Abhishek Kapoor on 9 years of Kai Po Che!, response to Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui and more

Filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor is known for making films that carry a message, be it Kai Po Che! (2013) or his recent Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (CKA, 2021). The Ayushmann Khurrana and Vaani Kapoor-starrer also reflected Abhishek’s trademark style and earned positive reviews.

But the movie’s box-office collections suffered the consequences of the theatre closures caused by the Covid-19 crisis. Abhishek says, “I wish the Omicron variant had not come and dampened the spirit of the film. A week into the film’s release, theatres had to shut down.” But the 50-year-old is happy that when the movie was streamed on a web platform later, it received appreciation again.

Another film whose reaction Abhishek remembers is Kai Po Che!, which completes nine years of its release on February 22: “We worked very hard on that film, with the finest of actors and crew. If you want the film to be more than what it is, then more than one department has to shine.” He also adds that adapting best-selling books into films wasn’t easy, as was the case with this film, which was an adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s 3 Mistakes of My Life. He says, “It was an original script. But when you take a book, especially a successful book, it is tough.”

Lastly, how can one discuss his career without mentioning late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who made his film debut in this one. The filmmaker recounts, “He was a very hard working and excited boy when we cast him, all charged. His body language exuded hyper energy. He would come on camera and was ready to go, he had the energy needed for the character of Ishaan. He was a cricketer who didn’t make it, so he had that frustration and disappointment. He brought it out beautifully. Then again, Amit Sadh and Rajkummar Rao too were shining. They played complicated characters, one example is the climax. As much noticed as Sushant was, the other two were not behind.”