Shahid Kapoor at Bombay Times Lounge
Enabled Rustomjee presents Bombay Times Lounge, Shahid Kapoor reflects on the philosophy that guided his career, shaped early on by his father, Pankaj Kapoor, and why playing characters who are flawed, troubled or misunderstood is essential to meaningful art.
The Or Romeo The actor talks about fear, fearlessness and the responsibility of staying ahead without losing authenticity. Amidst the show’s serious reflections, there were lighter moments — ones that had the audience, including fans who traveled from far and wide, applauding and laughing at his candid, unfiltered answers. The full episode with Shahid Kapoor is now available on the Bombay Times YouTube channel.
Shahid Kapoor interacts with fans at the Bombay Times Lounge
Few actors of your generation have made as many sharp turns as you — from romantic leads to deep, complex, even gray characters. What directed your instinct to destroy your own image? There is something that my dad (Pankaj Kapoor), who is such a great actor himself, told me when I wanted to become an actor. He said, “Just remember one thing: if you want to be an actor and not just be a star, your effort should be to play characters in such a way that no two are alike.”
And this thought has been haunting and tormenting me ever since. It’s hard to play a different character every time, but it was something that was so true and simple that I just couldn’t get away from it.
I can only choose from what’s in front of me, but my choices are guided by that one line my dad told me. And I believe that every actor should try to find characters that will help him express his humanity in a different way. Has there ever been a role that scared you so much that you almost said no, and that ultimately made you say yes? Yes, I like the roles Udta Punjabwhere I had to play a drug addict, or Kabir Singh where I’m an alcoholic…because I live a completely different life, I’m a vegetarian and I’ve never consumed alcohol, so I don’t know what it’s like to be high. So, of course, it’s like very direct challenges that are thrown at you, and that’s where your skills and craft come in, where you have to learn things that you don’t know or do things that you haven’t experienced.
When you cast flawed, volatile, or polarizing characters, is there a fear of being misunderstood—or do you believe that misunderstanding is part of meaningful art? Why do we underestimate the audience so much? Why do we treat them like two-year-olds? They know it’s scripted.
They know that someone else wrote and directed it and gave the actor a role to play. If you keep playing the same character endlessly… then I think something like this applies.
I’ve never seen an audience say, “You’re a bad person.” They never transfer the screen hero to real life. They know it’s not me and it’s the character the director wants me to play. Sometimes if you’re doing a scene where the audience doesn’t necessarily have a positive experience and you’ve achieved that, then your skill as an actor is really on point because you’ve managed to make people dislike you and that’s what the character needed.
Shahid Kapoor with Kiara Advani in Kabir Singh
Was there a point in your journey when you felt like you truly found your voice as an actor—that instinct or quality that you knew you could carry on even as the industry tried to define you? I’ve always been very territorial in my creative instincts, so I never felt like I needed to find my voice. I just had to find opportunities where I could express myself, and of course, over time I learned to do that much better.
In the beginning, I think the intention was very strong, but the skill and maturity did not come. Now I have spent a lot of time learning and growing, so I can do it better. But I always had my own voice, and I always defended it fiercely.
I think every artist should have it. People who criticize have no ability to create. The ability to create is a very, very special ability, and you should never let criticism of it take away the energy that helps you create.
Shahid Kapoor explains how he creates a sense of normalcy for his children despite being in the public eye
At the age of 40, you have a noticeable calmness and concentration. Zen atmosphere. Is this something you consciously feel and accept? There are also a lot of non-zen moments that you guys don’t see. Maybe I can do it well in these two hours of interviews (laughs). As you get older, you learn to react less and react more. There is a favorite saying of mine: The only water that can sink a ship is the water inside the ship, not the ocean around it.
If you let everything go inside you and affect you, then you will react.
I work a lot on this, because it is not an easy job. This job has big ups and big downs. Now I’m a parent and I don’t want my children to suffer the ups and downs of my journey. So, you have to do a lot of inner work to keep it from spilling out.
Shahid Kapoor talks about the need for fearless actors to collaborate with talented directors
You have seen the transformation of the industry, from star-driven cinema to content-driven storytelling, from theater dominance to the rise of OTT platforms. What excites you about this change, and is there anything that worries you? It really scares me that we only make one type of movie for theaters and that the audience only sees that.
They watch many other movies, but at home. That’s why it’s scary for me. See, audience shapes business because demand determines supply. Everyone has too much at stake and we don’t know what’s going to happen. There are no more minimum guarantees. I think that very similar cinema is happening in parallel, and there should be room for different genres to survive in cinemas.
I don’t know where this journey leads. We need some fearless directors and some actors who are happy to work with fearless and talented directors who clearly understand what they are doing. Sometimes being fearless can feel like a rebel without a cause…did a little differently, but did a lot of damagefor the sake of doing something else. Sometimes your choice shouldn’t just depend on what works.
Shahid Kapoor as Haider
Are you very self-critical of your work? Yes, extremely. I work hard I pray not to be. I went through phases where I was downright critical, and I don’t think that’s a good thing. I have two kids now and they come in and tell me about the negative chatter in their heads when they feel like they’re not good enough at something. I would never want them to think negatively about themselves. I always want them to give themselves positive reinforcement.
I think it’s important from an early age because at the end of the day you never know what’s going to happen in life.
Shahid Kapoor with wife Mira Rajput Kapoor
You and Meera have deliberately kept your children out of the limelight, and you’ve talked about how that exposure can affect them. How do you create a sense of normalcy for them when your own life is constantly in the public eye? And what does “normal” really mean to you in this context? The BEST bus and rickshaw go to the primary school, these people also go to the primary school. So that’s their reality, and that’s okay with them. The place where they livethis is their reality. The way I live, the way I have become, is my truth.. You know what they are born with, that is their destiny. It’s in my destiny, I got it. And life will make sure it takes you through the rhythms it needs to take you through to make you who you need to be. What Meera and I can do is try to be a good example and find a balance between love, support and positivity and correct them where we feel they are overstepping their bounds. Also, I want them to discover their own life and their own path. They will find themselves, and we are always here, no matter what.
Title Sponsor: RustomjeeShot at Parishram by Rustomjee, Pali Hill, Bandra, MumbaiWatch full episode of Rustomjee presents Bombay Times Lounge with Shahid Kapoor on Bombay Times YouTube Channel
