Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor: Hrithik messaged me, ‘What you’re doing isn’t stereotypical, it’ll pay off’

Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor’s slow but steady approach towards his career seems to be garnering him a lot of support, both from within, and outside the film industry.

Last seen in the web anthology Ray, the 30-year-old says the response has been “overwhelming”.

He elaborates, “I always knew that Spotlight was a very offbeat film compared to what I’ve done so far in my short stint. It was the most absurdist, progressive of the lot. I loved it, but was unsure how people would respond. I expected it to be polarising, but didn’t expect it to be liked so much.”

In fact, Kapoor found an admirer in actor Hrithik Roshan. He reads out Roshan’s message on his phone, and tells us, “I was up early morning — shooting for my upcoming film — in my vanity van, when Hrithik messaged, ‘Hey Harsh, is this your number?’ Then he said, ‘I watched Spotlight and thought the film was terrific. Keep doing what you’re doing, it’s the right way. It’s not stereotypical, which audiences are used to, which is why it’ll pay off in the long term’. That’s something I’ve always believed in as well.”

Kapoor is all praises for Roshan and calls him a legend, icon and megastar. He gushes, “For him to actually take out time, get my number and text me, that was something incredible. A lot of other people… Nandita Das, Ram Madhvani, Sujoy Ghosh, Anurag Kashyap, all reached out. It has been amazing, and I’m grateful for it.”

The actor says his choices of projects have got to do with the kind of person he is. He asserts that he listens to the “voice inside” him very carefully.

“We’re are artistes, our confidence does fluctuate, we can feel on top of the world and that we can conquer everything. Then there are days you feel opposite of that. Within those ups and downs is the unwavering belief in myself, and the path I’ve chosen. I enjoy that challenge,” Kapoor waxes philosophical.