Besides the Zoya Akhtar directorial, the Mubarakan actor will be seen in a 10-episode digital series as the main lead. “Being an actor on the big screen and simultaneously doing a web series in which I play the main lead — I am in a great phase of my career. I couldn’t have asked for better,” he says.

Shanaya Kapoor and Sanjay Kapoor

There is also talk about his daughter Shanaya being readied for her Bollywood debut. Is that happening anytime soon? “She is definitely training for it. So far, she has seen a life of glamour but I wanted her to experience the process of filmmaking. She had to know that it’s not just about posting pictures on social media or going to events. So, she is assisting director Sharan Sharma for the Gunjan Saxena biopic starring Janhvi (Kapoor). Karan (Johar, producer) told me it will be shot in four months and it is a small unit, so it will be best for her to work as an AD,” explains the actor.

Shanaya was in Lucknow for the shoot and the proud papa tells us that she shared a room with another assistant director instead of staying with cousin Janhvi in a hotel. “When Shanaya called to inform, I told her she is doing the right thing because Janhvi is a star. Shanaya needs to experience it from the ground and see it from close quarters, running around, interacting with spot boys, etc. These are small things but when she becomes a heroine, she will value and respect the assistants more,” he signs off.