Arjun Kapoor on his career: Hope this is my year

A still from India's Most Wanted

It's a busy time for Arjun Kapoor, who has three films lined up this year. That he is constantly experimenting is evident in his choice of projects, which include the action thriller India's Most Wanted, a black comedy in Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, and a historical in Panipat. "2018 wasn't my year, so I am hoping that 2019 is the year for me," says Kapoor, acknowledging his less-than-favourable run at the box office last year with admirable honesty.

He is set to kick off his innings this year with the Raj Kumar Gupta-directed thriller. Proud to front a film that is far removed from the mainstream fare, Kapoor says Bollywood is now welcoming of experimental cinema. "Now, one can't think in terms of a hero or villain. It's the best time to experiment because directors and scriptwriters are coming up with brilliant ideas. It's about taking the right chances and in the process, even if you fail, you learn from it. I am here today because the audience wants to pay to watch my films."

An admirer of Gupta's gritty movies, Kapoor considers himself fortunate to work with him early on in his career. "When I called to congratulate him on Raid [2018], he told me that he wanted to share a story. I read the story on Valentine's Day last year and agreed to be part of it. I totally went with his conviction."

Quiz him on his long-delayed film with Dibakar Banerjee, and he says, "Sonchiriya and Luka Chuppi [blocked the date] that we were supposed to come on. So, that date was cluttered. Since India's Most Wanted was already slated to release on May 24, we didn't want to shift it to accommodate this one. Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar will release immediately after India's Most Wanted; Yash Raj Studios [producer] will announce the date soon."

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