The most romantic

Rishi Kapoor talks about being illogical in love

HE calls a spade a spade, which is why Ranbir Kapoor says he's glad his dad will always be there to give him a reality check. Rishi Kapoor is a treasure trove of reactions at an interview held at his office in RK Studios in Chembur to promote his film Love Aaj Kal. The experience is a fun roller-coaster ride, not just for Chintuji's blunt answers, but the exclamations, the table-thumping, the chest-slamming and the waving of the arms that accompanies them.

Leading man for 25 years, actor for 37 and with five films out this year, Rishi Kapoor is the most animated actor we've ever interviewed. No wonder, there isn't a single article that doesn't describe the man as passionate. Love, romance, stardom, awards and ageingu2026 read on for Rishi Kapoor unplugged.

A recent magazine poll put you amongst the most romantic of leading men in Hindi cinema, next to Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna and Shah Rukh Khan.
Wow, Amit and Vinod as romantic heroes? I thought they were action heroes! And where was Rajesh Khanna?

Listed way below you all.
(Rolls his eyes incredulously) Wellu2026

Who would you have listed as the most romantic hero?
To me, there is no romantic hero better than Shammi Kapoor. With all respect to my seniors and juniors, Shammi Kapoor romanced and sang songs the best. Six feet plus, smashing looking, green eyes a woman would go weak in her knees! Sang the best of songs, romanced in the best of locations and to add to it, colour had just come into films.

Every generation has a different hero. Romance was evergreen with Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand, before that there was Ashok Kumar and K L Saigal. Raj Kapoor was adored in USSR and China; all people thought about was him, Nargis, the umbrella, the rain. I enjoyed the way these heroes wooed, serenaded and danced with their ladies. For me, Hindi cinema is all about dance and song. Then there was the era of Shashi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra. I've been lucky that I was moulded and allowed to sing and romance with many new girls and old girls (laughs).

Even today, there aren't any action heroes even Akshay Kumar is doing romance and comedy. In the three Khans, Shah Rukh Khan has an edge in being a great romantic.u00a0u00a0u00a0

How would you define romance?
Well... A flutter in the heart, something that makes you smile. Your comfort zone, who you'd like to spend the rest of your life with. Being honest and truthful. That's romance too. This is what Love Aaj Kal is about. I'm Veer Singh in the film and this is what I keep telling the character Jai. In our days, romance was about wooing.

We were silent observers. We asked her name, then for a date. We used to get weak in the knees when we took a girl out or held her hand in the movies. Today, you want to jump into bed and then find your soul mate. The mechanism is strange.

How can you find your soul mate this way? Mother Nature and Father Time have laid out the broadband to follow. You don't physically find your soulmate. You have to spiritually, mentally be in tune. That's the crux of Love Aaj Kal.

You can't be practical in love. You have to be illogical, even a little stupid. (Claps his hands) You have to be absolutely dumb when you're in love! If you're not goofy, then you're not romantic, you're calculative. Don't make commerce and arithmetic out of love.u00a0

You've been in a relationship for so many, many years...
Thank you for saying years and not people (laughs)!

So what would be your tip in keeping a long-term relationship?
No relationship is on a permanent, one-way street basis. There are ups and downs. There's bound to be turbulence because it's about two different minds, but to keep the altitude of a relationship is important. Don't be judgmental. Don't walk out in the heat of the moment unless one of you has overstepped the sphere. You have to weigh the issues. Relationships are pious; regard them that way.

Love needs adjustment. Today's kids get out of hand because of free will. I have nothing against live-in relationships. But if you have them all your life, where do you find your soulmate? Life has a certain age for everything. If you miss the bus, you get widows, widowers or divorcees. Don't delay.

I don't judge other people. This is just my point of view.

Is this the advice you give Ranbir and Riddhima?
Men have more time, but I'm not judgmental. Each to his own. I didn't advise Riddhima, but I'm sure her mother (Neetu) would have. I was more of the view find your own soulmate. Her's too was a love match.u00a0

Is love forever?
Love should be forever, but sometimes, you take it for granted. Love changes into respect, compatibility, acceptance. It goes into phases. If you keep love going, it's there for you.

Imtiaz Ali is regarded today as a director who handles love stories well. What is your take on him?
He knows his job and because he's the director and the writer, he's got the feel. You usually hear or see a film, but here, he makes you feel it. I haven't seen Love Aaj Kal in totality, just dubbed my portions. But I think Imtiaz has vision and he's sensitive. He's a great romantic at heart. And I agree with what he says in the film.

