In an exclusive interview with OneIndia's Puja Talwar, Arjun Kapoor opens up about his thrilling role as Raavan in Singham Again and how the film marks a "rebirth" in his acting career. The actor discusses his transformation for the character, what it means to play a larger-than-life villain, and how Singham Again came at a pivotal moment in his life. Arjun reveals insights into his evolution as an actor and how he's stepping into new challenges with this high-octane cop drama. Don't miss this candid chat about his journey, the excitement of working with Rohit Shetty, and what fans can expect from this action-packed blockbuster!
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00:00I'm seeing you after Sandeep and Pinky Farrar, it's been so wild.
00:04And what a, I mean, I would say Arjun 2.0, what a comeback as a...
00:09People are saying it, so why shouldn't we say it, we also get into it.
00:13Putting the good into playing bad.
00:15How are you feeling when the film has given the theatres, box office,
00:21cash registers are clinking, I hope you have also got something out of it.
00:25I have got some love, that's enough for now.
00:29So how does it feel and it really helped playing this menacing, dangerous Lanka?
00:36I mean, so it feels great, it feels amazing to be part of a successful film,
00:40to be part of such a big film and a franchise already was something that I can take mark on my list and say,
00:46it's an experience I'll bank forever.
00:48But of course, when the film pans out, it does well, you get appreciated.
00:50So you can also get lost in a film like this, things might not pan out for you as an actor, as a performer.
00:56A successful film will always give you a piece of the pie, you will always benefit.
00:59But I feel what's happened is the overwhelming reaction to Danger Lanka has come from a place of,
01:06wow, we didn't know he can pull this off and also we are glad he can pull this off.
01:10So I think now it's created excitement about, okay, he's proven us wrong, so that's great, let's see what else he can do.
01:15And the people who've been cheering for me is like, okay, see, we always knew we can do stuff like this.
01:19So I think in that sense, there's a validation and a nice sense of the redemption arc of my personal life continues in that sense.
01:29Take the punches and then still keep standing and keep fighting back.
01:33Absolutely. I mean, you are a testament in that.
01:37But also it's interesting because, you know, I just saw Bobby in Animal, his second innings has been glorious.
01:44Do you think that Danger Lanka would be the beginning of something more exciting where you,
01:49I think he's liberated you and unleashing the backstabbing?
01:54So I think when I'd signed Singham, Animal had not released.
01:58And then when I was shooting Animal release and I kind of realised, okay, there is an audience that is willing to enjoy these characters, these performances.
02:06I don't know if it'll mean that I'm only doing these roles because I wouldn't only want to be doing this.
02:13But definitely the audience is suggesting they enjoy me in this.
02:16So I will definitely be embracing this dark side or the bad side or the or the grey side when I'm looking at scripts and characters.
02:24And I hope it's also...
02:25The audience has given an indication that when people bring material to you, you have to be excited about it.
02:29So I think this will just create opportunities for me and then I'll take it from there.
02:33But definitely I'm open to doing more stuff like this because being unhinged is great fun on screen.
02:39It absolutely is because I know we can't be unhinged and real life is a screen to unleash that.
02:46You live vicariously through the characters you play.
02:49So yeah, absolutely.
02:50And also the fact, Arjun, it's been what a dozen years now, this year in the film industry.
02:54In Shagzade, that character, Farhan still remains a case in point till date.
03:02I think the hints were there, whether it's Gunde, Shagzade or Aurangzeb.
03:06The first three films all had the grey elements at play.
03:09I think Shagzade was a very different starting point for an actor to be a main lead or a mainstream hero.
03:17The kind of character that was the small town rogue, hooligan, brash, not giving a damn, gun-tottering,
03:28just roaming around with absolute disdain for the world.
03:32Immature, yes, but definitely uncouth and the way he behaves with the women in his life, really resentful.
03:38But he had a redemption arc.
03:40And I think that's where the bad boy learning about life through circumstances,
03:46I think resonated with the audiences and I think they related to me.
03:48But it was unique because also I'm a very unique person.
03:51If you see the way I was even in that film, I wasn't the boy next door.
03:53It wasn't the typical quintessential debut and it still worked.
03:57And I think it remains relevant even today because they liked me in that space then and they like me as Danger Lanka now.
04:04So the evolution in 12 years is from Parma to Danger Lanka, yes, but also from a bad boy to an evil man.
