Kissing Alia Bhatt toughest thing to do: Arjun Kapoor

In a telling moment during the media interaction for ‘2 States’,  Alia Bhatt found it necessary to clarify her feelings for co-star Arjun Kapoor without once being prodded, possibly revealing the pressure of the constant microscopic scrutiny the duo has been placed under since the start of the promotional blitzkrieg of their upcoming romcom.

With rumours swirling around their relationship status, the young actress appeared to weigh her words with a hint of hesitation, while Arjun chose to grab the bull by its horns and drop in the word ‘kiss’ and ‘Alia’ in one breath, ensuring the media present got their sound bite and headline in place.
 

We had to comply in kind.

In a candid, freewheeling chat, minus the excess baggage of a decade-long career in the harsh lights of showbiz, the fairly young stars in the making provided a refreshing insight into their upcoming film, their take on each other’s acting prowess and addressed queries posed by their countless Twitter fans on life and love.

-Fans want to know Arjun, when do you plan on joining Twitter. Alia already has a million plus followers already. Are you averse to social media?

-Arjun Kapoor: [To Alia Bhatt] You have a million followers? What a star! On the ‘Highway’ to success she is.

But, we as stars are constantly being watched by people. We give so much away to people that I think it’s important that we hold on to a little.

I also have a very addictive personality. My biggest fear is that I may start tweeting every hour.

Plus, there’s a certain mystery you should have in your life that adds value.

I am not averse to Twitter anymore. A lot of people have explained to me why I should be on. I am very keen to get on and when the time is right, I know I will have fun and share photos and have a perspective on things.

I guess I am sceptical that if you only have your fans to talk to you won’t have a reality check in life. There has to be room for improvement without constantly having people around you who love you.

That said, I want to thank all of them for the love and affection. I want to interact with my fans and I will join Twitter very soon. I am just waiting for the right time.

Alia Bhatt: I have chats once in a while with the fans and they message me sometimes please where a red dress for this event or tie your hair up sometime. It’s sweet. The most interesting is that they give me information about me and they are constantly posting pictures about me, which I retweet.

-Would you ever date each other in real life?

AB: Hypothetically, yeah we would date. He is tall dark handsome, has a good sense of humour, strong enough to fight for you, and makes good money to buy special things for you.

AK: Hypothetically, why not. She has drop dead gorgeous looks. She’s a very nice girl and I have always gotten along with her. Most important reason is that she’s a friend and those are the people you want to be in a long term relationship with, your friends.

-That said, who do you think is the prettiest/hottest in the film industry today barring the person sitting next to you?

AK: Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma are stunning.

AB: Varun Dhawan for me, whose new movie I have yet to watch but it’s on the agenda when I land on April 6.

-Do you watch your films to critique your performances?

AK: Yes, and I despise everything I have done. You have done it in context six months back that you have done at the best of your ability.

The day you grow as an actor you see your past attempts, you realise you could have done it in so many various ways. I mean, you have been honest in that moment and performed to the best of your ability, but when you see it in retrospect, you don’t take so much time to think as you are watching it as a third person.

I am not saying I am a terrible actor, I wouldn’t be offered films otherwise. But six months down the line, you are constantly growing as a person. It’s a momentary thing.

Plus, I don’t watch the videos when I am shooting because I know I would take 27 takes to perfect an imperfection. But you know the director has Okayed a take for a reason. I guess I am a self depreciating person by nature, unfortunately.

AB: I am doing everything in the moment when I am acting. So in that head space maybe I could have done better. But I critique my songs the most because I don’t consider myself as a very good dancer. I always feel I could dance better.

-Alia, do you like it when your fans call you ‘Aloo’?

AK: It’s Aloo or Kacha Aloo. Her mom calls her Aloo.

AB: This is my pet name so why should I mind?

-Aliaa, would you ever want your father Mahesh Bhatt to ever direct you in a film? Arjun, same question in the case of your father, Boney Kapoor or other members of your family.

AB:  I would love to but I know it’s never going to come true. I know it. I will deal with it.

AK: I don’t have a single director in the family. On the contrary, I would like to direct my own film and I would take my family members if they would be willing to be a part of it.

-Why should fans watch ‘2 States’?

AK: It’s got Alia Bhatt. OMG. Hashtag #Aliaainatheatrenearyou. Or if that fails, just use the word ‘kiss’ and our names. That should do it.

AB: [Laughs] Stop saying that. It is a relatable story. Has all the elements, love, drama, emotion, kiss. It is a family film.

-Was Ananya’s character something you connected with Alia?

AB: I think it was the relationship she has with her mother that hit a chord for me. You know, you love your mother because she’s constantly right and you hate her also because she’s constantly right. That really connected with me.

-Arjun/Alia what was your opinion of each other as actors before you were approached for ‘2 States’?

AK: When I saw her first film, ‘Student of the Year’, like most people I saw a star, a beautiful looking person. And when I met her on ‘2 States’, I realised she’s also a very intelligent person, understated, an introvert.

She does not care about the way she looks and that is quite a refreshing change, not checking the mirror 24-7. And there was definite untapped potential, which, after ‘Highway’, she has proved there is an actor in there.

And after ‘2 States’ you will see she is a risk taker.

AB: I saw Arjun’s first film, ‘Ishaqzaade’ nine times to give an insight. I remember, ‘Student’ hadn’t released as yet and I was nervous to call him back then. I was pacing the room in anticipation.

Till the interval point of that film I was mesmerised. I was absolutely in love with him, as Parma. That was the ideal boy, tall dark handsome, good dancer, chiselled jawline.

Now that I know him, I can say he’s such a selfless actor. He constantly acts for you. In the film, he became Krish.

-What was the toughest moment in the film for both of you?

AB: I think the hardest scene was in the first 15-20 minutes of the film where there was no dialogue as such but we had to keep Krish and Ananya sounding off each other in an organic conversation. I guess it was the first scene of the film we shot and it took time for us to settle in.

AK: The most toughest thing to do was the kiss with Alia Bhatt [Laughs]. Let’s create headlines now. Now people will be interested as we have used the word ‘kiss’. You say ‘kiss’ and laugh away after that, it will still be printed. I think I will be beaten up after this.

I guess the toughest for me was to underplay things, as I had just come from ‘Gunday’, which was a front footed, in your face film and switched to boy next door that is henpecked by the girl and his mother.

-What is your dream wedding and would you ever consider eloping yourselves?

AK: I would never want my marriage to turn into a Bollywood drama. But it is not my decision to make. I always say, weddings are for the bride. Women dream of this since they are kids.

AB: I agree with not wanting the big drama, having said that, I want the mehendi, I want the sangeet, the destination bachelorette party. I want the mock white wedding and the Manish Malhotra lehengas and dresses.

But I could never elope. It’s a cowardly thing to do I feel, with all due respect to those who have for their reasons.

AK: Eloping is the easy way out. In my case, I believe I would undermine my family’s intelligence. I have nothing against people making that choice. Not judging anyone who has done it. But it may never work for me.

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