I love being an underdog, says Arjun Kapoor

Having had a fair share of hit and flop films in his career so far, actor Arjun Kapoor feels he is an underdog and likes to experiment and defy the odds.

The 30-year-old actor made a splashing debut with ‘Ishaqzaade’, but his next film ‘Aurangzeb’ did not do that well. However, it did not deter him.

He bounced back with two back-to-back hit films ‘Gunday’ and ‘2 States’, but again disappointment came with ‘Tevar’. Nevertheless, of late he has been entertaining the audience as a homemaker with ‘Ki & Ka’.

“I love being the underdog. Before ‘Ishaqzaade’, everyone said he is a producer’s son, what will he act. When I did ‘2 States’, people were like how can I do a romantic film, and the same happened when I did ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ (TV show)…how can I host. I love defying the odds,” Arjun told PTI.

“The success is not in the hands of trade and media, but audience. The audience is loving me and no one can write me off. We have to respect the audience,” he added.

With senior actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and the Khans around, Arjun feels there is work for everybody.

“There is enough room for everyone to exist. I did not have to fight for work. I never had to go and search for work.

I have always got good offers. I have been allowed to chose a film. I have never had any struggle beyond my first film as it (‘Ishaqzaade’) did well,” he said.

The actor is content with his acting career so far.

“I was accepted as an actor. I got lucky that due to the success of my first film, I did not have to go to anyone for work. I am very content with what I have done and will be doing. It is not difficult to get good work,” he said.

His earlier film ‘Tevar’, despite being a ‘masala’ entertainer, considered to be one of the loved genres, failed to create magic at the box office.

Arjun then took a risk with R Balki’s ‘Ki & Ka’ where he played a homemaker husband to an ambitious wife, played by Kareena Kapoor Khan. The romantic-comedy is getting positive response from audience and Arjun is elated with it.

“After this one film (‘Tevar’) that flopped, lot of people had written me off. And ‘Ki & Ka’ was not a conventional film, I was playing a homemaker,” Arjun said.

“People were saying what’s wrong with me, I have lost the plot. So after ‘Ki & Ka’ doing so well, I think other people have shut up,” he said.

The ‘Gunday’ star says he doesn’t choose a film on the basis of hit and flop. “I choose a film only if I’m excited about it.”

But he agrees that success of a film increases an actor’s market value.

“I don’t do films for money. There are other ways to make money, like endorsements, events, etc. I know my range as an actor. When you deliver hit films you can demand more,” he said.

Arjun, son of filmmaker Boney Kapoor, says he is confident of doing all kind of roles and loves experimenting.

“I always had belief in myself, and I know I can play all kind of roles. I believe in experimenting and pushing myself as an actor. I like the fact that audience loves me when I do something different,” he said.

Inputs from PTI

Amod Pandit

Quiet, resonant, and creative, he can be seen immersed in his own world, and puts in his heart and soul into the one passion that he has, Bollywood. His line for survival? Feel happy to be a part of it.