After Ishaqzaade and Namaste England, Arjun Kapoor teams up with Parineeti Chopra for a third time in Sandeep and Pinky Faraar, produced by Yash Raj Films. In an interaction with the Cinema Journal, Arjun Kapoor talks about the movie, working with director Dibakar Banerjee and how he believes things are about to change not just in Bollywood, but in the mindsets of the audience as well. Excerpts from the interview:
Sandeep and Pinky Faraar is the first Yash Raj film to release in the theatres after a long time. Do you feel any pressure?
Not till you mentioned it (laughs). See, in post-Covid world we are all working together to get the industry back on its feet. We have to remember that things will not normalise so easily, but we have to keep trying to bring the audience back to the theatres so that they can enjoy themselves. So, no I don’t feel any particular pressure at this point.
How is Dibakar Banerjee different from other directors in Yash Raj Films?
He has not grown up within the confines of the Yash Raj Films culture. Which is why, his cultural aesthetics are different from others here. He brings the antithesis to YRF, which is quite a paradox when we see other mainstream YRF movies. I have absolute respect for him, and admire his work greatly. I glad I got this opportunity to work with him. He is a master storyteller and somebody who knows how the brains of middle-class India work.
Which is your favourite movie genre?
I love the thriller genre. I believe not enough thrillers are made in India. Even worldwide I don’t think enough thrillers are made. But there are so many kinds of thrillers. You can have films that are cerebral and make you think. For example, ‘Arrival’ is a thriller, but there is also a lot of drama with twists and turns. At the same time, I loved Badla and The Invisible Guest from which it was inspired. I also loved Andhadhun. I also like courtroom thrillers where you can see so many twists. There is no one particular definition of a thriller, there are so many different kinds.
Are you an OTT person? Which are your favourite shows?
I have been sitting at home for more than a year and that makes all of us OTT people in one way or another. I like Dark and Queen’s Gambit. That show made me realise that no matter how successful we are and how much we achieve there is going to be some kind of void in our lives. It made me a far more emotional person and keeps me real and honest.