04:15I think they've enjoyed me on the darker side a lot.
04:18A lot more than the two states, which remains my favourite though.
04:23It's amazing because there is an audience that always meets me and talks about two states, Ki and Ka, Mubarakka.
04:28Then there's an audience that talks about Finding Fanny and Sadipur Pinky Farah.
04:31So over the course of your career, you will meet different audiences that enjoy different sides of you.
04:35But in the mainstream world right now, I think this one has clicked.
04:39So I have to respect the reaction and I have to also try and forge myself into this space a little bit more right now.
04:46You know, it's funny because it's true.
04:48Animal got the kind of reviews it did, but it did really well.
04:52Similarly, your character, he's unhinged, he can blow people up with just carrying like weapons in his mouth.
04:59I mean, you would hate them, but the audience is lapping it up because you also say you watch your movies like an audience.
05:05What do you think actually is the psyche of the movie Goa?
05:08Because now they don't have to intellectualise anything.
05:11No, actually to give them credit, what happens is the audience is dictated by how the world around you becomes.
05:17I think the world today is a very grey place in that sense.
05:19The vanilla, kosher characters tend to become boring after a point because they don't actually exist.
05:24I think today morality, ethics, your moral compass, the choices you make have come from a selfish place.
05:31And what happens is if you see it from that perspective, from our older generation perspective, the rights and wrongs are very clear.
05:38Today's society, today's rules are very different.
05:40There are no rules perhaps because today it's a man-eat-man world.
05:43Today it's a very different environment.
05:46So what happens is when you see a character really letting loose to get what he believes is his right or is unhinged and perhaps doing anything it takes,
05:59there is a dark side in all of us that kind of enjoys watching it and feels a release because you're never going to do that.
06:06It's sort of cathartic to see somebody else just do things.
06:12And that's not to talk about the violence.
06:14What I mean is just taking action because we're always put into boxes and there are rules and regulations.
06:20So when you see someone play out and lash out, you feel a part of you is enjoying that because you can't do it.
06:27Or you won't do it because you're conditioned to not think like that.
06:31But actually there's a part of you that has thought like that.
06:34It's like almost, I mean, let's generalize it.
06:36Okay, when your boss is, when somebody's boss is giving them a hard time for no rhyme or reason,
06:42there are enough flash cuts in people's heads saying that I want to strangle this man and make him shut up.
06:46I want to put tape. But you don't do that, right?
06:49You just smile, you listen, you pay attention for whatever's worth, you soak it in or you ignore it and you move on.
06:55But when you see somebody actually going ahead and just choking the man and making him,
06:59there's a part of you that says, I wish I could do that.
07:03Absolutely.
07:05Without judgment.
07:07So I think that society now, there is a lot of negativity around, there's a lot of anger around,
07:13there's a lot of resentment around and those emotions are really at the forefront
07:17because of I think social media also because you look at other people's lives,
07:20you look at a lot that's going on. Society is not the easiest place.
07:23So what happens is when you're living in a time like that,
07:25the release comes from enjoying all sorts of characters, not only your hero worship characters.
07:29Absolutely. It's interesting that you say because also somewhere as human beings,
07:32as you said, social media, and you also have been subject to it,
07:37where you're perceived by these nameless, faceless people and you're getting this
07:42somewhere at the back of your mind, you'll say it doesn't matter,
07:45but you're seeking validation from these strangers.
07:48No, I've never seen validation from strangers on social media.
07:52I will never ever let myself come down to that level.
07:55Because my validation actually is the fact that I'll continue to do films
08:00and put myself out there and the critics, the audience that pays money,
08:04you can sense, right? When a film doesn't do well or does well,
08:07when you get some kind of feedback or you don't,
08:09when a film pans out or it gets panned, that's the validation you're seeking.
08:13Like today is my validation. I'm sure there are people having comments on social media.
08:17There will be. It can't be 100% love. There will be 80, 20, 70, 30.
08:21It could be 60, 40. I'm not going and checking the negativity
08:24because the noise of positivity is far more authentic and far more louder
08:28than I need to go and even give importance to the negative.
08:31So to cut your question, which I did,
08:34I'm not looking for validation from the negativity of social media.
08:38I understand, but it's that perception.
08:40You have been, not had it easy.
08:42You've been made by perception.
