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Photo: R.V. Moorthy

It’s different Rajat Kapoor finds it difficult to be himself on telly

“Like vegetables all film ideas are good, it is up to you what you do with them. It is a great time for people like me as all big budget formulae are failing – be it Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Aag’ or Yash Raj’s ‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag’,” says Rajat Kapoor.

Rajat declares he is for simplicity in food. “Though I like Italian and rasta ka Chinese, not the authentic one, the best is ghar ka khana – dal chapatti with ghee, karela, gobi…. The only thing is I go mad if I don’t get my lunch in time. It gives me a bad headache.” “I also take my dinner by 7.30, as it takes at least two hours for digestion. It’s only in India that I have seen people taking dinner at 11 and then going to bed immediately.”

These days Rajat is seen hosting “Lounge” on NDTV Good Times, where he explores relationships in urban India. “It was difficult to be an anchor because I didn’t know how to act to be myself.” Does he mean Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh act on “KBC”? “Of course!” says the director-actor who learnt his craft at FTII and went on to assist the likes of Kumar Sahani and Mani Kaul. For those whose memories don’t serve them well, Rajat is the one who played the role of a paedophile with a straight face in “Monsoon Wedding”.

“However, I found a place in public memory when I played uncle to Preity Zinta in ‘Dil Chahta Hai’.”

Talking of big names, Rajat feels today one can sell a film with six top actors. “After that there is no place for Aftab Shivdasanis, as it used to be some years ago. Then there is place for scripts which are different and take the viewer by surprise.” One such is his “Mithya”, where a bad actor played by Ranvir Shorey finds himself in the midst of some gangsters.

Rajat says having saag at a five-star or people in a multiplex going mad over a Raghu doesn’t mean that there is increasing acceptance of the other in the society. “For multiplex audience Raghu is a fantasy. Real Raghus won’t watch it. The only connecting link is consumerism. Like there could be LG-ites, people using the products of only LG!”

It’s time to remind him to keep it light.

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