Back to the boot camp

Kunal Karan Kapoor

It's a deja vu of sorts for Kunal Karan Kapoor. After playing a young cadet in 2006's Left Right Left, the actor is back in a defence academy, training to be an officer. "I have tried my hand at various genres like romance, suspense, thrillers, and the occasional negative leads, but I was yearning to do a light-hearted show which connects with the youth. That is when Sunshine Productions offered me Ziddi Dil Maane Na. I have gone through varied stages and come back to this as a much-matured person," said the actor, who started his career with youth-based shows, Remix and Left Right Left.

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The writing lured him to the show, asserts Kapoor. "It's a coming-of-age story. Sid [Ganju, his character] finds his calling and the love of his life during training." His character may be an entitled rich brat who follows no rules, but Kapoor says he "became disciplined" to do justice to the role. The rigorous training came easy to the actor who believes that life is a "challenge and an adventure every day." "There is a lot of preparation that goes in for any role, especially for an action-based drama. [We went] through a lot of physical training that included eating right. We had several workshops with the cast and crew. I think the most important thing I did was to wake up at 4.30 every morning for the show. That has never happened before."

Ask him if he finds the setting similar to Left Right Left, and Kapoor says, "I was just starting out when that show happened. Back then, it felt like I was still in college. Now, 15 years have passed and my whole perspective towards the craft has changed."

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