Shraddha Kapoor on how doing the action sequences in her upcoming film Baaghi made her feel strong and why she always feels like she can do a better job
Shraddha Kapoor on how doing the action sequences in her upcoming film Baaghi made her feel strong and why she always feels like she can do a better job
Tell us about your character, Sia, in Baaghi. From the trailer, it looks like this was a chance for you to do a lot of action scenes.
Sia is a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky girl who is friends with the ‘clouds’. Not just in the sense that she’s a dreamer, but that she actually speaks to the clouds (laughs). You’ll get a clearer idea when you watch the film. Sia is also a very strong girl; she will stand up for herself, even in a physically threatening situation. It is this quality that makes her a rebel. There are a few action scenes, which I really enjoyed doing, but of course, I don’t have as many as Tiger (Shroff) does. I learnt some basic punches, kicks and blocking techniques, and also got into a little bit of Kalaripayattu. I didn’t train for very long, only a few days. But those few days were intense.
This is not the first physically demanding film that you have done, since you also had to train really hard for your earlier film ABCD 2. How different were the two experiences?
Well, in ABCD 2, I injured my left leg and in this film I injured my right leg (laughs). Seriously, though, both experiences were quite different, but there were also many similarities. For instance, the sense of rhythm and timing that you require for dance, is also important in martial arts.
Training for Baaghi was really challenging, and at the end of every rehearsal, I would get aches in muscles that I didn’t know existed. At the same time, it was gratifying to know that I could do all this physically strenuous stuff, that I could kick and punch. It’s good to feel strong and empowered, and I was happy that I was able to pick up some of the techniques really fast. I must give credit to my training in ABCD 2, because muscle memory kicked in when I began training for Baaghi. It’s incredible how quickly your body starts remembering how to move in a certain way.
You and Tiger have known each other since childhood. Any memories that you would like to share?
I remember Tiger roaming around in a basketball jersey and shorts all the time. He was very much into basketball and so focused on it. Another thing I recall is how even back then, he had this calm aura, just like he does now. It’s quite something.
It’s strange to be doing this film with him, after knowing him for so many years. Our dads had worked together too. Of course, there’s also a sense of comfort when you have known someone for so long. Things come a little more easily.
You’ve been singing more and more. Is that something that you would like to pursue parallel to acting?
Music has definitely become an important part of who I am. I’m singing in Rock On!! 2, and even in Baaghi, I sang Sab tera. I am embracing singing more and more and right now, I believe that if I can sing one song per movie, I would be happy. I’m happy that so far, my directors are letting me do this. I don’t have any plans to cut an album of my own yet, and neither do I have the time. However, it is not something that I’m ruling out.
How do you measure your success as an actor?
The greatest way to understand where you stand is to see how people in the theatres react to you. I get my sense of connection with the audience by how people react to me; like when I’m travelling and they come up to me, or when I step out of my house and there are people waiting below. I believe that audience has made me understand my self-worth.
I don’t know if I’ll ever feel like I have arrived. I do feel loved tremendously. But I always feel that I can do so much better; that’s when my mom or dad give me a pep talk. Sometimes, these moments come right after I have finished a scene and I wonder whether I pulled it off, whether I have done it right. At that moment, it really helps when the director says that the scene was good.
