“I would’ve made Agneepath under RK banner” – Rishi Kapoor: Part 2

By Devansh Patel -

January 10, 2012 - 7:44 AM IST

Cute, sweet, adorable, honest and mangled versions of many are some of the ways you'd like to describe Rishi Kapoor when you meet him in person. But when I informed him about the mad buzz of his movie Agneepath, he remarked, "Why are you making a mountain out of a molehill? I'm just playing a small role in the movie and that too a negative one." But it's only by the end of the interview that you come to know the depth of his role and the magnitude of the movie, small or big, doesn't matter. So don't jump off your seats because the intensity he brings to his role of Rauf Lala might surprise anyone who is used to the cool, calm and composed Rishi Kapoor. Presenting you Part 2 of Rauf Lala special. Here we go again!

"You'll see a new Dharma Productions coming out once Agneepath releases"

If given a chance, RK Films would've made Agneepath today. Yes, I'd take that risk. Studios like YRF too are taking such risks. They've made films like Dhoom, Chak De, Band Baaja Baaraat, etc. The purpose of a production house is to give you varied entertainment. When the first trailer was introduced and the logo of Dharma Productions came out, Karan Johar told me that it can't be so mushy mushy. Let's hope Karan comes out with something what Warner Bros, Columbia Tristar, Sony Pictures do really well with all their pictures with the kind of genre their movie is. Once the movie releases, you'll see a new Dharma Productions coming out.

"Rauf Lala and Kancha Cheena don't get along with each other"

This whole role of Rauf Lala was difficult for me to do. I had to be convincing and that was vital. I have a very important scene in Agneepath with Sanjay Dutt. We don't share screen space other than that. Rauf Lala and Kancha Cheena don't get along with each other. Off screen, we do get along though (laughs).

"Karan wanted the elements of Rauf Lala's look from Akbar of Amar Akbar Anthony"

My look was inspired somewhere from Amar Akbar Anthony. Yes, the 'kaajal' is from there. But we still had to get away from it. I also got the netted vest for Agneepath. That too came from Amar Akbar Anthony. Then Mandira, my dress designer, dressed me in the pathanis and took it to another level. I did suggest the hat that Rauf Lala sports sometimes in the movie. But overall it's a team effort and even Karan Malhotra and Johar were instrumental in designing Rauf Lala.

"What goes in favour of Karan Malhotra is his sense of drama and conviction"

Karan Malhotra is an adamant director. I like the opposite. But that's the only thing that goes against him. I like a director who gives me a free hand. I am not a studied actor nor a method actor. I am a spontaneous actor. My one take from the other will not be the same. What goes in favour of Karan Malhotra is everything else - his sense of drama, sense of conviction and knowing what he wants to get out of his actors, etc. It's his first film and I can understand that. He is very convinced and focused right now.

"This isn't a complaint to these young talents. This is an observation from one senior actor"
I found the same thing with Zoya Akhtar too in Luck By Chance. This isn't a complaint to these young talents. This is an observation from one senior actor to someone younger to me. Not that the actors mess around with the free hand given to them. I hope Karan takes this in the right spirit because I look at him and Zoya as children too.

"I've sung a bit of qawali in Agneepath"

I'm not shaking a leg in Agneepath but I'm definitely singing in the movie. It's a qawali. I've sung half the song but it's a very important song as the qawals (men who sing) are praising the God and Rauf Lala, the character I play, thinks he is God. Rauf Lala is a mad man. I don't want to reveal what happens in the music interlude because just at the end of the song is the intermission and what happens at this point is the most important thing in the movie.