Tarun Mansukhani recently brought the Kapoor family together in Dining with the Kapoors, a Netflix documentary that offers a glimpse into the lives of one of India’s biggest film families. The Dostana and Housefull 5 director served as creative producer on the show, which was created by Armaan Jain.
In an exclusive conversation with Filmfare, he talks about how the private family welcomed the cameras into their home. He opens up about the emotional visit to Raj Kapoor’s Deonar Cottage and reflects on the different worlds of stardom he has experienced, from working with Shah Rukh Khan, the Bachchans and now, the Kapoors.
Excerpts:
How did you come on board for Dining with the Kapoors?
Armaan and I have known each other for a while. He was supposed to assist me when I was trying to make Dostana 2. The film didn’t happen, but we kept in touch. About four years ago, he approached me with the idea that he wanted to do something with his family and food. Back then, I didn’t know the family as intimately as I do now to realise how important food was to them. We kept brainstorming over random ideas until Armaan said that he wanted to have one lunch with all the family members coming together and the camera shooting them.
My first reaction was, ‘Good luck with that,’ because I knew the family was very private. They don’t like cameras coming into their personal spaces. Even Ranbir and Alia had a very intimate wedding. I wondered how Armaan intends to pull it off, but we decided to give it a shot. That’s when the process of speaking to all the family members began. I sometimes accidentally call them actors, but eventually, you realise they are just Armaan’s family. They all agreed without hesitation.
Was it a logistical challenge deciding who would be present for the shoot?
I don’t think there was any Kapoor family member who didn’t want to be a part of it. In a family that has always done this as a ritual, there was no thought of excluding anyone or avoiding certain members. The challenge was about dates. We asked everyone to give us 10 options and mixed and matched until we found one date that worked for all. After we got the family together, it was then about capturing the moments between them. It has come out well. After a point, they let go of the fact that the cameras were recording them.
What was your most surprising discovery about the Kapoor family?
I had a perception of what the Kapoor family would be like behind closed doors, and it was completely shattered. You often see them as big actors and stars but in reality, they are just a normal family. Reema Jain feels like multiple aunts of mine and Dabbu uncle (Randhir Kapoor) was like my uncles with his sarcastic remarks. How they interact with each other is how we are with our cousins. What shocked me the most was the normalcy within the family. Nobody was a big star at the table. Everything was just about being together and wasn’t anything to do with the film industry.
How was the mood during the shoot?
It was a bit odd at first with the paparazzi waiting for you, making it feel professional. But you look around and realise it’s all family. You are meeting, greeting and talking and suddenly you realise there is a camera. So it stops you in that moment from being yourself. But slowly, you start to go back into being who you are.
When Ranbir and others went into the kitchen, that wasn’t scripted. Armaan was arranging everything on his own and the family just decided to help. Navya and Shaira were plating, somebody else was putting tadka somewhere or buttering naans. Everything was just moving. They are like a big mad unit together.
With the changing definition of stardom, how would you define a star now?
Everyone is trying to figure it out. Earlier there were clear markers of stardom such as fan frenzy, brand deals or box office hits. Today, with the way the world has changed, our perception of stardom is gone. There is no metric that has popped up for us to reevaluate. Today, everyone is a star and yet no one will ever be Mr. Bachchan, SRK or Salman Khan. I don’t think we will ever see that kind of fan frenzy but there will be a redefinition of stardom. Then there will be a lot of other stars.
If you could create a Dining with the Kapoors style show again with another film family, who would you pick?
With the other Kapoors – Mr Anil Kapoor and his family. We are in talks for a second season and hopefully, will get to announce something soon.
Also Read: Exclusive:Tarun Mansukhani on Unbreakable Bond With Karan Johar & Priyanka Chopra’s Desi Girl Legacy
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: filmfare.com
