Pankaj Kapur speaks on balancing craft and survival: “Did some projects to stay afloat”

Pankaj Kapur opens up about balancing passion and practicality in his 40-year career, returning to Binny and Family, and treating his co-stars as equals.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

September 9, 2024 - 2:08 PM IST

Veteran actor Pankaj Kapur recently opened up about the decisions he has made throughout his illustrious career spanning over 40 years. In an interview with Mid-Day, Kapur shared how the evolving film industry offers more opportunities to actors today, compared to his early days. However, he also acknowledged that some projects in his filmography were done out of necessity rather than passion.

Pankaj Kapur speaks on balancing craft and survival: “Did some projects to stay afloat”

“There is no dearth of good projects today. In our times, there were no projects or platforms. We could hardly get a film a year. Today, there are so many platforms. But today’s actors also have to be careful as to what they are working [towards]—their craft and survival, or bank balance, cars, and flats. My approach was mainly craft, but for survival, one had to be smart enough to know that you have to do a little bit of both,” he explained. “If you see my filmography, you will understand that some projects were done so that I stayed afloat.”

Returning to Binny and Family

Speaking about his latest project, Binny and Family, Kapur revealed how he was drawn to the script and the director's vision. Originally, the film focused on the relationship between a girl and her grandfather. However, when debutant director Ssanjay Tripaathy returned to Kapur years later to revisit the project, the story had evolved.

“It had become about the girl, her father, and grandfather. But I still wanted to do the film because I liked what Ssanjay wanted to say with it. Adding another generation only gave more depth to the film,” Kapur shared.

In Binny and Family, Pankaj Kapur plays the role of an orthodox grandfather, while newcomer Anjini Dhawan portrays his spirited granddaughter. The film explores the generation gap and the conflicts between their differing values and perspectives.

A Relationship of Equals on Set

Despite his status as a seasoned actor, Pankaj Kapur maintains a humble and egalitarian approach to his craft. He shared that on the sets of Binny and Family, he didn’t see his younger co-star through the lens of seniority. “I don’t think in terms of seniority. I think of us as equal actors and give that respect to my co-stars, irrespective of their age and experience. I give suggestions if they ask, but I don’t believe in patronising young actors. They are capable on their own.”

Speaking of Binny and Family, it is scheduled to release on September 20. Besides Pankaj Kapoor, it also stars Himani Shivpuri, Rajesh Kumar, Charu Shankar and debutant Anjini Dhawan.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Pankaj Kapur talks about working with a confident Anjini Dhawan in Binny And Family; remembers Shahid Kapoor’s Mausam: “I STILL love the work that I did; want to direct again but I can’t be struggling and going from one producer’s office to another”