Arjun Kapoor: The Cinephile We Didn’t See Coming
“Wait… Arjun Kapoor knows cinema like that?” That’s the collective gasp echoing across the internet as netizens stumble upon a side of the actor they didn’t see coming — the cinephile, the film nerd, the guy who drops references to Point Break and Tezaab in the same breath, with enthusiasm and sharp insight.
In a recent freewheeling conversation that’s now making the rounds online, Arjun Kapoor did what he does best, talk shop and pretty much owned it. Known to most as the leading man from films like 2 States, the comic Caper Mubarakan, the villain in the latest Singham and the underrated gem Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, Arjun peeled back the layers and revealed the filmmaker that lives within.
Turns out, Arjun didn’t dream of stardom and he grew up wanting to make movies, not just star in them. Watching his father create the extravagant Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja lit that spark early. “It’s the magic trick of cinema that fascinates me,” he said. “Not everything has to be logical — the conviction is what sells the illusion. I love watching Korean films and European movies. I wanted to be a filmmaker. RKRCKR was the most expensive film back then. I was enamoured and the joy of movies stayed it. I was always inclined to making. I always want to know how the film comes together and the process gives me joy.”
Kapoor is currently binging The Day of the Jackal starring Eddie Redmayne. He also weighed in on the Top Gun series. When asked which he prefers, he said, “Tony Scott’s film is the OG. I love his movies. Then David Fincher’s came to our lives with films like Seven and Fight Club.”
What truly struck a chord, though, was his generous nod to Indian creators. From R. Balki and Sanjay Leela Bhansali to the minds behind The Family Man and Panchayat, Arjun championed a cinema that’s homegrown, heartfelt, and often overlooked. He also had a bone to pick with modern trailers that reveal too much, praising instead the mystery built in the teasers of Padmaavat, Animal, and Bajirao Mastani. “Michael Bay’s trailers are the benchmark. The best shots of the film are already in the trailer. I want to feel the energy of the film in trailer. Animal had a great teaser and trailer! The trailer of Padmaavat is gorgeous. And you only see beautiful shots. It’s a director’s trailer. It’s a 3 minute trailer. Even Bajirao Mastani has great trailers.”
Arjun’s unfiltered deep-dive into filmmaking has cracked open a whole new chapter. The is suddenly seen as more than a star who loves his movies but is a storyteller waiting in the wings. And if Twitter is anything to go by, the audience is ready to see what Kapoor does behind the camera too. Hopefully, the wait to that day isn’t too long!
