Mr. India's silverscreen marathon

So another Miss India was crowned late last night. Every year, the title changes heads, right. Not everybody can be as lucky as Mr. India, right? He's been around for over two decades and is still young enough to play `Nayak - The real hero'.

Yes, Anil Kapoor is playing the Hindi `Muthalvan' at AVM studios. ``I'll meet you at the sets at 3-30 p.m,'' he says. And on the dot, Anil Kapoor is there at the opulent sets of Q TV. So is director Shankar. He then promises to talk after the shot, and he is concentration personified for the next one and a half hours. Realising that he's kept his visitors waiting for long, he slips out in the break between shots for a quick chat with Sudhish Kamath.

``FABULOUS. I thought it was brilliant,'' Anil Kapoor begins with his appreciation for ``Muthalvan''. Words of praise follow for Shankar: ``one of the top directors of the country. Working with him is one of the high points of my career. He's incomparable''.

``Nayak'' comes with social messages as in the original. But are commercial films effective vehicles for movies with messages ? The answer is an emphatic, ``yes''. ``The message of `Nayak' is that even one man can make a difference to the State''.

So what difference would Anil Kapoor as one man make, if he had the power to do so? ``If I could change one thing, I would get rid of communalism. But without power, I would make a difference in my own small way''.

The actor's vision of India is not just a country free of communalism. Instead, he wants it to be a super-power. ``If India cannot become a superpower, I would wish there were no boundaries and that the world was one country, and everybody lived happily with no communalism, casteism or any such problem''.

The conversation drifts to stardom. ``What makes a common man a hero?''

``Any one can be a hero. A person of any class, any field, any job...but he has to be a cut above everybody.

He needs to have something which you can get inspired from - bravery, talent, professionalism, luck, blessings of God, a combination of factors really.''

The conversation drifts to stardom. ``Superstardom...whatever you touch becomes gold. For me, it just happened. The best part is being able to afford so many things I could not afford...not just for me, but my entire family. I could add a bit to their success with my success. I get to meet people, nice people all over the world, and interact with them. What can I say, it's great to be famous''.

What about the price he had to pay for superstardom?

``I've hit a balance. I have seen to it that I've given equal importance to my personal life and family, I've been honest with work and I've not been very greedy''.

While the whole industry talks about the underworld, the actor does not appear to be overtly affected by the threat of the underworld. ``For us, they are like anybody, people you have to know, but you never know. You have to take them as any other person. As an actor, you might have to portray them some time in your career. I've done that in films before - `Awaargi', `Parinda'. They are normal human beings gone wrong, who have got themselves into this situation.''

Finally, ask him to choose three films he considers his best. ``Virasat, Lamhe and Mr.India''.

``Shot ready''. Mr.India, goes back to the drill under the arc lights. The show goes on.

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Section  : Entertainment