DNA

However, Rajat Kapoor believes that being behind the camera is  far more challenging than being in front of it

Mumbai, Nov 26: With a film like ‘Om Shanti Om’, which takes heavily from the 70s and now ‘Khoya Khoya Chand’ having the feel of the 50s, the film industry seems to have come a full circle. Not that anyone is complaining. In fact, actor and filmmaker Rajat Kapoor thinks it’s natural that films today have that reflective quality in them.

“Earlier, there was nothing much for one to look back to but now that the industry has grown so tremendously; it’s bound to get influenced by the past,” he says, citing the example of how a gangster-based film will always have nuances from ‘The Godfather’.

Obviously then, Rajat is gung-ho about his role in Sudhir Mishra’s ‘Khoya Khoya Chnad’ (‘KKC’). “I’m very excited about the film; I play Prem Kumar—this huge film star of the 50s, who’s quite insecure. Moreover, there’s this scene where I’m sword-fighting in the rain; it’s the closest I can come to dancing as I can’t dance for nuts,” he laughs.

Of course, he also agreed to do the film due to his close friendship with director Mishra. “He’s a fine director and it’s great to work with him,” enthuses Rajat.

Friendship and a good comfort level is also one of the reasons why he loves to work with his gang—one that comprises actors Ranvir Shorey, Saurabh Shukla and Vinay Pathak (as in ‘Bheja Fry’ and ‘Mixed Doubles’). “Why not? They are good actors too,” he elaborates, adding the trio has joined him again for his next directorial venture ‘Mithiya’ that also stars Naseeruddin Shah.

“Then there’s this film ‘I’m 24’, where I play a 42-year-old bald man who pretends that he’s just 24,” he reveals, adding that he’s glad that today the line between commercial and ‘arty’ films has blurred.

Quiz him as to what satisfies him more—acting or filmmaking and he says that it’s the latter that wins hands down. “Acting is the best job in the world but it’s not all that complicated. However, direction is and I have always wanted to do it,” he explains.

Lastly, does the fear of failure nag him before a film’s release? “One doesn’t have to learn to cope with success but one has to learn to move on after  failure. The fate of my film ‘Raghu Rameo’ did disappoint me; I even lost a lot of money on it. But it also helped me bag movies like ‘Mixed Doubles’, so it has not been so bad after all,” he ends.