Shashi Kapoor's grandson Zahan on the pressure of Kapoor surname
What's the story
Zahan Kapoor, the grandson of legendary actor Shashi Kapoor, has been making waves in the entertainment industry with his recent performance in Netflix's Black Warrant.
Despite an underwhelming debut in Hansal Mehta's Faraaz (2022), Zahan has bounced back and earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of jailor Sunil Gupta.
In an exclusive interview with Zoom, he discussed his role preparation and family legacy.
Legacy
Does the family legacy scare the young actor?
Accepting there are a lot of expectations, Kapoor revealed: "I try not to think about the legacy on a daily basis, but I understand how the perception is geared that way."
"I really appreciate how people look at the legacy...they are very appreciative of the contribution that my family has made," he noted, adding, "If I'm given the opportunity, I'd like to dedicate my life to also continuing to contribute in as much of a way as I can."
Role research
Kapoor's preparation for 'Black Warrant' role
Kapoor revealed that he relied on real-life references to prepare for his role as Gupta in Black Warrant.
He said, "It was a really interesting challenge because there's a living breathing reference point in the real Mr. Sunil Gupta."
"So that was a strong reference point to kind of get a sense of maybe how this person sees the world around them and their experience, how the experience has shaped them."
Directorial guidance
Kapoor's experience working with director Vikramaditya Motwane
Kapoor also thanked director Vikramaditya Motwane for his guidance.
He said, "Having such an incredible captain of the ship like Vikram sir, and then guided by Satyanshu sir (Singh) and Arkesh sir's (Ajay) writing, and then all the other directors also."
"So it's really about interpreting it through character within the scene, and then us discussing and figuring out what choices we can make."
Character immersion
Kapoor discussed challenges of staying in character
Kapoor confessed that keeping up with his character for so long was both difficult and fulfilling.
He said, "Yes and no. Thankfully, I was working almost every day. So it was good to be in the world and constantly in character."
"The tough part is when there's a gap for me, which there was, there was a month's gap between the Bombay schedule and then the schedule in Bhopal."
Debut reflections
Kapoor's reflections on his debut film 'Faraz'
Despite the lukewarm reception of his debut film Faraaz, Kapoor is still grateful for the opportunity.
He said, "I'm very fortunate to start my career with Faraaz. Faraaz is a very special film."
"And I was given the opportunity to try and interpret that. And whatever the film did in terms of career and commercial legitimacy, I really can't say much about that, just how it falls sometimes."
Career aspirations
Kapoor's future aspirations and thoughts on family legacy
When asked about his future aspirations, Kapoor said he wants to keep working in different storytelling formats.
He said, "I really believe in the power of story. I really value how stories can impact people."
About the Kapoor legacy, he said, "I consider myself very fortunate; I'm very grateful to be in an environment which has encouraged me; at same time allowed me freedom of choice; not overburdened me with these expectations."