"I am still open to acting"

Time was when he was the most promising newcomer.
Time was when he was on every filmmakers’ wish list. And then the unthinkable happened. A few of his movies flopped. And the buzz around him died. Just like that. Suddenly, Sanjay Kapoor was like the cola, which had lost its fizz. Overnight, doors of opportunity shut on him, the phone stopped ringing and the curtains were down. The world soon forgot about him and got busy with venerating new stars on the horizon.The forgotten man however wasn’t willing to give up so soon. He switched gears, worked tirelessly away from the limelight. And soon emerged with a new identity. This time he was the man behind the scenes, the man at the helm of affairs. The producer of Tevar, which stars his nephew Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha. The spark is back in his eyes. History may judge him harshly as an actor, the future, he’s sure, will be kind to him. Success he feels is just around the corner. It’s truly the second coming. 


Are you enjoying your new role as a producer?
I’m loving it. I’ve wanted to do it for a long time. I’ve been brought up in a film family.  My father and my brothers have been making films. Anil (Kapoor) and I have acted in movies produced by Boney (Kapoor). Boney would never be on the sets so we (Anil and I), the so-called producers would keep an eye on everyone ki sab kaam kar rahe hai ki nahin. I have come in at a time when things have become professional. The stress is there, you will have that bad day. But that’s part of filmmaking. It’s never a beautiful and smooth ride but the journey is awesome.

What took you so long to take the plunge?
I wanted to become a producer before Sirf Tum had released. That was way back in 1998. I thought I should get into production because I’m more practical, commercial and educated than both Boney and Anil. (Laughs) I’m a B.Com graduate. They have graduated in arts. I always knew I’d be a good producer. Plus, I’m a people’s person. I’m great at managing things. But when Sirf Tum became a hit, I put my plans on hold.

Do you feel bitter that you never got your due as an actor?
I don’t feel bitter.  But I definitely believe I deserved more. I’ve done good films. When Raja became a blockbuster, people said it worked because of Madhuri Dixit. But she’d worked in Rajkumar and Yaarana with two big stars like Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor at the same time. And those films didn’t work. If I weren’t good in Raja, the movie wouldn’t have run. No actor alone can make a picture run. That’s the reason every actor has hits and flops. The same actor who gives a 200-crore film one Friday may not be able to give a hit on another day. I thought chalo is baar credit nahi mila, mil jayega. Then Sirf Tum became a hit. It had Priya Gill. (Laughs) Now, I barely knew Priya Gill, forget the audience. It released two weeks after Biwi No.1 and one week after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Those were not the days of the multiplexes where a movie collected 50 crores on a weekend. The biggest hit of the industry today is Dhoom 3 but its life span is just three weeks. Those days were different. So when Sirf Tum became a huge hit, I thought I had arrived.

But things didn’t work out na?
They didn’t. When I look back I don’t feel bitter. I feel surprised. Sirf Tum was a sincere, innocent film. Then I thought let’s reinvent. When Boney bought the rights of Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe, he asked me to do the hero’s role. But I thought the hero’s role was nothing special. I liked the negative character who comes post interval. I told Boney I wanted to do that part. I cut my hair. I worked on my body to look the part. The film wasn’t a success but I was appreciated in it. And because of that I got Qayamat, which was a huge hit. But I never got my due.
A movie of mine called Chhupa Rustam was delayed by five years, it released in 1998.  It was a super hit. It didn’t do too well in Mumbai. Those days a movie was considered hit if it did good business in Mumbai. But in Bihar it beat the business of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. However, it never translated into anything for me. With success, comes confidence. When it doesn’t happen you wonder am I doing something wrong. I’ve done good work, I’ve been praised. I have got box-office success.  But I carried on and I survived… maybe not as a star but I managed…

People in the industry say, you’re Mr Nice Guy. Did that go against you?
I don’t know. People talk about Amitabh Bachchan’s and Jeetendra’s professionalism. People used to say that Jeetuji was so professional that if he was drinking tea and the assistant told him that the shot was ready, he’d never say main khatam kar ke aata hoon. He’d leave his tea and go for the shot. So being professional and being nice can never go against you. Frankly, had I been a manipulator and still hadn’t succeeded, I’d have been quite a wreck today. I have no issues with people. I haven’t rubbed anyone the wrong way. I am happier than a lot of successful people with hefty bank balances. In life you have to balance everything out. I live in a great house; I have two beautiful children and a lovely wife. I have a great set of friends from the industry and outside.  People like to be around me. God has been kind. You should take the positives out of it. What is the point of having a big bank balance when you’re not really respected or liked? Not that I don’t want a big bank balance. But I want this and that.

