As Thar is set to stream on Netflix, Anil Kapoor is beaming with pride…

Mona

Thar has superstar Anil Kapoor and Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor uniting again after AK vs AK. And, unlike their previous outing together, they are not just co-actors. For, Harsh Varrdhan also turned producer with this one.

Written and directed by Raj Singh Chaudhary, Thar explores the desert state of Rajasthan. A fan of western films, it’s a dream come true for Raj, who is not just passionate about the story but its backdrop – Rajasthan – his home state. “I know Rajasthan like the back of my hand,” he says. At the trailer launch, Anil Kapoor came across as not just a proud father, but also someone who is completely dedicated to his craft. Even after four decades in the industry, Anil approaches a film with utmost sincerity.

“Whenever I sign a film, I try to watch almost everything that’s been done in that genre.”

Thar became the reason that Anil watched as many western films as he could lay his hands on. “I loved Sergio Leone’s cinema. No Country for Old Men by Coen brothers and Once Upon a Time in America by Sergio Leone are my favourites in this genre.”

However, the National Film Award winner clarifies that Thar is not a pure western. “There is love, passion, violence and suspense. It’s a film of today!”

AK vs AK, Ray and now Thar – is Harsh Varrdhan the blue-eyed boy of Netflix? “I hope they will continue to work with me after Thar,” says the Mirzya actor, who likes the fact that OTT keeps one away from the pressure of the first day collections, satellite rights and so on. “The reach that Netflix gives an actor, no price can be put on that. And they are very considerate about their artistes. It’s been great working with them.”

If AK vs AK broke the ice for the father-son duo to share screen, Thar ensured that they made work their focus. With immense humility Anil Kapoor admits that his son was instinctively right on the sets more than once. “I asked him to do things in a certain way, but he answered, ‘No dad, that’s wrong’, and sure he was right,” Anil says.

The senior Kapoor feels youngsters today are not afraid of taking risks. “If I was offered the role in AK vs AK which Harsh did, I would have flatly refused. I would have asked for the father’s role!”

It came as a surprise to Anil Kapoor when Harsh decided to produce Thar. “I saw Harsh on the sets one day looking distraught, and asked him why he looked that way. ‘I was told budget nahi tha’. I was like ‘mere se le lete’. But Harsh went ahead without a hair or makeup guy,” Anil exclaims. Thar also brings the Mr India-Calendar jodi back. Apart from Satish Kaushik, it also has Fatima Sana Shaikh and Jitendra Joshi. Thar releases on May 6 on Netflix.

Southern swing

The South Indian cinema is currently enjoying unprecedented success. But Anil Kapoor believes it has always been that way. “Good films have been made in the South forever. Be it Ram Aur Shyam or Ek Duuje Ke Liye some of the best films have come from the South,” says the actor whose first film as lead was a Telugu film, followed by a Kannada film. “I learnt to be disciplined, professional and dedicated while working there. They will always make good cinema!”