After the success of Teri Baaton Mein Uljha Jiya, Shahid Kapoor is all set to return to the big screen with his upcoming cop film, Deva. The movie, backed by Siddharth Roy Kapur, marks the Hindi debut of director Rosshan Andrrews, who has previously made acclaimed films in Malayalam.
During a conversation with Raj Shamani, Shahid opened up about his inclination to trust new directors throughout his career. He cited examples such as Imtiaz Ali with Jab We Met, Sandeep Reddy Vanga with Kabir Singh, Aradhana Shah and Amit Joshi with Teri Baaton Mein Uljha Jiya, and now Rosshan Andrrews with Deva.
He shared, “Either you can put your money on talent, or you can put your money on somebody who has already achieved success. It’s like the difference between investing in a stock that you believe will grow tomorrow—being an angel investor and buying into the story—or going for a stock that has been performing consistently. For me, I have always admired craft, talent, and ability. These filmmakers made me feel that working with them would benefit me greatly. It would be an exciting collaboration, regardless of whether they were already established or not.”
He added, “After a film becomes a superhit, every actor lines up to work with that director, and that’s normal. But when I started out, I always wanted someone to believe in my talent before I had found success. Filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali, who has since become an iconic name in Indian cinema, gave me an amazing opportunity with Jab We Met. Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who made Kabir Singh, is another example. When I watched Arjun Reddy, I absolutely loved it. I do wish we could have done something original together, but at that time, the film was set to be remade, and that’s how I ended up seeing it and agreeing to do it. Sandeep was open to making it as a remake.”
Shahid continued, “Many times, we’ve discussed how it might have been more liberating and creatively fulfilling to work on an original story together. The energies of collaborators and creators should match, and when that happens, something amazing comes out. It was a privilege to work with him. Look at the kind of work he’s doing—he’s an iconic filmmaker. Sure, some may view him as controversial, but he’s making cinema that people love. The Hindi audience discovered him with Kabir Singh. Rosshan Andrrews, who is helming Deva, is another extremely talented filmmaker. I’ve loved and admired his work.”
Shahid also reflected on his early days, saying, “I will always support new talent because that’s how I got my first break. Someone gave me a chance, not because I was anybody’s son or connected to someone influential. When I signed Ishq Vishq, I didn’t even tell my father. I told him about it only after signing the film. I didn’t live with my dad back then, and nobody knew who I was.”
