Interview : Rishi Kapoor

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It isn’t everyday that one gets talking to Rishi Kapoor. And it is even rarer if one gets an opportunity to spend close to an hour ‘in person’ in a free wheeling conversation with the man who has been around for 40 years and still so passionate about cinema. Joginder Tuteja catches up with the man who gets chatting while taking a break from the shoot of DO DOONI CHAAR, the film where his wife Neetu Kapoor too makes a comeback to the big screen after close to three decades.

While the talk is mostly centered around LUCK BY CHANCE (the film which releases this Friday and shows Rishiji in the role of veteran film maker Romy Rolly) and DELHI-6, one can’t help but smile on various anecdotes and wisecracks that he shares, which unfortunately are relegated to my laptop as ‘off the record’ conversations. Well, may be some other day, some other time. Till then, let’s hear on to what Rishiji had to talk about LUCK BY CHANCE’; of course in his own witty manner!

CHECK OUT: LUCK BY CHANCE Movie Review

In LUCK BY CHANCE, you are seen as a film maker who is ready to change the role of an actor (Hrithik Roshan) from positive to negative, just because he is a superstar. A spoof in the making?

“I am looking at LUCK BY CHANCE as a way to pay tribute to my colleagues.”

film is not actually a spoof. I would say the characters here are more cariacaturish since the behavioral traits have been imported from various sources. There are borrowed images that you would see in my character as well as others. Now don’t ask me who all are the people that my character would remind you of. I can tell you though that it won’t be one individual (smiles). But once you will see me on screen, you would see them all.

Hence the name Rommy Rolly?
Ya, rolly, polly, jolly, dolly kuch bhi keh lo (laughs)! He is a fun person and through his character, I am looking at LUCK BY CHANCE as a way to pay tribute to my colleagues. No ways would I ever think of insulting or spoofing them.

Apparently, you play a film maker in LUCK BY CHANCE who was once quite successful but is finding it really tough to catch hold of a star, right?
Arrey bhai, LUCK BY CHANCE is not my story. I am just one of the characters in the film. The film doesn’t move with me and it doesn’t show my journey from past to present. It is about strugglers and it is Farhan and Konkona around whom the story revolves.

“I don’t intend to do senior citizen characters that are cliched and formulaic.”

So how do you go about picking up a role today? I am sure there would be quite a few offers a day.
Let me not sound immodest when I say that even today, I am given offers by dozens. However, I don’t intend to do senior citizen characters that are cliched and formulaic. Sorry, no Khabardaar Jo Tumne…. kind of roles for me. I want to pick characters that mean something for a film. I guess I am a reasonably good actor and there is no dearth of film makers out there who can have something interesting to offer me.

CHECK OUT: Rishi Kapoor in Oye It’s Friday

Which means even cameos are out…
Certainly! It cannot be just a cameo which would enhance the star value of a project. I have done something like that in the past but I won’t do that again. My role has to be pivotal to the plot. It may be small but it has to be meaningful.