Mohan Kapur’s candid take on Bollywood superstars, changing audience expectations and why stars like them too Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar cannot survive without a strong script.From comparing recurring films to “biryani every day” to saying that no actor is bigger than a good script, Mohan shared his candid insight into the industry.
Mohan Kapoor reacts Salman Khan’s last box office phase
In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Mohan Kapoor was asked if Salman Khan has become trapped in his larger-than-life superstar image, especially since some of his recent films have failed to work at the box office.In response, Mohan said, “I’m not an expert, but the way you frame the question, I think you’re right.”Stars like Salman explained, Shah Rukh and Aamir Khan are so massive that the audience finally starts yearning for something different from them.“If you give someone biryani every day, one day they will say they don’t want biryani anymore, just give them soup,” he said.
“You can’t spell Salman Khan”
While talking about Salman’s current phase, Mohan Kapur added that every superstar goes through ups and downs.He pointed out that even Shah Rukh Khan had a difficult phase before films like Pathaan and Jawan brought audiences back in large numbers.“Maybe Salman is going through that soft phase when it comes to storylines and opportunities, but you can’t take it away,” he said.
Mohan Kapur says stars should play age-appropriate roles
Mohan Kapoor was also asked if superstars now have to go for more age-appropriate characters instead of sticking to the same image.Agreeing to the point, Mohan said, “Exactly what you said.”However, he added that outsiders can only speculate about what the stars feel inside.He explained that actors may also fear that deviating from the established image could affect the industry financially, as films directed by stars like Shah Rukh and Salman still generate huge business and employment.
‘No actor is greater than a good script’
Mohan Kapur was adamant that scripts matter more than stardom.“There is no actor, no star greater than a good script,” he said.He further added, “A good script can make Mohan Kapur an actor. A bad script, even Shah Rukh Khan can’t save him.”The actor emphasized that while the industry often talks about good writing, very few follow it consistently.
Mohan Kapur defends stars who are experimenting with films
When asked if the audience now wants actors like Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan to completely disappear in the roles, Mohan said the problem is repetition.“We know they are good actors. But show us something different too,” he said.He praised Akshay Kumar for films like Patiala House and Good Newwz, saying that audiences appreciate actors when they try something fresh.Mohan also defended Shah Rukh Khan for trying unconventional films like Fan and Zero.“People didn’t accept those films, but at least they tried different characters and scripts,” he said.
“To say a star is finished is unfair”
At the end of the interview, Mohan Kapur said that the audience themselves sometimes make stars insecure by rejecting experiments and asking for something new again.“If actors try something different and the audience rejects it, of course they become insecure,” he explains.He concluded by saying that it is unfair to immediately declare a superstar “done” because some films have not worked.“Give me a chance to try new things,” he said.
