On Wednesday afternoon, Team t2 had two special guests in office — Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor dropped in to talk about their Friday film Half Girlfriend. Over the next 40 minutes, the two GenY heart-throbs had a blast, chatting about their film, modern-day relationships, their camaraderie and football faves. All between mouthfuls of cake and quiche, cupcake and sandwich.
Arjun Kapoor strides into the t2 office and spots a t2 edition from April 2014 with him and Alia Bhatt on the cover when he had come to promote 2 States.
Arjun Kapoor: Kitna bakwas karta hoon main, na? (Reads through the 2 States chat) Sab jhooth tha maine aapko pichhli baar jo bola tha… sab jhooth! (He then shifts attention to the customised cupcakes, courtesy Paris Cafe, laid out on the table.) I can see Gunday and High heels (points to a pair of red high heels from Ki & Ka)….
Time for Shraddha Kapoor to walk in with, ‘Wow, look at all this food! I am sooo hungry!’ (On the menu, courtesy The Lalit Great Eastern: Quiches Loren, Mango Basil and Prunes Pinwheel Sandwich, and Mango Basil and Turkey Ham Pinwheel Sandwich). She then moves on to playing a guessing game with her cupcakes. ‘Look at that badminton racquet… so cute! I wonder why?! (Laughs coyly) So this is Rock On!! 2 (points to a mic), this is Ek Villain, it’s a different camera but I got it! Where have you guys got all this food from?!
Arjun: Yeh Bombay mein mere ghar pe bana tha… I just wanted to surprise you! (Laughs)
Shraddha Kapoor: (Pointing to the blue couch cupcake on Arjun’s plate) What is this?
Arjun: The AIB Roast, no?
Priyanka Roy (Team t2): No… this is the Koffee with Karan couch!
Arjun: Yaar, nau picture karne ke baad phir bhi Koffee with Karan ka couch laga rahey ho! Phir toh aur kaam karna parega mereko! (Laughs)
Priyanka: So in Half Girlfriend style, it’s one-and-a-half days to go! What’s your gut feeling about the film?
Arjun: I am numb. Now it’s a matter of reaching the audience, in less than 48 hours! I guess this is the worst time to be promoting, actually. You’d rather be hidden in bed, waiting for your exam results. It’s one of the most exciting films that I have done, so I am really excited to get feedback from people. After Ishaqzaade (his debut), it’s arguably the toughest role for me that is very away from me as a human being. I have not experienced that lifestyle, that world, that emotion. And I have not loved the way Madhav Jha does.
That’s the purest form of love that you get to see and it may not be cool to the conventional crowd that expects love to be frivolous and timepass… and convenient, that you break up at the drop of a hat. It’s the antithesis of how love is portrayed these days in cinema. I would like to believe that people still believe in love and they will vouch for Madhav Jha and Riya Somani’s (played by Shraddha) love story. It’s the quintessential Hindi film love story. I am excited to see if India still has faith in love. The last time they showed tremendous faith in love was Aashiqui 2 (starring Shraddha Kapoor and directed by Half Girlfriend maker Mohit Suri).
Shraddha: Yes! So to answer your question about how I am feeling, no matter how much one side of me says, ‘It’s okay, don’t be nervous, be cool, you’re chill’, there is this other part that is soooo nervous. No matter how much I say to myself that it will all be fine, people will love the film… there are so many butterflies in the belly.
Arjun: (To Shraddha) Are you a stress eater?
Shraddha: Ya. When I’m happy I eat, when I’m sad I eat, when I’m stressed I eat… I am just an eater, basically! I have to say also that I am very lucky that I have my mom’s (Shivangi) genes. It all goes to one area, which is the belly, so you just do this (poses with her hands folded in front)… you just cover yourself! (Laughs)
Both the characters that I have played in Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain have come from more humble beginnings. This time, I am playing a girl who comes from an affluent family… she’s the most popular girl in school. She is that aspirational girl, which I have never played before. I had hardly worn heels in any of my films. This is the film where I have worn the maximum number of heels!
Arjun: I have worn heels before Shraddha! Let that record stay. I have visual evidence (points to the red high heels cupcake).
Shraddha: So in this film the girl wears heels and blow-dries her hair and goes to college. While on the outside everything looks so happy and perfect for her, it’s all a mask. Behind that mask, there is someone who is looking for the real meaning of happiness. And when he (Arjun’s Madhav) comes along in her life (Arjun spreads his arms and makes a grand gesture)…
Arjun: Arre, kyon ruk gayi? Taareef karo!
