Why Shahid Kapoor Still Finds Magic In Vishal Bhardwaj’s Universe
On the eve of the release of O'Romeo, Shahid Kapoor talks about his fourth act with Vishal Bhardwaj
What makes a creative partnership click again and again? At the Falguni & Shane Peacock show last year, we asked Shahid Kapoor, who is collaborating with Vishal Bhardwaj for the fourth time on O’Romeo, what keeps drawing him back.
“I just believe there’s some X factor we share,” says Kapoor, effortlessly dapper in an all-black ensemble as he walked the ramp for the designers during the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour. “Whenever we come together, I feel we’re able to bring out the best in each other, and I feel he’s fundamental to my career graph.”
The Haider star believes Bhardwaj has revealed sides of him as an actor he didn’t even know existed. “Once you open up on certain aspects of your personality or your performance, it contributes tremendously to your repertoire as an actor,” he shares.
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O’Romeo, said to be a dramatic tale of love, betrayal and loyalty in the dangerous underworld, is set for a Valentine’s Day release this month. Kapoor calls it a great story. “O’Romeo is special; it’s a love story at heart. It’s got a lot of action. It’s very quirky,” he says. On Bhardwaj’s universe, often inspired by Shakespearean drama, he adds, “The world that he creates is always very fresh. I’m hoping we can give the audience a cinematic entertainer, which comes rarely these days.”
Bhardwaj, for his part, has nothing but praise: “My co-conspirator; with him, even the simplest moments bloom into something rare and radiant,” he wrote on Instagram.
Fourth time’s the charm? We’re betting yes.
Three’s a Charm
Each with Bhardwaj has been unique. Here’s how we rank them:
Kaminey (2009)
It’s the film that first showcased the actor within Kapoor, marking a departure from his usual chocolate-boy roles. As both Guddu and Charlie, the actor was pitch-perfect, and Bhardwaj’s almost Tarantino-like filmmaking was audacious, ambitious and truly applause-worthy. Never before had a Hindi movie given such an adrenaline rush.
Haider (2014)
It’s never easy to adapt The Bard’s work on screen, and no one knows it better than Bhardwaj, who’s made a trilogy out of it. Haider (based on Hamlet) was easily his most complicated work, featuring career-best performances from the cast, including Kapoor and a scene-stealing Tabu. It’s a polarising film today, but there’s no denying the artistry on screen.
Rangoon (2017)
To be fair, the film’s cast—Kangana Ranaut, Saif Ali Khan and Kapoor – all deserved a better film. Everything on paper was meant to work, and yet, it didn’t. Rangoon was perhaps too ambitious for Bhardwaj to execute, or for reasons best speculated, he never got the make the film he wanted to. Either way, what a pity!
