Actor Arjun Kapoor has candidly shared his experiences of facing multiple failures in his acting career, admitting that he cannot control the box-office outcomes. Arjun, who made a striking debut with ‘Ishaqzaade’, has delivered several notable hits like ‘2 States’, ‘Gunday’, and ‘Ki & Ka’. However, his recent film, ‘The Lady Killer’, which saw Bhumi Pednekar co-starring, was produced on an extravagant budget of Rs 45 crore but earned a meager Rs 1 lakh at the box-office.
During his appearance on the popular chat show ‘Koffee With Karan’, hosted by Karan Johar, Arjun Kapoor discussed these box office setbacks and the ways he navigated through such challenging times. The conversation started with Karan addressing the pressures faced by the stars in the film industry and the public’s perceptions, particularly how social media portrays an often inaccurate image of an individual. “We all have public perceptions, we all have Instagram that shows a part of our personality that may or may not be accurate at times, but we are also combating box office pressures, industry dynamics,” Karan Johar remarked.
In the heartfelt conversation, Karan Johar posed a question to Arjun Kapoor, affectionately calling him “Fubu,” inquiring how Arjun has remained positive and humorous even when box office success seemed to evade him. “Fubu, I’m gonna ask you, sometimes when box offices have evaded you, what is the way and I always know that you have been upbeat and have a sense of humor which I think is there—that in the face of failure you can laugh at yourself. How do you deal with it?” Karan queried.
Arjun Kapoor opened up about the adversities he has faced in his life and career, mentioning that he had talked about various aspects of his life on that very couch previously. He acknowledged the hardships, pointing out how they have shaped his journey in the industry. “There is so much adversity I have faced in my life ya Karan, I think I have spoken on this couch before about many aspects of my life,” he recalled.
Highlighting the highs in his career, Arjun Kapoor mentioned that he was the first actor of his generation to deliver a 100-crore film with ‘2 States’, a collaboration with Dharma Productions and Sajid Nadiadwala.
. He also spoke of his versatile work, including films like ‘Ki & Ka’, where he played the role of a house husband, showcasing his range as an actor. Arjun remarked on his broad experiences working with various people in the industry and referred to how senior actors have also faced significant challenges. “I am the first actor in my generation to deliver a 100 crore film, with Dharma and Sajid Nadiadwala, that was ‘2 States’. I have seen the high; I have done a film like ‘Ki & Ka’ that did well, where I was a house husband; I have done all kinds of work, I have worked with so many people. I mean Akshay Kumar has spoken so openly about the fact that he almost considered leaving the profession at one point of time, 11-12 flops I think he has seen,” shared Arjun.
He continued by drawing comparisons to other actors’ careers, such as Saif Ali Khan, whose trajectory changed significantly after ‘Dil Chahta Hai’. Arjun expressed a firm belief that his core audience, who connected with his earlier works, would continue to support him if he delivers good films. “When you look at Saif’s career, till ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ didn’t happen, he was on a different trajectory. If my audience has loved me and connected with me because of the work that I did, they are not going to disconnect if I give them a good film.”
In conclusion, Arjun Kapoor stated the harsh truth that while he cannot control the box office outcomes, he can control his effort and sincerity in his craft. “You can’t control box office unfortunately, what I can control is the effort and the sincerity,” he said, wrapping up his candid discussion with a poignant message.
‘Koffee With Karan’, where this insightful conversation took place, streams on Disney+ Hotstar.
(With inputs from IANS)
