Interview: Shahid Kapoor on Life and Phata Poster Nikla Hero!

1. Rajkumar Santoshi directed the king of all comedies – Andaz Apna Apna, any inspiration you take from that film? Any of that you have shown in Phata Poster Nikla Hero?

Andaz Apna Apna is a cult film. It is one of my all-time favourites. Raj-ji is a fantastic actor himself and even in that film you can see a lot of Raj-ji – his expressions, his comic timing. PPNH being more of a comedy than romance is closer to Andaz Apna Apna than Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. Raj-ji’s films have their own space and he is so good in that I have just blindly followed him in the film.

2. Hey Mr. DJ is an awesome dance/ music track! We at UrbanAsian think that you can be a great DJ and get the night going! Ever wanted to be a DJ or do you follow it as a hobby?

I love music and thus have a lot of music with me at all times. At parties, I end up being the DJ because of this. I do enjoy DJ-ing and want to learn it as and when I find time.

3. Describe in a few words on what the audience should expect from the film?

I have had a lot of fun doing this film. Even when Raj-ji was narrating the script to me, I was falling off the sofa laughing. This is what I feel the audience should also expect from the film… to go and have fun!

4. What is something that you would want the audience to feel or say after they see PPNH?

I would want the audience to come out smiling after watching the film.

5. Name one Hollywood actor you would love to work with.

I would love to work with Leonardo DiCaprio, as I feel his body of work is very impressive, and the kind of films that he does are definitely the ones I would love to be a part of.

6. Pooja, an UrbanAsian fan has asked this – “Do you want to go dancing? It’s not a date, I don’t want to marry you… let’s just go dancing because it seems like you love it as much as I do”

Totally Pooja! I would love to go dancing, in fact whenever I party with my friends all I end up doing I dancing for 5-6 hours.

Ever since I was 15, I have always wanted to be an actor. I remember even now that the night before my movie released, I actually went around in an auto in Mumbai, and stuck a few posters of my film. It is my strongest memory and it was a great feeling to see my film not only release, but also extremely liked by the audience. The acceptance of the audience was the most important thing to be then and is even today.

8. What would you rather have in female companion – a better sense of humour or better looks? Pick one.

It’s always nice to be with someone who is good-looking, but at the end of the day, you want to come home to someone who can just make you laugh.

9. What is one price of advice or message you would like to give to the Urban Asian youth living outside of India?

Be true to who you are, no matter where you live.