Arjun Kapoor on his respect for Salman Khan, and his upcoming films
Arjun Kapoor, who gives credit to Salman Khan for his foray into acting, says his mother Mona credits the superstar with seeing his potential.
"When I was an assistant, I spent a lot of time with him...I think it came from an emotional connect. My mother always said he is godsend," said the 27 year old to IANS.
Initially Arjun, who worked as an assistant director on Salman starrer Salaam-E-Ishq, was only interested in direction.
"One night he (Salman) said you should become an actor and I looked at him and then I looked at myself. I said, 'You want me to become an actor? I am very happy being a director and I will write, I have no interest in acting'," he said.
Salman told him that being a producer's son, Arjun can become a director anyday.
"He (Salman) said you will wake up 10 years from now regretting not giving acting a try. Give it your best shot. The worst that can happen is that you won't make it as an actor, but at least you have to try."
Arjun Kapoor holds Salman Khan in high regard
Arjun, who weighed 140 kg, lost extra pounds before making his debut in Ishaqzaade.
His next is Yash Raj Films's Aurangzeb, which releases 17 May 2013.
He will also start shooting for the Hindi remake of a South film Okkadu by the end of the year.
"We are doing Okkadu, but I am not going to start that till I finish my present films, which will be by the end of this year," said the actor.
"I am still shooting for 2 States. It will release next year. I will have to check my dates as to when I finish shooting for it. I was shooting for Gunday after Aurangzeb," he informed.
Arjun Kapoor in Aurangzeb
Arjun says he particularly enjoyed playing his character in 2 States, a big screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's novel of the same name.
"I don't play a quintessential romantic-comedy hero. He is geeky and full of sarcasm. I found interesting shades of myself, which I could utilise. Two big producers are coming together to build this material, which Chetan Bhagat has written...it is an amazing feeling to be a part of it," he said.
2 States, being co-produced by Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala, features Alia Bhatt as Arjun's love interest.
Describing his co-star, the actor said that "Alia is an amazing co star. She is so full of life...beautiful girl".
Abhishek Verman is wielding the megaphone for the film, and the 27-year-old says that the director has "such an interesting vision of the story".
"Also, to get to shoot in IIM-A (campus in Ahmedabad, Gujarat) is amazing as it is an international facility where they allowed us to shoot for the film. For me, it has been great fun," he said.
Catch the talented young Kapoor in Aurangzeb in a week's time and let us know what you thought of him. Directed by Atul Sabharwal, the film also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, Amrita Singh, Jackie Shroff and Rishi Kapoor.