From shedding kilos to channelling anger, Arjun Reddy director Vanga opens up on Shahid Kapoor's prep for remake
Shahid Kapoor
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When helming a remake, the biggest challenge is to rise to the benchmark that the original has set. Admitting that "remaking your own film is 10 times tougher", director Sandeep Vanga, whose Telugu film Arjun Reddy (2017) was a runaway success, is confident that he has got an ace up his sleeve in the form of Shahid Kapoor, the male lead for the Hindi adaptation.
The filmmaker says that the actor has already begun his prep for the role of a medical student with anger management issues: "Shahid has seen the original film a couple of times. We attended a screening together in Mumbai to get the feel and understand the milieu of the film. After the screening, we had a lengthy discussion about the nitty-gritty of the character and how he plans to approach the role."
A still from Arjun Reddy
After Shahid Kapoor wraps up the shoot of Batti Gul Meter Chalu, he will attend workshops that will help him adopt behavioural change to depict the angst and anger of the character. Vanga points out that Kapoor, 37, will also have to undergo physical transformation to look like a final year medical student. "He will have to lose weight and attain a lean frame so that he looks convincing as a college student," says the director, who is hoping to take the film on floors by July.
Sandeep Vanga
An admirer of Kapoor's acting prowess, Vanga adds, "Shahid has shown tremendous range in his acting. I informed him how we are going to make certain changes in the script. I am approaching it as a fresh script and not a remake of my own film. This time around, I'll be at the liberty to make it grittier as I am confident about my work."
Also Read: Rights for Arjun Reddy's Bollywood remake starring Shahid Kapoor acquired at 7 crore
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