Latest news with #Kapur
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ek Doctor Ki Maut: Put some respect on Pankaj Kapur's name and give him that Padma Shri; he's a national treasure
It's Pankaj Kapur; he's the secret sauce that brings it all together. In India, even the best actors are rendered helpless without proper direction. Only a few of them can deliver dependably strong performances regardless of how skilled the filmmaker supervising them might be. This is the difference between Manoj Bajpayee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, between Alia Bhatt and Taapsee Pannu. It is up to you to figure out who falls in which category. Kapur, however, can instinctively understand the tone of the project he's in, figure out his position in it, and then mould his performance accordingly. Over the course of his decades-long career, he has proven himself to be uncommonly chameleonic. In the cult comedy classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, he played the cartoonish villain Tarneja; a dastardly man with a Napoleon complex so comical that his entire body seemed to be revolting against it. In Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool, he communicated more through a silent closeup than others could with a soliloquy; in Anubhav Sinha's IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack, his one look was enough to inspire faith in an institution as untrustworthy as government. Kapur was doing television before it became cool (even in Hollywood). And yet, when lists are made about the greatest Indian actors of his generation, for some reason, his name isn't at the top of them. Naseeruddin Shah won a Padma Shri in 1987, and a Padma Bhushan in 2003. Kapur, 71, has won neither. Also read – Kapurush: The most underrated film of Satyajit Ray's career predates Past Lives by decades, but is even more stirring Perhaps the greatest metaphor for his career is the plot of the film Ek Doctor Ki Maut, directed by Tapan Sinha and released at the end of the parallel cinema movement; Aditya Chopra and Ram Gopal Varma were right around the corner, ready to drive Hindi movies to an entirely foreign destination. In the film, the detestable Dr Dipankar Roy claims to have invented a vaccine that could wipe leprosy off the face of the earth. But he's made to run around in circles by professional rivals, jealous colleagues, and petty superiors. In the end, he throws in his weapons and concedes defeat, allowing foreign scientists to claim a victory that was rightfully his. The biggest question that Ek Doctor Ki Maut leaves you with is this: had Dipankar been a more pleasant fellow, would he have avoided getting wrapped up in red tape? Would he have been honoured for his achievements? The biggest hurdle in Dipankar's path to success, the movie suggests, is his personality. He doesn't drink a drop of alcohol in the film, but Kapur plays him like a drunk. Dipankar is prone to outbursts; they're typically directed at his long-suffering wife, Seema, played by Shabana Azmi. He doesn't seem to have any friends, although he finds companionship of a kind in a young reporter, played by Irrfan Khan. His anger and frustration erupts with worrying regularity; he doesn't much care for the basic necessities of life, such as food and leisure. Dipankar isn't a happy man, not even when he's tinkering away in his home-made laboratory. There's probably more than one undiagnosed mental illness lurking in his psyche. It's a waste of his time, he says, to be put through the rigmarole by middle-managers and the like. Everybody in his community seems to either be jealous of him or furious at him. It isn't that they doubt his claims; he could've cured cancer for all they care. They simply don't want someone like him to succeed. But then, there's evidence to suggest that they'd have probably have treated him similarly had he been a nicer person. Kapur himself toyed with this alternate scenario in the show Office Office, which trapped an altogether more agreeable man in a web of bureaucracy. What Dipankar needed to be, it becomes clear as the movie goes along, is a sycophant. Read more – Sikandar: Anurag Kashyap's right; Bollywood is doomed if stars like Salman Khan enable the Snapchat-ification of cinema It's no secret that one's ability to navigate the system plays a role in their being considered for an award. Eligibility is secondary; talent is tertiary. Not always, but often. There is no way of knowing how astute Kapur is in these matters. But, as Ek Doctor Ki Maut asserts, Indian society has an odd relationship to fame. Poor behaviour is forgiven (at least publicly) the moment someone hits a certain level of popularity and power. Like everything else, their reputation often rests on their ability to make others money. And since fame and finances are usually in bed together, it's common for folks who've outlived their usefulness to be discarded without a thought. These are all ideas that Ek Doctor Ki Maut contemplates, but struggles to express; at least not as lucidly as IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, yet