Birthday boy Tusshar Kapoor opens up about his next few films…
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; November 20, 2015)
Tusshar Kapoor turns 39 today. The actor will soon turn up the heat with two back to back adult comedies — Mastizaade and Kya Kool Hain Hum 3. We cornered him for a quick chat. Excerpts:
Actors have inhibitions about acting with Sunny Leone. Did you?
I was very fond of Sunny right from the SAW (Shootout at Wadala) days when we filmed the Laila song together. In fact, I was the one who told Ekta and Sanjay Gupta to see to it that she does the song. I always thought she will be one of the most popular faces here. I cannot talk of other actors, but I feel Indian audience is the most liberal and accepting for anyone who’s good on screen. Sunny is beautiful and has a camera-friendly face. She is where she needs to be. Audiences care about what they see on screen so there was no question about doing Mastizaade as well. Of course, I was offered the film first and I did it because Milap Zaveri was the director. Sunny and Vir Das came in shortly but it’s been a riot.
Do you feel sex comedies which were considered risks before are now more of a norm?
People keep saying our audiences are not ready for it. But since Kya Kool 1 came, 10 years ago, there has been a huge audience for these kind of films too. You will be surprised to see the amount of people who like these films. They might not go with their families but they go in groups to watch them. Women especially love such films. The aunties, the young girls, in addition to the youth and masses. And I believe just one thing. No matter how shocking something is, it won’t work if the thread of the story isn’t there. You cannot run a film purely on jokes. You need to have the performance, and the storyline. Otherwise it won’t work.
And the audience too is becoming more accepting of the same…
We have had adult comedies before too, which weren’t full on sex comedies, maybe. Audience has always been ready but it took us time to gradually come out and accept it as a society.
You’ve been appreciated in your comic avatar. Comment
I enjoy doing films like Mastizaade or a Kya Kool Hai Hum because it’s in a very happy space. Also, I know I’ve been liked in this zone so it makes me feel happy. It gives you a high. These are stress-buster kind of movies.
Given censorship rules today, a bold film is a risk, no?
It’s an adult comedy and it’s in the American Pie zone sure. We always anticipated the Censor to have certain issues with certain scene. So we filmed extra material, we shot for 5-10 minutes more, presuming that there will be a few cuts.
Also there have been a lot of disparities in the way the Censor has been functioning. Your take?
Each film has to be looked at individually. From what I have heard, they are following certain guidelines. The Censor is doing their job. There’s so much thought going into what needs to be censored and what doesn’t. After all, at the end of the day, the CBFC is also doing it for the benefit of our society, our culture and I’m sure they have a lot of pressure. It’s very easy to say but very difficult to be in the chair and take decisions.