Shraddha: When he comes along, there is something situational happening in her life, which has made her scared of love, which has somewhere scarred her.
Arjun: Main unke ghao pe marham lagata hoon!
Shraddha: (Laughs) Ya, pretty much that. She is blown away by his presence (Arjun spreads his arms and smiles and everyone laughs).
Arjun: (Imitating Madhav) It eej phact. So what if myself coming from a village area, you getting blown abhay by my prejence. I pheeling ki if you give answer, I phinish food.
Shraddha: Only two are left?! (Points to the quiches on the plate)
Arjun: I pheeling ki if you give more answer I phinish all phood!
Shraddha: I am taking one! (Makes a grab for a quiche) There were certain kinds of mannerisms that I had to learn for Riya Somani, I hope that people like what they see and they can connect with what truly is going on with her.
CRACKING UP: ARJUN KAPOOR SENT NOT ONLY TEAM T2 INTO FITS OF LAUGHTER WITH HIS ANTICS BUT CO-STAR SHRADDHA KAPOOR TOO!
Priyanka: Since Arjun rattled off his Madhav Jha English, “I pheeling ki” is fast becoming a catchphrase. Now that you are going around promoting the film, do you hear people saying it?
Shraddha: They do ask him to do this a lot. They very sweetly say, ‘Say na, your dialogue, say na’.
Arjun: Before they say it I only say it! It takes a film to be a success to reach out to the audience to that extent where catchphrases are born. We are lucky that with one trailer, we’ve got that reaction... good, bad, ugly… doesn’t matter.
Priyanka: So how much did you have to stretch yourself to play Madhav?
Arjun: I stretch for 45 minutes a day, if that is what you are saying! (Everyone laughs) Here I had to play a Bihari male protagonist in a romantic film. No matter how much Madhav grows, he is still going to say, ‘Bhatebhar you say’. He is the most selfless person I have come across. This boy isn’t the best in studies. He goes back to his village to open schools and bathrooms for girls. That’s a very big thought. When he loves also, he loves selflessly. It’s very easy to walk away when someone says I can only meet you midway. What’s the easy way? To say, ‘Screw you boss, it doesn’t work like this. What is halfway? Half what? Okay bye!’ But he understands it. He says, ‘I don’t blame you. I cannot force you to love me the whole way. I understand it, I respect it, but I love you. I cannot love you half. I will love you the whole way’.
Shraddha: Madhav Jha is the nicest guy, ever. In the whole world!
Arjun: He is a fair role model for young boys today to have... the ones who choose to run away faster than Usain Bolt when the relationship gets complex.
Chandreyee Chatterjee (Team t2): And is Riya anything like you? She is a basketball player and you did play some sport in school…
Shraddha: Ya, I was into sports in school. I was not so good at basketball, though. I was more of a substitute player in school. And I used to watch more than play!
Arjun: I was very good… I was the ball! Technically, I moved around the most.
Shraddha: They used to call me only when someone was injured or tired.
Arjun: They used to call me because I had a car to take them to the match!
Shraddha: I think what’s similar between me and Riya is that the little things in life give her happiness. The same goes for me. I think it’s a great gesture that you guys got us this food!
Arjun: Ab khana dekh ke toh Shraddha Kapoor...!
Shraddha: I kid you not. It’s so thoughtful of you guys, you have thought of these things (gestures to the spread on the table).
Arjun: Just because you guys thought, I am eating extra! (Picks up a quiche)
Shraddha: These small things (points at the cupcakes)… people don’t do that nowadays. People don’t make that small effort.
Sibendu Das (Team t2): So what was it like on the sets? Were you guys friends from before?
Shraddha: Well, we knew each other. And now I am getting to know him more and more. I have become so fond of him. He is very filmi, by the way!
Arjun: Naaaaaaaaaaaa… main aur filmi? Kabhi nahin!
Shraddha: When you are growing up with a film background, you go to each other’s birthday parties. These birthday parties used to be very big when we were kids. I have childhood pictures of him at my birthday party.
