 "EXCLUSIVE! Kunal Kapoor on Saif Ali’s Khan starrer Netflix's ‘Jewel Thief’: ‘Some people are casting on the basis of Instagram followers which is silly…’")
Packed with style, speed and suspense, Netflix’s ‘Jewel Thief’ launches on April 25 and promises an edgy ride from start to finish. In an interview with Firstpost, Kunal Kapoor and Nikita Dutta open up about their roles, changing cinema and more.
Talking about cinema changing, Kunal said that there is a lot of place for misfits now and how it is a positive change. There are a lot more places for unconventional people. He also opened up about how Some people are casting on the basis of followers and how frivolous it is in terms of craft. “Instagram numbers don’t necessarily translate into theatrical numbers.”
Kunal, what do you have to say about the way cinema is changing and evolving? We now have movies and web series that are not led by only one hero.
When I started my journey as an actor 20 years ago, the situation was such that if you had to be in a movie, you had to fit in, you had to do a certain amount of things right. What has changed is that there are a lot of places for misfits now. There are a lot more places for unconventional people. The audiences are looking for misfits now.
Earlier, you were either the hero or the hero’s friend. Now every part is really important. It is no longer able to fit into a particular mould. When I talk about a film like Rang De Basanti that was 20 years ago, every character was important. So a good film has many interesting characters.
Nikita, can you enlighten me on your role and tell me about it?
When you get a script like this, it has to do a lot with what the script writers and the makers have done. If you see the past work of Siddharth Anand, he’s known to make films that are fast paced and crisp. That’s pretty much how this film is also going to be. It is edge of the seat and quick. This entire job is done by the writers. We as actors have to step into the shoes of these characters. It’s a blessing in disguise to have somebody who is so sorted on the script level.
All these things are given to you on a platter. As far as my character is concerned, all I would like to say is that there is a lot of mysteriousness to it. In terms of a layman, there is a glamorous factor as well. Nobody has been able to make a sense of what she’s doing.
Nikita, what’s next for you and how was your experience working with Saif Ali Khan in Netflix’s Jewel Thief’?
Next is pretty much _Jewel Thief_ which I’m looking forward to. Working with Saif is a lot of fun. There are so many amazing things about him as an actor that I really want to highlight. He is not somebody on social media who puts himself out there. He’s so witty. If he was on Social Media, his Instagram account would be on fire because he has got these crazy one liners. He has the knack for turning a serious situation into a joke. He has this really cool ability of making everybody around him feel comfortable and it includes the crew as well. He has a personality that can charm people in a really funny way.
Now that you brought about the topic of Instagram, I just want to ask you, Nikita, how important is an Instagram account? Is it a very important thing to have today in terms of followers and visibility?
Nikita: I consider it to be my work desk. I know I make my money from Instagram. It’s also because I want to be able to do films. I know I am making my money from this medium. Even if I am putting my personal life out there, I know it helps. But having said that, it’s not going to give me work in films.
Kunal: Some people are casting on the basis of followers, but that is a really silly thing to do. Instagram numbers don’t necessarily translate into theatrical numbers**.** It’s not like somebody who likes your pictures is going to buy a ticket for you.
Kunal, you play a cop in the film. What was the preparation like?
Yes, I play the cop who is more like a cop from the 80s who’s always there after everything is done so he’s five minutes behind them. Everyone keeps asking me how it’s like working with Jaideep Ahlawat, Saif Ali Khan and Nikita Dutta, and I’m like ‘I’m not in the film with them.’ I’m pretty much following them so I hardly got to shoot with them.
I’m just following my character who has his own journey. I play a cop in the movie who’s trying to put the case together, who’s trying to put the clues together. There was less interaction I had with the other actors in the movie. It felt like they were shooting for another film and I was shooting for something else.
WATCH the trailer of Netflix’s ‘Jewel Thief’ here:
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