Shahid Kapoor reveals he faced a tough time in finding a female lead after Ishq Vishk’s success: “The producers would rattle out names of 3-4 popular, female stars, and say, ‘You’ll look like a kid with them! Where’s your mardaangi?’”

By Fenil Seta -

July 8, 2023 - 3:00 PM IST

Shahid Kapoor recently completed 20 years in Bollywood as a lead actor. His debut film, Ishq Vishk (2003), co-starring Amrita Rao and Shehnaz Treasury, was a sleeper hit of that year. Shahid became the new heartthrob of the nation with his performance of the cute and lovable Rajiv Mathur. If you thought that he was flooded with offers and heroines were eager to work with him after his debut film’s success, then you are mistaken.

Shahid Kapoor reveals he faced a tough time in finding a female lead after Ishq Vishk’s success: “The producers would rattle out names of 3-4 popular, female stars, and say, ‘You’ll look like a kid with them! Where’s your mardaangi?’”

During an interaction with Mid-Day, Shahid Kapoor said that he was considered too young to be cast opposite existing, established female stars. Shahid revealed, “The producers would rattle out names of three-four popular, female stars, and say, ‘You’ll look like a kid with them! Where’s your mardaangi?’ There was no work for my age bracket, and for the way I looked.”

Fortunately, things soon eased for Shahid. He was cast opposite Kareena Kapoor Khan in his second film, Fida (2004). He also had great chemistry with his Ishq Vishk co-star Amrita Rao, with whom he worked in many more films, including the blockbuster Vivah (2006). He was also seen with Ayesha Takia in Dil Maange More (2006) and later in Paathshaala (2011).

Interestingly, both Shahid Kapoor and Ayesha Takia had also worked as child actors together in the Complan ad. On this, Shahid quipped, “Ayesha was a really big child star at the time. We had to wait for her to turn up on the set, while I got my solo shots done!”

He also said that he suffered because he arrived at a time when the perception was that “a star was born, at best, only once every half a decade.” He added, “And Hrithik Roshan had already become huge with Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai in 2000. Vivek Oberoi quickly followed with Company in 2002. So, apparently, by the law of averages, I didn’t stand a chance!”

Also Read:20 Years of Ishq Vishk: Shahid Kapoor says, “I hold on to the innocence that I started with”; reflects on his journey