Arjun: She was about eight and I was 10. At 10, you are wondering if any boy is seen saying hi to a girl, it’s very uncool. So it used to be like ‘Happy birthday’ (barely touches Shraddha’s hand and moves away and the two laugh). Then we became actors and we kept meeting. I think we got along fine, all along. But it so transpired, our film ended up being shot in a linear format. We started in Delhi with the college portions and that needed Madhav to really be in awe of this girl and the uncertainty around her. Can he touch her? Can he be around her? So it needed a bit of distance. If I were like this with her (slaps Shraddha on her arm, that makes her collapse in a fit of giggles) then I know at the end of the day I can say ‘Check kar na scene theek hai ki nahin’. But when Madhav comes closer, he realises that she might have grown up in Delhi in a high society, but eventually there is something that joins them together. So in that journey, the film happened and then we travelled, and we shot more and more, and the comfort level grew, grew, grew, and then that became a camaraderie, and today, I can say that we have enough understanding between each other where I can maybe pick up where she leaves an answer…
Shraddha: Yes, it’s very true. He can read my mind now. And also what I love about him, which I saw in full bloom through these promotions, is his sense of humour. Sometimes he will crack the most amazing PJs, and you need intelligence to crack good PJs. I am really glad that I have such good company for the promotions…
Arjun: And when Shraddha starts laughing, then 15 to 20 minutes of the interview is gone there only! Thank you, Shraddha… aapka cheque baahar rakha hai!
Just then, the Half Girlfriend cake — with figures of Arjun and Shraddha doing the trademark fist-bump — walks in.
Shraddha: Oh my god, look we are on a cake! Now we have to pause this because guys, you’ve really taken it to a whole other level. Thank you so much!
Arjun: I am looking slightly better here (pointing at his figure on the cake) than in the film! Half Girlfriend ka full cake!
Shraddha breaks into a song — her Half Girlfriend number ‘Main phir bhi tumko chahungi’, tweaking the lyrics to ‘Iss cake ko main khaungi!’
Chandreyee: So Arjun, after 2 States, this is your second film based on Chetan Bhagat’s books. What about his characters do you like?
Arjun: (With a straight face) Who’s Chetan Bhagat? What does he have to do with Half Girlfriend? I’ve done Chetan Bhagat films? Whaaatt?! (He then laughs and says he was pulling our leg!) 2 States and Half Girlfriend are very different. I have been fortunate I have played intense characters, I have done action films, and I have played Krish in 2 States… somewhere I always feel that the audience will be looking at somebody like me and saying, ‘Yeh toh apne jaisa hai’. I was drawn more to Half Girlfriend because it is the antithesis of the heartland characters I have played till today.
Shraddha: I feel like he has this quality about him which is so versatile, that he can be perfect and imperfect at the same time. And I don’t think he has any idea of how innocent he can be on the big screen.
Pramita Ghosh (Team t2): Were you guys ever friendzoned?
Arjun: I think everybody has a friendzone situation. You want to say… and then you become the best friend! It has happened to me. It happened with you also, Shraddha?
Shraddha: I wanted to be with someone in school. I crazily liked him. I was in the fifth or sixth standard and I didn’t have the courage to tell him. So I would give him blank calls. His mom would pick up and I couldn’t speak. Even when he picked up, I couldn’t speak. So I couldn’t even be his quarter girlfriend or a zero girlfriend.
Arjun: Mere saath pehle aap pehle aap mein koi aur leke chala gaya!
Pravleen Kaur Chowdhury (t2 intern): With the current generation being iffy about commitment, do you think it’s easier to have a ‘half girlfriend’ or a ‘half boyfriend’?
Arjun: I don’t know if it’s easier or difficult… because it’s not intentional…
Shraddha: Exactly! When you are in a half boyfriend-half girlfriend situation, it’s because it’s circumstantial. There may be opposing forces that keep you from being with the person who you really want. You are in love, but you can’t be with that person… it’s a dilemma.
Pushpak Sen (third year, Asutosh College, and a Shraddha fan): What were your growing up years like? Are you still in touch with your friends from back then?
Shraddha: Actually, my oldest friends are still my best friends… six of them! They are my core group… I have a small group and I took a trip with them, with most among the six, in March. I talk to them every day.
Arjun: Mere core group mein toh aadhe actor ban gaye, saale! (Laughs) Sab life mein busy ho gaye… sab acting kar rahein hain kaminey! (Cracks up) But I have a best friend since school… designer Kunal Rawal… I am wearing him today. I grew up with Sonam and Rhea (his cousins) in the same school (Arya Vidya Mandir). I didn’t really do college much, so that’s a complication I have (smiles). But I have friends from work since the age of 17… there’s Aarti Shetty. I know Shraddha’s brother (Siddhant) very well. There’s Rohit, who’s Varun’s (Dhawan) brother. Both Varun and Rohit are friends. There’s Ranbir (Kapoor)… my cousin Mohit (Marwah). My cousins, as it is, were so many… we would travel in a herd together!
