Kunal Kapoor: I have a lot of childhood memories of Prithvi Theatre

Actor Kunal Kapoor is both nervous and excited about facing a live audience as he debuts at Prithvi Theatre.
His association with the medium might be brief, but he finds it extremely satisfying. He does theatre just for the love of it, much like the spirit that Prithvi stands for. With the ongoing Prithvi Theatre Festival in association with Bombay Times, the actor talks to us about his play Ek Punjab Yeh Bhi:
Tell us how it was for Kunal Kapoor the actor to meet Kunal Kapoor the trustee of Prithvi Theatre.Are there any jokes around it?
There are so many Kunal Kapoors. We have always had a series of these mix-ups as far as phone calls go. I get messages for him and he, for me. Not only him, there is Kunal Roy Kapoor, Kunal Karan Kapoor (TV actor) and chef Kunal Kapoor. I often joke that it’s not a name anymore, but a community.
Tell us something about the play...
I happened to watch Danish Husain’s play Chinese Coffee and told him that I was keen to do theatre. He called me a couple of weeks later and gave me a book. I read it and was blown away. These are four short stories about unrequited love, honour killing, loyalty and other issues, which we narrate along with playing our respective characters. It’s a different format where we sit and narrate them to each other. All of them are laced with dark humour, have a twist in the tale and are relevant even today. The language was a bit of a challenge as most of it is in Urdu.
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Do you think your Bollywood association will draw more crowd?
I am not sure about that. There is noise around the play, irrespective of you being a film or theatre actor. If you are somebody known, there is bound to be a lot of buzz around your work.
You were associated with theatre years ago. What difference do you see then and now?
Delhi used to be the hub of drama and theatre, but now, a lot more is happening in Mumbai. Till a few years ago, just a segment of people watched plays. But now, a lot more people have turned theatre-goers and there is a buzz in the media. Many plays are being staged and film actors are associating themselves with the productions. There is a lot more awareness and enthusiasm around the medium.
Why did you take so long to do a full-fledged role?
There is no particular reason. While working with Naseeruddin Shah, I would have liked to do a full-fledged character. But after Ek Punjab Yeh Bhi, I would like to do a lot more now.
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So, do you plan to prolong the affair?
Yes, for sure. We are starting off with Prithvi and this will be followed by more shows. In December again, we have about 10 shows. After that, we plan to travel with the play. It’s something that we are going to do for a long time.
Do you feel theatre has more depth as a medium as compared to others?
I don’t think that’s true. It comes down to your approach towards it. There are plays which do not have that depth and there are others that do. That’s the same case with cinema. It’s not fair to compare the two on a scale of depth. As an actor, there should be no debate about which medium is better. You should experience everything.

Considering the look versus talent debate, do you think your looks may overshadow your
talent? For me, it’s just good acting or bad acting. It’s not that theatre acting is purer as opposed to film or the other way round. It’s not the medium, the purity or impurity of the character depends on how you approach it. What really matters is that as an actor you should really be able to perform at any given opportunity and the platform shouldn’t be of any concern. More than the medium, it has to do with your approach. People who enjoy the craft do not think about those things and focus on the character. If people come out of the theatre and talk of me as being this nice-looking guy as opposed to what I wished to convey through my character, then that’s a failure for me as an actor. It’s the presence and what an actor brings to the moment that makes him beautiful to watch.
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What about theatre amazes you the most?
As an audience and especially when you are an actor, you are really blown away watching these actors on stage and by the fact that they can hold the attention of an audience for two hours purely on the basis of their performance. It could be a masterclass in acting watching some of these veteran theatre artistes perform. I am not saying that cinema is an easier medium as it comes with its own challenges, but then there you have help from the way it is shot and edited. But in theatre, you are really left to your own devices. There are no retakes and you have to hold the attention of the audience for really long.
What kind of vibe do you get at Prithvi?
I have a lot of childhood memories associated with it as I have been coming here with my parents since I was young. I would hang out at the Prithvi cafe when I was in college. What I find absolutely amazing is that it can easily be converted into a huge commercial enterprise, but they have chosen to not take that route. They keep this running for their passion and love for it. This place feels intimate as the stage is so close to the audience. I don’t think any other theatre provides you with that kind of experience. Another thing that needs to be lauded is the amount of work that goes into making this festival happen.
Are you nervous about your debut here?
It’s partial nervousness and partial excitement. It’s the fear of the unknown. I haven’t performed here, so I don’t know what to expect. My co-actors tell me that once you are on stage at Prithvi, it gets very exciting. You are so close to the audience and you draw a lot of energy from them.

Since you have a crowd-funding company, would you do the same for this medium?
It’s a crowd-funding platform for social causes and we opened a creative wing about six months ago. We are crowd-funding for movies, documentaries, dance performances and music. Theatre is definitely something that we would like to crowd-fund for as a lot of people in theatre have good material, but lack funds to produce it.
Lastly, is your wife (Naina Bachchan) going to watch your debut?
Unfortunately, she is going to be out of town. She will be there for our shows in December.
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