Exclusive - Shahid Kapoor on Deva being compared to Kabir Singh; his wife Rajput's reaction his roles, says 'she is the first one to watch my films'

Shahid Kapoor was in Delhi for the promotions of Deva

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor, who will be seen as an angry young man in Rosshan Andrrews' directed Deva, finally spoke about his role and said there is no similarity with his character Kabir Singh.

In an exclusive interview with Money Control during his visit to Delhi recently, Shahid Kapoor said if one sees with a refined vision they will get to know that 'I feel there is nothing similar between Kabir and Deva.'

He also said that only some parts of his character Deva have been revealed in the trailer.

Shahid Kapoor also spoke about his 22-year long journey in the film industry and said he feels a sense of pride and accomplishment. From his early days as a "chocolate boy" to his current status as a versatile actor, Shahid has come a long way.

Shahid's journey has been marked by his willingness to take risks and experiment with diverse roles. This shift is largely driven by his growing understanding of how audiences perceive him on screen versus his personal life.

One constant source of support and feedback throughout Shahid's career has been his wife, Mira. As one of the first people to watch his films, Shahid says Mira's opinions carry significant weight.

Shahid said his wife Mira's critiques are invaluable to him, and he appreciates her honesty.

Excerpts from the interview:

Ques: Do you think your character of Deva is similar to Kabir Singh?

Shahid: If you see, you know, if it's very difficult, it's like for a very broad minded, like a person who looks at things in a very broad way, it might be similar. But if you have a slightly more detailed understanding and a slightly more refined sense of things, that really depends on how you're able to see the nuances.

So for a refined person, I feel there is nothing similar between Kabir and me. That's how I have played the character because I have to get into the minor details of the character. But if you're going to look at it as broadly as this is angry guy, that's like saying every Al Pacino or Robert De Niro performance is playing an Italian Italian gangster. You know, if somebody bad child? Angry young man. Right. You know, so if you ask that kind of question then the answer then I can never give you a fair answer, you know. So it really depends on the person asking the question. So I feel there is nothing similar between the 2 characters. To me, yes, they are both like they are both strong characters, you know. Let's put it that way. But there is more to Deva than that also. When you see the film, you will see it.

Ques: How do you look at your journey from chocolate boy to doing such diverse roles now after your 22 year long journey in the industry.

Shahid: Sometimes I look at myself and feel ki main 5 years aur kaam kar leta love stories. Uss time par waisi pictures chal bhi nahi rahi thi. Now it's tougher as you grow older, it's tougher to look younger and romance young girls and you know sometimes it doesn't feel completely natural to you. As you grow older I think what you understand is how people want to see you on screen and who you are in your personal life. As time goes by, there is more separation. I think that becomes a different experience and this is a different experience.

In the beginning of your career, You feel jo main personal life mein hoon aur jo main camera ke saamne hoon woh similar hai. But as your body of work develops, you realize that now my personality should not come in the way of my growth as an actor. I have to continue in this journey and that people will only see in my films. That's my creative journey. This is who I am as a person, you know.

So I think who I am as a person today and the films that I am doing are sometimes very unlikely. And that actually is what I love. So I am happy that over time I've been able to do a body of work where people see that potential in me and they want to come and give me those opportunities.

Ques: Shahid always how's Mira's reaction to your characters? Does she always like them or is she the first one to dissect them or tell you?

Shahid: One of the first people who watches my films is definitely Mira. I mean, the first round of screenings that I have, my immediate family will be there. So Mira will be there. Sometimes Ishaan will be there. My mom will be there. Dad (Pankaj Kapur) comes sometimes. But, she's definitely a part of all my kind of work and I discuss things with her whenever we can. But, I'm also very personal about my work. So, as time is going by now, I start getting this feeling that I want to now show the final thing. I don't want to tell her anything. So, she can have a full experience. I think otherwise for her it's like she's getting it in small doses. So that full thing is not there. So like with Deva I didn't tell her much. I try now to do that. It's more fun.

Ques: Is she critical of you work?

Shahid: We are both equally supportive and critical of each other. I think that's what a healthy relationship should be where you speak honestly. If you're feeling like you love something, you should be able to say it. And if you feel that there is work to be done somewhere, you should be able to tell it's like you need to be your each other's best friend. And that honesty has to be. And there's no reason to not trust the other person. Because you know they mean it for your best. But we can still disagree on things. That I don't agree with you. We can she can say that to me. I can say that to you. So that freedom should be there.

Shahid Kapoor will be seen opposite Pooja Hegde in Deva, which is directed by Rosshan Andrews. The action thriller is going to relesse on January 31 and is already creating waves.