'I wasn't excited...': Kunal Kapoor explains reason behind career hiatus
What's the story
Actor Kunal Kapoor has been quite selective about his film choices. He was last seen in the 2021 project, The Empire.
Now, he will star in the Netflix thriller, Jewel Thief, releasing on April 25.
In an interview, Kapoor spoke about the excitement behind this project and explained his hiatus.
He said, "I grew up watching these films [filled with] dialogue baazi. It's great fun to do, especially because all the films that I have done have been more real."
Career break
Kapoor's hiatus and return to acting
Despite his years of experience in the industry (as production assistant, assistant director and actor), Kapoor was unexcited about the projects being offered.
"I was not feeling excited about what was coming my way," he confessed.
"The break gave me a chance to spend time developing work that I enjoy, like having the writers' room develop scripts, some that I want to act in and some I want to produce."
Film challenges
Kapoor's perspective on commercial cinema
In Jewel Thief, Kapoor plays a cop in a star-studded cast featuring Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Nikita Dutta.
Contrary to popular belief, he thinks commercial entertainers are tougher to pull off than serious films.
"People assume it's difficult to make a serious film. I think it's even more difficult to make an entertaining film, especially a thriller," he told Mid-Day.
"It's difficult to get it right because you need to keep the audience hooked," he remarked.
Upcoming endeavors
Kapoor's future projects and personal life
Kapoor's hiatus allowed him enough time to spend with his three-year-old son.
Up ahead, he has quite a few exciting projects lined up.
These include a film with South superstar Chiranjeevi titled Vishwambhara and Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, where he will play Indra Dev.
He also has an untitled project with Aamir Khan Productions set to be released this year.