“I play corporate, up market & organised guy in Hum Tum Shabana” – Tusshar Kapoor

By Devansh Patel -

September 29, 2011 - 12:13 PM IST

Tusshar Kapoor has a lot to say, actually. But when he speaks, it's unexpected and spontaneous. But that's the whole point. He is so prepared for any questions thrown to him - personal, professional or even some mad ones that often pops out from my bank of queries. But here's the thing about Tusshar Kapoor. The man's got a point and I discover this in the first ten minutes of our chat. But besides all this, Tussh (as I love to call him) is one of Indian cinema's most bankable star, and here's why - He has a movie-industry equation that determines a Bollywood star - some series of variables, like, talent, looks, chances of dating an attractive co-star and an ability to generate gossip, that when placed on a studio executive's formula, adds up to just that - a bankable boy. But even after all this; Tusshar doesn't want to live the life of a superstar because he believes that fame is something to be endured. And endure it is - He has got more comedies than any other actor to his credit - Kya Kool Hai Hum, Golmaal, Good Boy Bad Boy, Dhol, One Two Three, C Kkompany, Golmaal Returns, Life Partner, Golmaal 3. But sit in front of Tussh and you will not find one funny bone in him. No wonder his fingers are pointing towards the posters of his next laugh-a-thon Hum Tum Shabana that he describes as 'beautiful, entertaining and sexy'. Oh boy! We can see just that on the hoarding too!

“I play corporate, up market & organised guy in Hum Tum Shabana” – Tusshar Kapoor

"I'm now known best for doing comic roles"

Kya Kool Hai Hum was the first comedy film I did. But if this is the genre that has made me what I am today, then you are right in some ways, not that the other genres haven't been accepted, they have and I have received rave reviews too - Shootout At Lokhandwala, Khakee, Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai, Shor In The City, etc. Having said that, Golmaal is the film that gave me the recognition as far as comedy is concerned.

"I haven't fought with anybody for one girl in my entire life"

I haven't fought with anybody for one girl. But it's only Shabana that I'm fighting for right now (laughs). Hum Tum Shabana isn't an all out slapstick movie. There are a lot of relatable instances that you could compare it to your real life. All we did was add a little bit of madness to that. The USP of Hum Tum Shabana is the right balance of both. But finally it's what happens to these two mad men in their quest to get Shabana in their lives.

"The side of Shreyas in Hum Tum Shabana will portray his side of personality no one has ever seen"
I have worked with Shreyas before in Golmaal. The comic timings in Golmaal and Hum Tum Shabana are completely different. In Golmaal he was more street smart and 'bindaas'. In this movie the side of his personality is way different. It's the camaraderie between my character and his that's quite hilarious and never seen before on the big screen yet. That's what makes his character different from the others he has played before.

"Shabana was a struggle for sure"
Both men are fighting for Shabana at the same time. They try so hard that sometimes there comes a time that our characters realise that 'this isn't what we were looking for', etc, etc. Shabana was a struggle for sure (laughs). Everything becomes completely different as their lives progress in the movie.

"Minissha wants to get to the bottom of everything - be it tweeting, marketing of the movie, creatives, etc"
Minissha is very sweet, cute and enthusiastic human being I've ever met. She puts in 101% in whatever she does. She wants to get to the bottom of everything - be it tweeting, marketing of the movie, creatives, etc. She will wait for a long time for her turn to come and there is a lot of positive energy coming from her side.

"My character suffers from OCD. He is a corporate, up market and organised but yet street smart and manipulative"
I don't know what I still need to crack as far as comedy is concerned. But I can say one thing that I can keep on doing it (laughs). Even this movie has been a very different character I've got to play. He has got an OCD problem; he is a corporate guy who's very organised, up market but yet very street smart and manipulative. I've never played such a role in any of my films. He is funny in his own way.

"I'd love to push the boundaries of genre with a whacky, unconventional, out of the box physical comedy"
I'd love to do a physically powerful role as far as comedy is concerned. Something out of the box, unconventional and whacky but very physical. Something what Jim Carrey invented from Mask. I am still waiting for the right kind of script to come though. It's a great way to tap in the same genre but re-inventing it. Not many have done that in our Indian Film Industry. I'd love to do that at some point in my film career.