- Shakun Batra revealed a two-year gap between writing and making Kapoor & Sons
- Many actors initially declined roles due to discomfort with homosexuality portrayal
- Fawad Khan accepted his role after a brief talk about subtle representation
Shakun Batra's Kapoor & Sons completes 10 years today. The filmmaker went down memory lane as he spoke about how a lot of actors had turned down the film. He furthermore revealed there was a gap of two years between writing the film and it getting made.
What's Happening
- In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Shakun Batra said, "There was a two-year gap between when the film was written and when it got made. A lot of actors turned it down in the beginning. Actors weren't comfortable playing homosexuals back then, and at one point I thought I needed to move on-I'd never get to make the film. Fawad loved the script and called me to ask, 'Is homosexuality a whisper or a shout?' I told him it was a whisper, and he was on board. That's the only conversation we had-that homosexuality would be presented in a subtle manner, without saying it out loud."
- He added, "There are little hints, like tangerine shoes or self-conscious moments with his mother. We wanted families to connect to the film and feel this person could be part of their family, and it does not change anything. We didn't show anything that would be off-putting. I remember watching the scene where Fawad Khan breaks down in front of Ratna Pathak Shah, saying he isn't the perfect son, and I haven't been so touched by any other scene. I watched it from the lens of an audience, not a filmmaker."
On Key Cast Members
The filmmaker furthermore revealed how there wasn't a single day on set when there wasn't an argument with the late Rishi Kapoor.
Shakun Batra said, "But he showered me with so much love after watching the movie. He invited me for dinner at Royal China, and it was a weird date where he let his guard down and told me how much love he received for the character."
He said, "Greg Cannom, the Oscar-winning makeup artist who had done Benjamin Button's look for Brad Pitt, was in India, and he agreed to do Rishiji's makeup. At that point, there were very few artists doing that quality of silicone prosthetics. Neetuji (Kapoor) could not recognise him in his getup."
Speaking of Alia Bhatt, Shakun Batra called her the most "generous actor."
He said, "She told me, 'I know I may not be on the poster because I'm not part of the main Kapoor family, but I love the script enough to jump in.' She brought a certain energy each day."
About Kapoor & Sons
Kapoor & Sons was released in 2016. The comedy-drama film was well received by the masses. Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra, and Fawad Khan were in the lead. Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah, and Rajat Kapoor played key roles in the film too.
