The Celebrations Continue...

ANIL KAPOOR is hungry for more. ASHWINI DESHMUKH meets the star who has survived decades and superstars

- Ashwini Deshmukh

Anil Kapoor is the best thing about Mubarakan. Remarkably, he’s been the best thing in most of his career pursuits. At 60, he isn’t just reinventing, he’s rewriting how actors can stay relevant. His comic timing, the consummate ease with which he performs and his habit of impressing each time he appears on the screen, make him an actor for all seasons. His career has spanned four decades but his zest for his craft and discipline at work have kept him in the A-league all through. He’s the perennial star. The guy whose grin fills the air with energy. His hunger to be better is insatiable. He likes to refer to himself as a work in progress. In most circles they call it the attitude to succeed. That’s why perhaps he made a mark in his recent outing Mubarakan as well.

Talking about Mubarakan, he reveals that he was the first person who came on board. “The best part was that we shot the film within six months. We presented a taaza taaza, garma garam film to the audience,” he says in his idiosyncratic style. With gusto he shares the secret behind his perennial vigour. “It’s the love for my wok, my profession. And God’s been kind. The reassurance and a pat on the back every now and then helps,” he smiles. That’s been happening since his first film Hamare Tumhare released in 1979. “I started working in 1977 and now it’s 2017. Every year something positive has happened. Even personal highs like marriage or the birth of a daughter egg you on. The people you meet, your travels, new opportunities all add to your growth,” he claims.