Anena Majumdar (second year, Presidency University, and an Arjun fan): Arjun, when will we see you and Ranveer Singh together in a film without a heroine?
Shraddha: They’ve already done a video together for Half Girlfriend (in which Arjun-Ranveer showed off their ‘bromance’, sidelining Shraddha) and I am already feeling left out! (Laughs)
Arjun: It’s a forever kind of love. There are no half-measures there! (Shraddha cracks up) Ranveer and I prove that friendships can be pure and true regardless of the work environment. It’s not designed or planned. You can’t define some relationships. We got lucky that we met at the right time and worked on a film (Gunday) that drew us closer. We entertain each other every morning when we message… if you read that you will wonder why do these guys have jobs?! (Laughs)
Pramita: Shraddha, what’s the connection between you and rain, given that you have a rain sequence in almost every film?
Arjun: Woh contract mein hai! She likes rain showers… geyser uska kaam nahin karta! I am 100 per cent sure there is a portable shower in her staff’s bag right now! At any point, she may break into a… (mimics Shraddha stretching her arms and feeling the rain on her face) I think she is the only one in India… in Asia… who knows how to keep her eyes open with water falling down! (Shraddha laughs and punches Arjun’s arm) She practises rain sequences in the breaks… ‘Haan thoda aur daalo… left mein leke jao!’ So this time, she was told, ‘Kya tum ‘Tum hi ho’ kar rahi ho, let’s call the song Baarish… let’s cut to the chase!’
Shraddha: I think rain is associated with romance… so it’s a pure coincidence! It just happens… I don’t know…
Arjun: Tumko nahaane ka shauk hai, lekin mere bees baar lag gaye! (Shraddha laughs out loud)
Priyanka: Shraddha, Crime Master Gogo from Andaz Apna Apna is a t2 favourite Shakti Kapoor role. Is it the same for you as well?
Shraddha: Oooooh, I love him! I remember watching it as a kid and I laughed so hard. I’ve watched it a few times after that also, and it cracks me up every time!
Pramita: Arjun, you are a Chelsea fan and you recently met the team…
Arjun: And they won! (The English Premier League)
Pramita: So what was it like meeting the legends?
Arjun: If I can quantify it, I would like to believe that it’s similar to how a fan feels when he meets me. Growing up in the film industry, I’ve never been a fanboy… I’ve sat next to my idol Anil Kapoor and eaten food while watching him play Mr India on TV. Here, I felt like a child in a candy store. I felt like if tomorrow I die, I have lived my life to the fullest. They were so normal… but I was tongue-tied. When I spoke to John Terry — he was not in the playing XI that day — I told him that I hoped to see him on the pitch soon. And he said, ‘If they keep playing the way they are, I don’t mind not being on the pitch at all’. That’s bloody cool for a man who’s a legend. And then there’s David Luiz who told me, ‘If the mind is strong, then you can conquer everything’. That, for me, is something I will hold on to for the rest of my life.
Pramita: Do you consider Antonio Conte to be the ‘real special one’?
Arjun: You have to respect what Jose Mourinho has achieved for our club. He should be special to the club for what he’s done. I think Conte’s taking it forward and he’s got his own style. Conte’s energy is new and fresh. Conte is good for this young group of people. The old guard is gone now… Terry is the last. It’s important to have a manager who can create a new legacy…. (Turns to Shraddha) You okay?
Shraddha: Well, I used to play football in school and I was verrrrry good! I was left forward but I was righty… and I used to shoot with my left foot. But I don’t support any club….
Pramita: Shraddha, you performed at the Eden Gardens at the opening ceremony of the IPL. Do you follow the IPL?
Shraddha: No! But Eden Gardens was unbelievable… oh my god! I was just like (mimics with her mouth open). The performance got over too fast, but the cheering was out of this world. It’s something else to be performing in the middle of a stadium….
Shraddha and Arjun’s parting words to t2: You all are a great team! We love you!
Arjun-Shraddha are a fun pair because.... Tell t2@abp.in
Pictures: Pabitra Das & B. Halder
