Jersey Trailer Launch: Shahid Kapoor Shares His Views About Reakes, Starring In Them & More(Pic Credit: Movie Stills)
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Shahid Kapoor is all set to essay the role of Arjun Raichand in the upcoming Bollywood sports drama, Jersey. Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, this 2021 film is the remake of Tinnanuri’s 2019 Telugu film of the same name starring Nani.
At the trailer launch of the film, Shahid was quizzed about doing remakes (he has also starred in Kabir Singh, the Bollywood remake of Arjun Reddy) and what he thinks of starring in them. Read on to know all he had to say.
At the trailer launch of Jersey, Shahid Kapoor was asked his views on remakes and whether he felt it’s a safer bet to do them. Answering the question, the film’s lead star said, “See, it definitely helps when you do a remake. It’s very helpful to know what ur doing.” Adding that there have been movies in his career that haven’t planned out the way he expected, he said, “I’ve had some very scary experiences so I much confess that being a part of a remake is definitely helpful as an actor because you understand what the story is, how the filmmaker wants to express himself while putting a story together and bringing his vision to it.”
Continuing further, Shahid Kapoor said, “When I did Kabir Singh and now when I’ve done this (Jersey) I’ve realized it’s very difficult to do a remake. Sometimes it’s even tougher than doing an original character.” Justifying his statement, the Udta Punjab said, “You have to make it fresh. It cannot look like a copy paste. It cannot look like you are just picking up something and re-creating it. You have to rediscover it all over again.”
Recalling working on the Bollywood remake of Arjun Reddy, Kabir Singh, Shahid Kapoor said, “We (Sandeep Reddy Vanga and him) had so many conversations because… Sometimes I had to say ‘Can Arjun Reddy leave the room so Kabir Singh can enter the room.’ It’s just so difficult for a filmmaker who’s created a character so close to his heart to give it to another actor.”
Shahid Kapoor further added, “I really feel this version of Jersey is very different from the original. When you see the film you’ll understand it’s the same story but when the character changes, when the medium changes – we’ve taken this film to Chandighar, he’s a Punjabi guy. We have brought a lot of small changes, (Pointing to Mrunal Thakur), she plays a Telugu girl. So that relationship is very different. The way this character behaves, the way his angst comes through, the way he hides his pain is very different from the original.”
Summing up his answer on his views on remakes, Shahid Kapoor said, “Once the actor changes, once the cultural background changes, the languages changes… If it’s the same, then you are probably doing something wrong because it’s not going to land for that audience and that culture. You are to bring authenticity to that story for the backdrop you are placing it against and for the person you are creating.” He concluded by saying, “This Arjun is very different from the other Arjun – and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”
Starring Shahid Kapoor as a cricketer, Jersey also features Mrunal Thakur and Pankaj Kapur in pivotal roles. Produced by Allu Aravind, Aman Gill, Dil Raju, and Suryadevara Naga Vamsi. The film will release in theatres on December 31, 2021.
