But actor Kunal Kapoor has now got a sobriquet as well - The Phantom of Bollywood. `I couldn't stop laughing when I first heard it, but I realised that people have really seen so little of me in the past couple of years.` Chatting with CS on a rainy evening, Kunal opens up about his professional and personal life:
Lessons in rebuilding
I was in Delhi for about four months working with N K Sharma or Panditji as we call him. It was an acting workshop. I have to say that I've never met anybody like him. He is an incredible man and with the most unusual teaching methods.
As an actor, I felt I was stuck in a rut and I needed to get some perspective on what I was doing. Panditji often says that as an actor, you need to constantly break and rebuild yourself.
Let's just say he has broken a part of the old me and I'm in the process of rebuilding now (laughs).
Low profile
Yes, that's a deterrent. I have been meeting a few filmmakers over the past two weeks and they have been questioning why I have been missing from the scene.
One of them even called me the Phantom - that elusive character that you just hear about but don't see (laughs uproariously). I am planning to change that now. I am a shy introverted person by nature, which is why I find socialising quite difficult.
Now, I am slowly getting to realise the importance of PR, networking, etc. It's all part of the rebuilding process.
Beyond films
I feel ambition is a great thing, but today, people associate ambition with just work. The concept of ambition has become very myopic. I feel that people should be ambitious about life in totality. The way I see it, hobbies are like food for the soul. You need to feed your soul with new experiences.
Director's cut
Well, you are not going to see me direct a film anytime soon. That will definitely take some time. As of now, I love being in front of the camera (laughs). However, I am currently working on a couple of scripts with friends. Writing is something I really enjoy, and I am hoping that they turn out well.
Love is in the air
I don't talk much about my personal life, but I would like to say that I am very happy with the person I am in love with. So far, everything is going beautifully. My idea of a monsoon romance? I think it will be standing under an umbrella singing, 'Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua Hai', but don't ask me to croon now!