You've been quoted saying now that you've shut the door on romantic roles, the real Rishi Kapoor will come out...
I didn't shut the door, my age, my size doesn't allow me. We don't make adult love stories. Pyaar Mein Twist didn't work. Cinema is youth-oriented. Fortunately, I'm getting lots of roles, but most of it is trash. Your character needs to have some impact on the film.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

Your character of Romi Rolly, the producer in Luck By Chance, was hysterically funny.
It wasn't based on anybody. I haven't impersonated anyone. It's my collage of different people I've seen in four decades and I pieced them into one Romi Rolly. If the character had more length, I could have played him further. The response was huge. I was inundated with compliments (laughs). I'm willing to play these kind of roles.

There are two other movies I've done that have unique characters I don't know how they will do at the box office. Chintuji and Do Dooni Char, in which I've acted with my wife (Neetu). There too, the character is so human; a middle-class Math teacher who also takes coaching classes. A middle-class Punju household in Delhi and his ordeal. It's about underpaid teachers who shape the country's future, but have nothing for themselves. Neetu has made her comeback with Do Dooni Char, though people harp about her doing one scene in Love Aaj Kal.

A completely different Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh.
Of course, we're no longer this romantic couple. We're today's middle-class couple with two teenaged kids, just trying to cope. Chintuji is part-reality, party-fiction. I play Rishi Kapoor, but the story is fictional.
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But it was a letdown to see you as a madcap scientist in Kal Kissne Dekha.
I wanted to do that role. His motivation probably didn't surface. I wanted to play a baddie. But it went wrong (shrugs). I should experiment. All my experiments aren't going to be successful. I will also falter, go wrong. I can't hit a four or six all the time.

Which film of yours do you like to revisit?
I actually don't like to see any of my films. I've done my work; what's there to see? I'm the reverse of a narcissist. I have actor friends who are the King Kongs of narcissism. Three of them are, what do you call it, 'I Me Myself' specialists. They don't mean harm, but they're full of themselves. I like to move on. Talk about my next.

Ranbir says the fun part of living with Rishi Kapoor is that he's passionate about everything, even an egg.
Ya, I love my food, drinks, work. I love my kids, wife, lifestyle. I love my dogs!u00a0

Why don't you direct anymore?
I'm an inspired man. If I'm not excited about a story, why would it do it? I don't have to direct to keep my kitchen fires burning. No one can goad me into it. I'll do it when I feel like.

And talks about reviving the RK banner with an outside director like Imtiaz Ali?
It's all nonsense. We're not making any film. Period. It's all humbug. We don't make plans, we play by ear.u00a0

How has stardom changed today?
Stardom hasn't changed, but most actors are making such stupid films. We did stupid films too, but they were at least worthy of a watch. What is happening today? Such huge stars should take responsibility for their projects! Pictures can tank, but top stars in this country shouldn't work in trash. You have to be accountable or you will lose that stardom. Someone else will supercede you.

Is it tough living up to the Kapoor name?
I think I've done it. There is a lot of baggage. But now I want to talk about this u2014 enough of bl'''y showing humility! I'm proud to say I've been batting for the last 37 years, 25 years as leading hero. That's no mean period. Now, I'm happy to be a character actor. I've taken my legacy forward.

You've received a slew of Lifetime Achievement awards. How do you view them? The government had to recently change the name of the Raj Kapoor Jeevan Gaurav award to Raj Kapoor Pratibha Gaurav because Rekha reportedly didn't like the sound of it...
(Stressing) Rekha is stupid. She got the lifetime award with me for Zee in Mauritius. What is she making a bl'''y hue and cry about now? She is silly. These are complexes. Why did you have to make such a nuisance value of yourself now? She made a fool of herself! Rekha has to realise darling, you have a done a great service to the nation. You've been a great actress. Accept your age, yaar! You have to accept it. I've told her this on her face!u00a0

I readily took my awards. People told me, 'Arre, it's the end of the road.' I see it as an honour on my chest for putting in all this effort! I've given a lot of entertainment to this country. Abhi toh mera chalu hai just see the films I'm going to do.

Mr Bachchan blogs on almost a daily basis. Have you ever thought of blogging?
They are big people why would people want to read about me? What is there to say? Different people are different. I play bridge; Bachchan doesn't play bridge. I'd rather do that or play Literati on Yahoo.

Are you net savvy? Like your chacha Shammi Kapoor?
Look, I'll show you my score on Literati I've already played 9,314 games, of which I've won 4,200 (laughs). I relax by playing. I enjoy bridge, scrabble. If I need information, I google. I don't have to blog to tell the world what I'm all about. I'm a private man, I need my space.