10 Facts You’d Want To Know About Harshvardhan Kapoor

Meet the newest star-kid in town. Anil Kapoor’s son Harshvardhan Kapoor is as intense and passionate about his work as his father, and a lot more focused. Unlike Anil , Harsh won’t do more than one film at a time. But he will work uninterrupted.

Now that he has finished shooting for his debut film Mirzya Harshvardhan is already shooting for his second film Vikramaditya Motwane’s Bhavesh Joshi. As ‘D’ day approaches , we look at unknown facts about the extremely reclusive Kapoor scion.

1. When Harshvardhan, called Harsh by family and friends, was offered Mirzya by director Rakeysh Mehrathree years ago he said no to the offer. It was when Harsh visited his sister Sonam on the sets of Mehra’s Delhi 6. At that point of time he wanted to be a filmmaker and even assisted Anurag Kashyap on Bombay Velvet. ButMehra waited. He knew Harsh would come around to his real vocation in life.

2. Harsh was sent to South Africa to learn acting from Tina Bertina. She taught Harsh how to hold a frame for the longest time without losing concentration. She also taught Harsh to surrender completely to the characters he plays.

3. Harsh had to learn horse riding , archery and polo for Mirzya. Not satisfied with the  training facilities available in India , Harsh was sent  off to the US.In Seattle on a ranch Harsh lived , slept, ate and worked with horses. He now claims he knows more about horses than about human beings.

4. Harsh is a certifiable recluse. “I am  in the habit of disappearing for a few weeks and my family is used to that,” he tells me without fuss.

5. Harsh won’t lie ,come what may. It doesn’t matter if his honesty gets him into trouble. But he won’t bullshit about anything. If he doesn’t like a filmmaker’s work  he won’t work with him and it doesn’t matter  if that filmmaker is a self-styled Spielberg. In his lack of diplomacy Harsh is a complete opposite to his dad. “I can’t be nice to anyone just to get in that person’s good books,”  he says.

6.     Dotes on his two sister Rhea and Sonam and has their names tattooed on his back. Admits to being closer to Rhea. “She is a home bird like me. Sonam is more outgoing . Spends a lot of time travelling.Rhea and I would rather be curled up at home with a book,” Harsh confesses.

7.     Harsh’s favourite films of his dad Anil Kapoor? “Parinda, My Wife’s Murder, Dil Dhadakne Do, SulmdogMillionaire.”  Admits to not sharing a close relationship with his father during childhood. “Dad was busy working.We siblings were completely brought up by Mom.” Growing older  Harsh came closer to his father for their shared passion for cinema. “But I don’t consult Dad about the roles that I do.I’ve chosen my first two films on my own and I’m about to sign a third.”

8.     Harsh’s second film Vikaramditya Motwane’s Bhavesh Joshi was first offered to Harsh  some years ago.Harsh felt he was too young and inexperienced for the part. Motwane went to Imran Khan and then SiddharthMalhotra and  finally came back to Harshvardhan. “I guess every role has its own destiny,” says the wiser-beyond-his-years youngster.

9.     Harsh’s favourite actors: “Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, Cate Blanchett, Brit Marling , Jennifer Lawrence,Felicity Jones,Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Jared Leto.”

10.  Wishlist of Directors: “I don’t have a wishlist because I’ve already worked with the directors RakeyshMehra and Vikramaditya Moywane who were on my wishlist. But yes , I’d like to work with Rakeysh Mehraagain.”