08:44Your career path has been the eyes of eyes.
08:46Yeah, yeah, of course.
08:48Personally, where everything is public order.
08:51How does one live around that?
08:54I mean, you've said that you were diagnosed with mild depression.
08:57It gets to anyone.
08:59My depression wasn't from the negativity of Instagram, for example,
09:03or social media, for example.
09:05I think my phase or my low phase came from
09:07me trying to understand how I can do better in my career,
09:10how I can be a better person
09:12and not let my career affect the way I'm going about my daily life.
09:15The negativity was one aspect.
09:17It's not the only aspect.
09:19It's one of the things.
09:21Yeah, you have to deal with that.
09:23What I can say is I've always known this
09:25and this is a reality you need to remind yourself.
09:27When somebody is speaking or writing
09:29or commenting about you,
09:31it's a lot of projection that they're bringing their own self.
09:34There's a lot of that that happens.
09:36I'm not saying it's easy
09:38and I've attained some nirvana and I can tackle it.
09:40I don't like it.
09:42Who likes to read negative comments?
09:44Who likes to see that?
09:46It can rile you up from time to time,
09:48especially if you're going through a bit of a beat
09:50where you're not feeling 100%.
09:52I think if I may speak about it,
09:56it's not that you need to go and speak about this
09:59but you just need to find yourself
10:01to detach yourself from social media.
10:03It cannot be the end all and be all of your existence.
10:06That's very, very important
10:08and I realised that I left
10:10I was not on social media
10:12I think this year in January for 30 days I did a detox
10:14and I felt great and I felt empowered
10:16that I didn't look at Instagram
10:18I didn't look at anything on the internet.
10:20You use the internet
10:22but it was not about what I'm doing
10:24because I was actually just shooting for Singham.
10:28You need to find your ways
10:30to regulate yourself out of the nonsense.
10:34You also need to know
10:36where the true critics are
10:38and where all this chaos is.
10:40I just said this in the last interview
10:42where criticism and negativity is concerned
10:44unfortunately our cricket team
10:46did such an amazing job
10:48We will be sporting Nirvana this year
10:50Everyone will remember New Zealand
10:52India vs New Zealand
10:54So what happens is in about 3 months time
10:56they are having to face the flag
10:58if that's going to happen
11:00that should give you perspective
11:02as an actor that
11:04they won the world cup
11:06it's one of the greatest sporting moments
11:08in our sports history
11:10I'm not saying cut them some slack
11:12but what happens is
11:14everything seems wrong
11:17People get off
11:19and enjoy reacting
11:21Everything they feel is their birthright
11:23now to put their opinion
11:25and perspective out there
11:27At that point you need to just say
11:29you know what
11:31Whatever you want to do
11:33I will do it
11:35You've been one of the strongest
11:37speakers when it comes to the clickbait
11:39because you've seen it pan out in your own life
11:41because that's the way it is
11:43Paid media, paid reviews
11:45This is what is sailing the boat
11:47No I don't completely agree with that
11:49because
11:51I'm a prime example sitting in front of you
11:53I've been as authentic as I can be
11:55through my down phases
11:57and I'm sitting in front of you
11:59and speaking about that
12:01I'm not only
12:03building perception and fake reality
12:05around me
12:07There's no delusion in my life
12:09and I don't need fake validation
12:11I've waited for the reality
12:13I'm only reacting to the love that I've got in reality
12:15So
12:17I don't want to comment
12:19on what anybody else does in the profession
12:21or what is presumed that is done
12:23in a profession
12:25I think I can only do what I believe
12:27and I've always tried to do that
12:29and I'll stay authentic as much as
12:31this profession allows you
12:33Of course nobody likes clickbait culture
12:35I mean I don't personally
12:37But now that's the reality
12:39It's like saying you don't like the heat in Delhi
12:41You don't like the humidity in Bombay
12:43but in Mumbai that is the reality
12:45There's going to be a flood that Bombay doesn't get
12:47So I'm saying
12:49there are some things that are out of our control
12:51Absolutely
12:53But it's in your control that I should stay as I am
12:55So I'm trying to do that
12:57But how has Arjun Kapoor
12:59today looking at himself as an actor
13:01Today in this past
13:03let's say 10 days
13:05How has it been as your perception about you changed
13:07No
13:09I'm enjoying the reconnect with the audience