You think your sense of humour takes you through tough times?
Yes it does. Not that I don’t have lows. I do. I might be going through a lot of s$#@ but I don’t let people feel it. I’m always positive and happy. People like to be around me. Everyone has got their own set of problems. Whether you’re a Mukesh Ambani or a Shah Rukh Khan, they have their own stress. Their stress of maintaining such high standards could probably be even more than my stress. We mostly meet friends to forget what you’re going through and have a good time. If you’re a negative person or if you’re always complaining or cribbing ki arre main isse better hoon but I didn’t get my due then you can become a pain. What about people who are better than you but haven’t even reached where you have? I see it like that. That gives me the power and the will to continue.  (Laughs) My funda is if I couldn’t become the most good looking actor, I can still become the most good looking producer.

So why did you chose Arjun Kapoor for Tevar and not Sonam?
Why Arjun? Because he suits the part. Tevar required a young guy. It’s not a role for Shah Rukh, Salman Khan or Ajay Devgn. The kind of body language and body structure he has, he fits into this role. Also, he was keen to do the film. Whether he is your nephew, brother or son, the actor has to be convinced about the role. Earlier, an actor used to do 40 films. So he could do 10 films for himself, 20 for money and 10 for his chachas and mamas etc. Today you do one film at a time. He has to do a film which he believes will help him. Once Arjun was finalised, we couldn’t take Sonam as the heroine. After Raanjhanaa, she’s suddenly got in. Earlier, she was getting her due only for her looks and fashion. The only thing that went in her favour is, and I believe Anil must have played a great hand in that, she didn’t sign riff raff films in desperation. She will go ahead now. This is not the only movie I’ll produce. Maybe tomorrow, if I get a subject, I’ll cast her.

Do you treat Arjun as your nephew or a professional actor on the sets?
I have a great bond with Arjun. I won’t say I brought him up. But we all lived together and then Boney had to move out because he had another marriage. At that time, I was the one male in the house with whom Arjun spent time. I was the one who used to take him out. The first drink he had was with me. He has travelled a lot with me. So I share a special bond with him. He’s too close to me to not think of him as my nephew. I remember he was shooting for a song in Tevar. And he had to stand at the edge of the Agra Fort some 20 feet high and do the step. I was shouting ki flash mat lagao. They said they couldn’t because it was in the frame. I was sitting at the monitor and I walked away. I told them to call me when the shot was over. There I was a chachu and not a producer. He did it successfully, which all actors do. But you can’t watch someone you’re close to, do a dangerous shot.

Did you think he’d ever become an actor?
I was the one who got him to work with Karan Johar. Then he shifted out with Nikhil Advani. He had assisted Nikhil on Kal Ho Naa Ho. That’s when he got friendly with Salman Khan. One day I heard that he didn’t want to become a director. A 140-kilo guy wanted to become an actor because Salman said he should become an actor. I was taken aback. I was like Salman issko barbad kar dega, isska career khatam karega. I thought Salman just wanted Arjun to lose weight so he was suggesting that he become an actor. If nothing else at least he will lose weight. But Arjun was convinced. What Salman saw in him, I don’t know. I know he’s fond of him. I am also fond of many people but I don’t go around saying anything to them. But Arjun took the challenge and did it. It’s unreal and amazing. I know how fond of food he is.  But there is so much competition now. He has to be on his toes. You don’t have 30 films to fall back on. People who are established, unko farak nahin padta hai ek picture flop bhi ho jaaye toh. But for these young boys, every film is like a test.

Coming back to you, do you miss acting?
I do. I have enjoyed myself as an actor. And I’m still open to acting. I won’t sound like a moron and say that I’m busy being a producer so I’m refusing films. I’m not refusing films; I’m not getting any offers.

You’ve found your calling at last?
Yes I have. My first preference was to be an actor. Now it’s become a trend for actors to turn producers. Even if it wasn’t a trend, I would still become one. I’ve followed Michael Douglas’ career very closely.  Maybe, because he got more known when he turned a producer.  As an actor he was never like Robert De Niro or Al Pacino. But when he got into production, he did even better. I don’t know whether I’ll be the biggest producer around but I know I’ll make good films. I hope they are successful too.

Any last words as a producer...
Whether I start acting again or not, this is something I will continue doing. Had I been a successful actor, then too I would have turned producer. I’m more of a producer than Boney and Anil. I am practical. I have more sense about the economics of filmmaking. I am passionate but I’m not stupid. I don’t get carried away. I have got a correct balance. Let’s see what the future holds for me.