The rise and rise of Shahid Kapoor

In 2003, when he arrived with a bang with Ishq Vishk, the industry thought it got its answer for a fresh faced, college kid, ideal for urban romances. Eleven years later, Shahid Kapoor refuses to be slotted under any kind of tag. His journey is unpredictable as hell and has left many a trade pundit lost for the words. But the good thing is that he seems to be enjoying his ride. And that’s a rare thing indeed in our industry.

He’s no longer just the suave, urban hero, though he can play that with consummate ease. One saw him playing a guy who pretends to be dumb in Chup Chup Ke. It was a role that needed split-second timing to ring true but Shahid showed he can be at ease even in the Priyadarshan brand of broad comedy. In Jab We Met, he took up the most underplayed role of his life, acting as a buffer for Kareena Kapoor’s antics. It was the kind of restraint we didn’t expect from someone known for his hyper antics and he managed to give us all a pleasant surprise. And in the recent R… Rajkumar, he went over the top and won over the masses. His films were never the staple for single screens and for B and C centres. But suddenly the multiplex hero became the mass entertainer.

It takes a special kind of a director to bring out the best in some actors and Vishal Bhardwaj proved to be that catalyst for Shahid. Kaminey, where he did a double role, is the finest acting performance of his career so far. If the promos of Bhardwaj’s Haider are any indication, the actor is all set to surpass all that and more. Bhardwaj has a special affinity for Shakespeare and through his adaptations of the Bard’s plays, he’s managed to change the game for many actors, Irrfan and Saif Ali Khan being the obvious examples. Now, it looks like Shahid’s turn.

The actor has gone through several relationships so far. He’s always been candid about them and currently isn’t in a hurry to settle down. He’s going through quite an interesting phase as an actor and perhaps wants to enjoy that without any distractions. He’s being his own favourite right now.  Our cover guy opens upto all that and more.