Tusshar Kapoor is in the news for his two back to back porn-coms Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 directed by Umesh Ghadge and Mastizaade directed by Milap Zaveri. He seems to have found his comfort zone in adult comedies. But he shrugs and says he is comfortable doing all kind of movies. “It so happened that two of my adult comedies released back to back. Adult and porn comedy can also be interesting and fun like any other commercial film. I’m not going to be defensive about it.” He adds he’s done all kinds of roles in the past and has been appreciated for them. “People should not forget that I did diverse films like Shoot out At Wadala, Shor In The City, The Dirty Picture, Khakhee, Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai and also Golmaal... all different kind of films.”
Tell him that Mastizaade and Kya Kool Hain Hum 3 were replete with double entendre, some of which were cringe worthy and he shrugs his shoulders. Clearly, he doesn’t subscribe to that view. “If the story is good, the role is good, the dialogue and punch lines are funny, I’ve no problem. I’m just an actor doing my job.” Nevertheless, they weren’t films that were a family watch. His own parents were divided on that. He chuckles, “Mom (producer Shobha Kapoor) yelled at me, ‘Why are you doing these kinds of movies?’ But dad (actor Jeetendra) says you should accept things good or bad as part of life. He’s not like your strict, typical Indian father. He never criticises, rather he always has an encouraging word. He tells me to never take anything seriously. Do your best and leave the rest to God is what he believes in.”
He mentions the most difficult part about his latest releases was to get them censored. He wasn’t happy that the Censor ordered many cuts in the films. “There is an audience who wants to enjoy this kind of humour,” he explains. “So why can’t we give them a different kind of comedy? I’m not going to explain things to the so-called moral police. No one is forcing them
to see the film.”
Many are known to have inhibitions about acting with Sunny Leone but not Tusshar. He says he respects her as a professional and had no qualms about working with the actor who belonged to the adult film industry. He claims, “I was fond of Sunny right from the Shootout at Wadala days when we filmed the Laila song together. In fact, I suggested her name to my sister Ekta Kapoor and director Sanjay Gupta.
I always believed she would become popular here. I guess, the Indian audience is the most liberal. They accept anyone who’s good on screen. People will always try to pull you down. It is human nature. Whether you are Sunny Leone or a star kid. If you arrive with a lot of hype, people will try to pull you down. But once you’ve proved yourself, it doesn’t matter.”
Ask him whether he’s satisfied with the kind of roles he’s been getting and he replies in the negative. “No actor will ever say he’s satisfied. But I am doing a film after this called Chicago Junction, which is different from the adult genre. It’s a period film depicting the ’70s era in UP. It’s a gangster drama directed by Kabir Kaushik.”
Every star has his or her share of bad press and Tusshar too isn’t impervious to that. One charge that people constantly make against him is that he only made it because of his family, particularly his sister and head of Balaji Motion Pictures Ekta Kapoor. Tusshar debunks that allegation. A frown purches his eyebrows as he says, “I am self-made. I started off with an outside banner (Vashu Bhagnani’s Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai). I’ve only done Kyaa Kool Hain Hum with my sister. Otherwise, it’s all been my effort. Nobody is helping anyone out here.”
He’s however quick to mention that he shares a close relationship with his sister. He smiles, “We are friends. We discuss work, life, people, we discuss the good, the bad. We advise each other. She’s caring and interested in the kind of work that I do.” He admires her for her professionalism, for her go-getter attitude. Says he, “She is a passionate and dynamic producer. She’s an aggressive marketer. She has set an example and a benchmark for movie marketing. There are few women who can be compared to her.”
There have been stories about her volatile temper. But Tusshar defends her saying that while Ekta maybe a hard taskmaster, she’s composed outside work. “Probably, she got success at a young age. That time the pressure on her was too much and she was in her early 20s. She was working around the clock doing daily serials. But now she devotes more time to herself, friends, travelling... She’s matured and calmed down a lot.” His sister has taught him many things, he says. He admires her ability to call a spade a spade. “She doesn’t mince words.
She will say point blank, ‘This is not the right way. You have to change it, I don’t care’. Such clarity and command is required in this profession. It’s important to say ‘No’!”
Coming back to him, his career has seen a fair share of ups and downs but he has no regrets. He claims he has got his due. “I’ve got my due. I’ve got love from the audience and from the industry. Yes, there are miles to go before I sleep but so far it’s been good.” He gets philosophical and says life has taught him to be positive always. “You’ve got to accept the twists and the turns that life brings. You’ve got to be ready for shocks and surprises. All we can do is try our best. No point worrying about things not in your control. That’s the biggest lesson I’ve learnt.” He adds, “The industry has also taught me that nothing is permanent.” Well said.