anish dhopeshwarkar
Day 3 evening at IFFI 2018 witnessed a healthy interaction with one of the most distinguished families, where cinema runs in their veins and arteries, The Kapoors. The platform of the academy was blessed by the presence of the big brother of the Kapoor family Boney Kapoor and the young charming energetic Janhvi Kapoor who recently made her debut in Dhadak. It was hosted by Rumi Jaffery who served as the moderator.
Arjun Kapoor who was expected to be present there couldn’t do so as he has done a makeover for his upcoming film and didn’t want to expose on such a huge platform and also wanted all the limelight of the show to be on his young sister Janhvi, said Boney Kapoor. “ I was the big brother in the family and will remain one and will continue to serve all the responsibilites as one. Its my job to support, maintain, inspire the family,” said Boney kapoor when asked about his role in the family as “Bade Bhai”. He added “ I’ve seen the copper, golden,silver,diamond all the era’s of Indian Cinema. People and films are more systemised,efficient now then before. Previously Indian Cinema had a smaller distribution scale, usually films used to release in 50-60 theatres, but today in the multiplex era films have huge scale of distribution, if we take example of “Thugs of Hindoostan” where the film was released in 5000 theatres in India and another 2000 abroad. And the most important part of technology, where today our techies and professionals have won Oscars and are on par with western cinema.”
When asked about the golden era of Indian cinema Janhvi said that today the film activity has become very much commercialised, where as previously it used to be creative. There was much freedom to write and produce films. “Mr and Mrs 55 is one of my favourite films from that era which speaks about feminism and was very much forward thinking and way ahead of time. Today when a film is made with absence of a male lead then its very much hyped for being “female oriented” but there are many films in past which were “female oriented” but didn’t receive any such attention,” said Janhvi.
Boney Kapoor on one question became nostalgic about his college days, where he narrated an incident of how he and Anil Kapoor together acted in a play which was the only time where Kapoor brothers had acted together, since then he decided to take up production and Anil into acting.
“ Previously I was working as an intern in one production firm, from where I joined Shakti da as an assistant director in 1975-76-77. After producing 5-6 films with him there came a time where on director of our firm passed in middle of the film and my dad developed some heart problem so I had to step in and pick up the reins. Now as I’m into producing if I directed a film it will be unfair to the films I am producing, so I rather choose not to but maybe in future with my daughter and Arjun I may direct a film” said Boney.
Janhvi Kapoor was bombarded with questions about her future plans in the industry where she responded, “This year has been the best as well the worst for me, but as an actress its my duty to make my parents proud and earn your (audiences) love and respect”
