Karan Kapadia, on his film Blank, his journey so far, and why he feels that creative freedom is imperative for every actor
Karan Kapadia, How did Blank happen to you?
Blank happened to me at a time when I really needed an opportunity. I was of course auditioning and sort of trying my best to get work. One day I got a call from my friend Behzad, with whom I share a long term relationship ever since we were ADs together for the film Boss. He called me and said that he has this project titled ‘Green Lit’ and so it was a quick yes. Touchwood, everything fell in place and it turned out to be a successful project for both of us on the floor.
Karan Kapadia, Earlier you were part of Behzad Khambata’s team as an assistant. How was the experience as an actor with him?
Yes, me, Behzad and Pranav who is also one of the writers of the film, we all met on the set of Boss where Tony D’Souza was the director, we were all his assistants. Behzad was the third AD, he was still higher than Pranav and me, so the three of us got along really well. It was like three like-minded people who think about cinema on the same lines. With Behzad, I always had a comfort zone, where I could be sort of honest and even he could be honest with me. As a filmmaker, he brought the best out of me and I really like the way he made me feel on set, he made me comfortable, confident and I am really glad that I got to my first film with not only an amazing director but with a friend too.
Karan Kapadia, You are a fighter, who has overpowered his anxiety issues. What is your driving force?
Yes the anxiety has gotten better with time, as I said, every time I go out there and perform on the stage or in front of the camera, there is a certain level of accomplishment that I feel of overpowered like a personal obstacle. Oh ya that feeling at the end of a performance where people sort of appreciate the work you have done and it has executed the way you had in your head, I think the feeling at the end of each performance is what I keep chasing and that’s what keeps me going.
Karan Kapadia, Your Instagram profile is filled with your fitness regime. What role a fit body plays in your life?
I think fitness plays a key role in my life. One needs to understand the value of his/her body and the day we understand, it automatically becomes easy to make time for fitness. Moreover, I think fitness is really important because it not only makes you look good but also makes feel good that translates on screen in your body language, the way you speak and everything. The only thing it requires is consistency and for me, it is mandatory to hit the gym. I try to release all my frustration in the gym so that all the negative energies turn out to be positive ones for me. When asked about fitness guidance, I always recommend people to walk for at least 30 minutes on a daily basis to be fit.
You have worked in a Hollywood short film. How easy or difficult it was to start your acting career in Bollywood?
I think acting, in general, is not easy, whether it is a short film or a feature film. It takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there in front of the camera. I would recommend every aspiring actor to do as many short films as you possibly can, as it gets you so much practical experience and it is something you really need. It helps you understand the nuances and prepare for a feature film. The scale was really huge, so it helped me in terms of transitions, but of course, the two were very different. To be precise, the journey of short films made it easy for me in Bollywood to express, act and entertain.
When it comes to acting, how far creative freedom is important for you?
I think creative freedom is important especially for the newer and younger age of actors. When you are new, you learn and unlearn a lot and that is where creative freedom helps you make the right choices. It helps in being yourself and be free and expressive. So I think it is important to have the creative freedom to try different things and obviously be on the same page with your director, whether you are on stage or in front of the camera.
If not an actor, what you would have been doing in career?
I never really thought about it too much. I have never been a plan-B sort of a person. I’ve always been a plan-A because plan-B can make you complacent. I guess, somewhere I would have been associated with the film industry. Having said that, I have an inclination towards sports journalism as well and football in particular. I have a huge passion for the sport and I’ve been following it since I was a little kid and whether everything changes in my life or not, but the one constant thing that’s been there throughout my life is watching my team player every weekend. So, sports is something I love and it’s the biggest relief that I have from the real world, so I think definitely something in sports journalism.
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