13:11the validation from critics
13:13the kind of feedback
13:15I'm getting
13:17Sometimes you work hard on a film
13:19and it doesn't get the kind of love it deserves
13:21I feel it's compounded
13:23and it's coming back in this film
13:25So as of right now I'm just enjoying being Arjun Kapoor
13:27the boy, the man, the human being
13:29I'll come back to the actor later
13:31I have time
13:33Right now I want to let myself enjoy a little
13:35I want to just allow myself
13:38to feel the love
13:40We'll solve the career
13:42We can do it after a month
13:44Right now I want to enjoy a little
13:46Absolutely
13:48No entry to with Mr. Kapoor and your father
13:50What can we look forward to
13:52That's what Varun Diljeet and me, Aneez Bhai is directing
13:54and my father of course is producing
13:56We're working out the logistics
13:58like I've been saying
14:00We have more clarity
14:02We're looking forward to making it happen
14:04next year
14:06Let's save that for our next conversation
14:08so I can give you a big proper
14:10genuine update on it
14:12We've all just come together and agreed to do it
14:14We need to just put it all together
14:16and be able to present it to you all officially very very soon
14:18What are you looking forward to
14:20and I want to ask one more question
14:22The industry seems to be going through a crisis
14:24but hopefully the performance of your movie
14:26and the other movie has brought some respite
14:28As a viewer
14:30also as somebody from the industry
14:32what do you think is actually
14:34What is the dilemma that everyone is going through
14:36It's a very long answer
14:38I'll try and keep it short
14:40It's very tough to
14:42If you just say
14:44Content will be good
14:46It's not as simple as that
14:48I think habits change
14:50pre-pandemic, post-pandemic, during pandemic
14:52The quality of work
14:54perhaps suffered
14:56because there was a lot of work being done
14:58to make sure we just get out of our houses
15:00and start creating material
15:03We spoke in one of the answers
15:05the mindset in the world is
15:07evolving very very fast
15:09What happens is that
15:11sometimes there can be a disconnect between the creative forces
15:13and the man paying money to watch a film
15:15It's cyclic
15:17It's also a learning curve
15:19It's obviously not a lot of fun
15:21being in this situation
15:23along with the fact that we have allowed a dynamic
15:25to seamlessly carry forward
15:27where
15:29you can only respond to your work
15:31You have to accept that
15:33we as an industry need to learn
15:35And of course
15:37the world has now become a smaller place
15:39because of the platforms coming in
15:41We can watch films of all languages
15:43We can appreciate them
15:45Today I can choose to not go and watch a film
15:47that has got mixed meddling reviews
15:49and watch it at home when it comes out
15:51We've created more choices
15:53which was bound to happen with technology
15:55and of course with the pandemic
15:57which has been really sped up
16:00All those excuses
16:02that you would call it aside
16:04I think
16:06the evolution of writing is a bit slower
16:08than we would have liked
16:10We've not been able to quite crack
16:12the writing formats and the formulas
16:14I think
16:16It's heartening to see
16:18in all this also our industry is willing to learn
16:20Nobody is pretending that it's a great time
16:22I know, I'm here
16:24I feel it all the time
16:26Everybody is trying to put their head down
16:29so we can come back in the next couple of years
16:31and put up a good show and entertain people
16:33and bring them to theatres over and over again
16:35Absolutely, I'm looking forward to that too
16:37and thank you so much
16:39What do you want to do next?
16:41And if you want to meet Danger Lanka
16:43If I?
16:45You want to meet Danger Lanka face to face
16:47I'm not interested in meeting Danger Lanka
16:49at all
16:51I'll have a big ideological
16:53and moral conflict with him
16:55so there's no point getting into it
16:57I'm very happy with my life
16:59I'm just looking forward
17:01to soaking all of this in
17:03and living in the moment right now
17:05I'm very happy for you
17:07Always a pleasure to speak to you
17:09Don't make such a long gap
17:11No, we call only when we need to
17:13otherwise it becomes very difficult
17:15I don't like to tom-tom like I said about myself
17:17but we make sure next time the gap is not so long
17:19Yes, absolutely
17:21Enjoy, revel in the moment
17:23and let's get rid of the cancerian imposter syndrome
17:26All the very best and take care of yourself
17:28Thank you so much
17:30Many congratulations
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