another project featuring Kapur that put 'babugiri' on blast. Dipankar is mature enough to understand the ways of the world, and yet, because of his misplaced idealism, he finds it near-impossible to fit in. He is a recluse; he leaves home only to tend to his patients. That, too, with a clinical dispassion. He finds it easier to channel his frustration into hate for an inanimate disease than empathy for a living being. He's a complex character with exactly two dimensions, the sort that sounds impossible to play on screen. And this is why Kapur's performance is so memorable, and his effortless talent so underappreciated. Post Credits Scene is a column in which we dissect new releases every week, with particular focus on context, craft, and characters. Because there's always something to fixate about once the dust has settled. Rohan Naahar is an assistant editor at Indian Express online. He covers pop-culture across formats and mediums. He is a 'Rotten Tomatoes-approved' critic and a member of the Film Critics Guild of India. He previously worked with the Hindustan Times, where he wrote hundreds of film and television reviews, produced videos, and interviewed the biggest names in Indian and international cinema. At the Express, he writes a column titled Post Credits Scene, and has hosted a podcast called Movie Police. You can find him on X at @RohanNaahar, and write to him at He is also on LinkedIn and Instagram. ... Read More
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Chargesheet filed against Dubai woman for entering Bollywood actor's house
Mumbai: The Khar police filed a chargesheet on Wednesday against a 47-year-old Dubai resident who illegally entered actor Aditya Roy Kapur 's Bandra (West) flat on May 26. Gajala Siddiqui, who is married to a businessman, claimed to be a devoted fan of Kapur and said she had met him at a Dubai institution's inauguration in 2017, although the actor does not remember this encounter. She said she obtained the actor's address through an internet search. The incident happened between 6pm and 7.30pm when Siddiqui travelled by taxi from Mumbai International Airport after arrival and reached Kapur's home in Rizvi Heights. "The chargesheet was filed after we gathered details about Siddiqui's intention and purpose of her visit and how she managed to get hold of the actor's address. She claimed she discovered the actor's residential address through an internet search, travelled to Mumbai on Monday without informing her family," said a police officer of the Khar police station. The filed chargesheet includes statements from the actor's house help, Sangita Pawar (49), the society manager, and his manager, along with CCTV evidence. "Our investigation revealed that Siddiqui departed without her mobile phone. Her family and husband were unaware of her location until the police station contacted them about the case. She is currently in Byculla Women Jail following her court appearance after police custody. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kickstart your new journey with the Honda Shine 125 Honda Learn More Undo Her husband and family are expected to arrive in the city," said the officer. The officer indicated that the court will decide about releasing her passport and permitting her return to Dubai. Siddiqui informed police that she took a cab from the airport to the address she found online. At 6pm, Siddiqui entered the flat after convincing the house help, Sangita Pawar (49). In the complaint, Pawar said: "I was alone at home. At 6 pm, the doorbell rang. When I answered, I found a woman at the door. The woman asked if it was the residence of actor Aditya Roy Kapur. When I confirmed it, the woman said she had brought clothes and other gifts for the actor. I believed her and let her in after I informed that the actor is out for shooting." When Kapur returned, he was told about the visitor but said he did not recognise her. "She tried to approach the actor, prompting him to leave the house and contact society manager Jayashree Dunkdu. Dunkdu then informed the actor's manager, Shruti Rao, who quickly arrived in the flat and contacted the Khar police. When I asked the woman to leave, she refused and insisted on staying at the actor's residence," Pawar said in the FIR. The situation continued for 90 minutes at Kapur's residence before his house help alerted his managers and the police. Siddiqui, who brought gifts and clothing for Kapur, would not leave without meeting him.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dubai woman trespasses into actor's home, arrested
