Arjun Kapoor’s last outing, Namaste England (2018) might have fared poorly at the box office, but the actor is confident about his next, India’s Most Wanted, which tells the story of an undercover operation headed by Prabhat Kapoor (played by Arjun Kapoor) to capture a diabolical terrorist without the use of weapons. The film has been grabbing headlines even before its release, after the CBFC requested for a ‘sensitive’ scene to be dropped from the movie. To this, the actor says, “India has become more politically sensitive because of whatever is happening right now. So, we as a country have a certain amount of responsibility.”
In the film, the actor plays an undercover agent and speaks passionately about the work done by real-life RAW agents. He says, “This film is about RAW agents and showcases how they help protect the country by keeping people safe. This is a very sensitive topic because these men have never got their dues; they are the real heroes. They live in our buildings and colonies, but we don’t know them.”
While things are looking up for Arjun on the professional front, a lot has been happening in his personal life too. Rumour mills have gone into overdrive suggesting the actor will tie the knot with rumoured girlfriend Malaika Arora soon. But when asked if he has plans to get married in the near future, the actor says, “I have no qualms about saying that I am not getting married. People go bald after getting married,” he jokes, but adds, “Marriage is definitely not going to happen now. I’m happy on both, the personal and professional fronts. I have always been open. Be assured that I will not shock you all; if there is something to be spoken about, I will inform you all and make you a part of it.”
Still from the trailer of India’s Most Wanted
The Ishaqzaade actor also talks about the other people in his personal life – his friends – many of whom are his contemporaries and competition. But the actor doesn’t like to be competitive in friendships as he feels it can ruin them. He shares his philosophy on friendships, saying, “Some friendships continue regardless of hits or flops. I have been very lucky to have friends like Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan, Parineeti Chopra and many more. Friendship innings are long and we can’t be competitive as it is tiring to keep thinking of competition. I’m ambitious but not competitive. Also, if someone thinks of competing with his own friend, he won’t make a good friend. But yes, if a friend remains the same even after being successful, then that is true friendship.”
From friendships, the topic moves on to camps in Bollywood, which has always been a hot topic as it suggests clannishness within the industry. But Arjun Kapoor, who started his on-screen career with Yash Raj Films and went on to do his next Gunday with the production house too, insists that he doesn’t believe in the existence of camps as it has more to do with an actor’s comfort level. He underscores his filmography to make a point and says, “After Gunday, I have done almost eight films outside YRF Productions; they have given me full freedom to work outside their banner too. Yes, when working together with a team, there could be preferential treatment given to actors. There is a certain comfort that comes with continuously working with certain production houses; you don’t like to find new comfort. It’s a matter of convenience.”
If not on camps, the actor relies on his own strengths to take him far in his career. Arjun says, “I’m a resilient person; I have always fought my own battles. I have always stood up for things I’ve believed in. I’m not somebody who takes myself too seriously. I respect people and have empathy for everybody’s journey and their struggles. So I try to maintain a certain dignity in my successes and failures too. And these are traits you will see in the characters I portray too.” The Half Girlfriend actor also says that he is careful about his Hindi diction, as it is the language spoken by many in small cities.
“Subconsciously, I always knew that I wanted to be an actor, and as I work in Hindi films, diction is important. I am thankful that I spoke in Hindi during my childhood. So today, even when speaking shudh Hindi, like in Panipat, my diction comes out clear, though I have to put in effort to pronounce some Urdu words correctly. But it counts if you can speak decent Hindi,” he concludes.
