Box-office means nothing to me: Rajat Kapoor

How did this idea of turning one of the most tragic plays into a clown play come about?

 

The idea was not to do comedy. The idea was to display these clowns (as characters). Earlier we did Hamlet as the first Shakespeare clown play, now what happens with the clowns, we were not sure. We tried Hamlet with them, so we would try and improvise a scene and play it around. Slowly we found out that this could be funny and we will keep the tragedy of the original. Also we did ‘Nothing Like Lear’ with just one actor, and now we have done Macbeth and it’s called ‘What is Done is Done’. Every time one tries to look for a different type of clown thing and this time I think we kind of got scary clowns. So it’s a clown play, but it’s a different one.

 

Why did you decide to have the premiere of your production in Kolkata?

 

It just happened. There was no plan like that. They were doing a Shakespeare festival around the same time that we were coming up with the play. So, luckily it happened in Kolkata.

 

Are you happy with the response that your play garnered?

 

I was very happy with the response in Kolkata.

 

Does having too many stars in a stage production helps or do you risk the shifting of focus from the subject to just the men on stage?

 

I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s a problem. You know people might come because Kalki or Ranvir or Vinay is in it, but when they go out, they don’t go out with that. They go out with the play and that is very important. So, it’s the play that remains with you and not the stars. For me, I’m not working with the stars, I’m working with Ranvir, Vinay , Kalki and Tillotama, who are all good friends of mine and who are all very committed theatre actors. I have worked with them before and they are able to give what the play needs.

 

Being an actor, throw us some light about the preparation for each- the stage and on-screen.

 

For an actor, the stage is very different from working in films. For stage, you have to rehearse everyday, a repetition before you reach the final show. For a film, you rely on the director and cameraman a lot more and your work is translated through the camera. There, you are like a tool in cinema, whereas in theatre you are the medium.

 

 As a theatre personality, what would be that one advice you would give to a budding actor looking to make an impact on stage?

 

There is no advice, I am not qualified enough to give advice

 

 How important is recognition (awards) in terms of credibility?

 

(Laughs), I don’t think it works like that for me. I think, you know yourself what your work is worth. Whether if you have done a good job or not. Compliments are more important than getting an award. If you got an award for a film that you yourself hate, it doesn’t mean a thing. But, if you like your own work and then you get an award for that, that is kind of nice. That seems cool.

 

 How important is box office collection? 

 

You know it, you have seen my work. I am not interested in box-office at all. You have seen what kind of work I have done, the kind of work that I am doing, so box-office means nothing to me.

 

 You have acted in Bengali feature films. When would we see you directing one?

 

No. I can’t direct a film in a language in which I am not confident.

 

So when we speak about Indian movies, we always mean Bollywood, but don’t you think the regional industries  too have done  well over the years. What do you reckon?

 

A film is a film, how does it matter what language it’s made in. Whether it’s in Hindi or Bengali or Malayalam, a bad film is bad irrespective of the language and a good film is good in any language. I think most of the cinema in this country is quite bad, whatever language that is. So, I don’t understand this obsession with Bollywood versus regional cinema. A film is a film, the language does not matter.

 

 Let’s talk about FTII, do you think the protests are going to fizzle out?

 

I don’t know if it will fizzle out or not, but it already is a 5 or 6 month old issue and people in this country have already stopped caring. The government has largely been indifferent to what happens in FTII and I think the students have been brave in fighting for what is a just fight, for over four months. Now, they have been wise enough  to go back to the classes, but the protests goes on. Now, whether or not it will get resolved, I have no idea.

 

 As an actor, what’s you first preference between the the movies and theatre?

 

As an actor I think I am more comfortable doing movies, because I think I am more of a film actor than an on-stage one. Also, stage actor’s job is difficult. Film acting comes easily to me, so, yeah I prefer the cinema.