Mumbai: A 47-year-old Dubai resident, Gajala Siddiqui, has been arrested for trespassing into actor 's Bandra flat on Monday. Siddiqui, who claimed to be acquainted with Kapur, arrived at his Rizvi Heights home directly from the airport with gifts and clothes, and refused to leave without meeting him. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The drama lasted 90 minutes before the actor's manager and Khar police were alerted. The incident comes just a week after two similar trespass incidents at actor Salman Khan's Bandra residence. "Siddiqui claimed she has known Kapur for long, but his staff said he denied any knowledge of her. A probe is on to find the purpose of her visit," a police officer said. Siddiqui is said to have entered Kapur's flat after persuading his house help, Sangita Pawar (49). In her complaint, Pawar said: "I was alone when a woman arrived at 6pm asking if it was Aditya Roy Kapur's home. When I confirmed it, she claimed she was an acquaintance and had brought clothes and gifts for him. Believing her, I let her in and informed her that he was out for a shoot." Upon Kapur's return, he was informed about the visitor, but the actor said he did not know her. "The woman tried to approach Kapur, prompting him to leave the house and contact society manager Jayashree Dunkdu, who then informed his manager Shruti Rao, who reached the flat and contacted Khar police. When I asked the woman to leave, she refused," the FIR quotes Pawar as saying. By then Khar police arrived and took Siddiqui into custody. She avoided answering questions about the purpose of her visit to the actor's residence nor did she provide any information about her contacts/relatives in the city, police said. "Siddiqui took a cab to Bandra (W) immediately after exiting the airport. We confirmed that she is from Dubai through her passport and the documents she had with her. She did not have a mobile phone which could have helped get in touch with her family members or relatives, if any, in Mumbai." Siddiqui was served a notice for house-trespass or house-breaking under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 331 (2), which attracts up to two years' imprisonment. On Tuesday, she was produced before the Bandra court.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Dubai-Based Woman Trespasses Into Actor Aditya Roy Kapur's Mumbai House
Mumbai: A Dubai-based woman has been arrested by the Mumbai Police for allegedly entering the house of actor Aditya Roy Kapur on the pretext of meeting him. The woman arrived at Mr Kapur's Bandra home on Monday evening, claiming to deliver clothes and gifts. The house help allowed her entry after she mentioned a scheduled meeting with the 39-year-old actor. However, when Mr Kapur returned, he said he did not know the woman, following which she tried to approach the actor, but was stopped by his staff. The staff then called the police, and she was detained. The incident comes days after a man and a woman were arrested by the Mumbai Police for allegedly attempting to enter actor Salman Khan's residence. The accused, the police said, made separate attempts to enter Galaxy Apartments in Bandra (West) on May 20 and May 21. The man was identified as Jitendra Kumar Singh (23) and the woman, Isha Chhabra (32). According to the police, Singh, a resident of Chhattisgarh, was initially spotted roaming around Mr Khan's house at around 9:45 am on Tuesday. When a policeman deployed for the actor's security asked him to leave, the accused smashed his mobile phone on the ground in a fit of rage. That evening, at around 7:15 pm, Singh entered Galaxy Apartments by following a car belonging to a person living in the same building. "He managed to enter the premises but was caught by the police again. This time, they handed him over to the Bandra police," an officer said. During interrogation, Singh told the police that he wanted to meet the actor. He claimed that he tried to sneak in as the police were not allowing him to enter the building, the officer said.
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First Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
How Aditya Roy Kapur is back in the genre of romance with Anurag Basu's 'Metro In Dino' post 'Aashiqui 2'
Glimpses from the teaser of the duo have left fans wanting for more. Whether it's the dreamy song stills or behind-the-scenes moments, there's a high sense of anticipation read more Aditya Roy Kapur's Aashiqui 2 was a blockbuster romantic drama of 2013. Post that, we saw the actor in Anurag Basu's anthology Ludo in 2020. And now, he reunites with Basu again for Metro In Dino. This is a film that shows how the city of Mumbai has changed ever since the filmmaker made a similarly themed film back in 2007. And Kapur dabbles with an intense character filled with sweep and ache. Kapur pairs up with Sara Ali Khan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Glimpses from the teaser of the duo have left fans wanting for more. Whether it's the dreamy song stills or behind-the-scenes moments, there's a high sense of anticipation. It's the comeback of Aditya's intense, love-struck persona — and viewers are ready to fall all over again. How netizens reacted 'It's giving Aashiqui 2 nostalgia vibes… my heart can't take this!' 'Sara and Aditya look like a dream! This pairing is everything I didn't know I needed.' 'The romance, the aesthetic, the chemistry — 2025's best jodi already!' With Aditya stepping back into his signature romantic charm and Sara bringing her spark, this is one on-screen love story that fans absolutely can't keep calm about.
