Shahid Kapoor-starrer Kabir Singh was released in 2019, but discussions around the film continue. The film, which was a blockbuster at the box office, was directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and was the Hindi remake of his Telugu film Arjun Reddy. While the film was successful commercially, it drew criticism from a section of the audience for glorifying violence against women and toxic masculinity.
Pankaj Kapur defends Kabir Singh
Now, actor Pankaj Kapur has come to the defense of his son Shahid`s film Kabir Singh. In an interview with Lallantop, the veteran actor praised Shahid`s growth as an actor and highlighted his standout performances in films like Haider, Kabir Singh, and the series Farzi.
Addressing the criticism of the film promoting toxic behavior, Kapur said, “He has done good work in Kabir Singh as well. That’s okay, because toxic masculinity exists in society. Just because a film portrays it doesn’t mean it’s glorifying it. This is more about our own perspective. Films show the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. Kabir Singh depicted a flawed man, which is what makes the story compelling.”
Kapur further said that Shahid`s true potential was unlocked with Vishal Bhardwaj`s Haider in 2014. For a long time, he told Shahid and others that his strength lay in drama, which hadn’t been fully explored. Until then, he was mostly cast in sweet-boy roles. Vishal Bhardwaj unlocked that potential. Those films played a big part in shaping the actor Shahid would become. Shahid also became discerning about which projects to take on. He did brilliantly in Haider and also in Farzi,” he added.
Work front
Pankaj Kapur was last seen in the film Binny and Family in 2024. He was also seen in the web series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, directed by Anubhav Sinha. The film faced several controversies, primarily over the assignment of Hindu names to terrorists who hijacked the plane. The show was based on the real-life Kandahar Hijack of 1999.
Shahid Kapoor, on the other hand, is currently shooting for Homi Adajania`s Cocktail 2 with Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna.
