Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

I have built my career on adaptations: Anil Kapoor

The actor is returning to long format with the Indian adaptation of The Night Manager.

I have built my career on adaptations: Anil Kapoor

It's not easy to find something exciting after spending four decades in movies, says veteran actor Anil Kapoor, who is not averse to adaptations provided the story resonates with him.

The actor is returning to long format with the Indian adaptation of The Night Manager. He last adapted popular American show 24 for the Indian television screens.


“After spending four decades, it becomes difficult to choose what to do next that is different from what I have done in the past. I just look at the role, the script... (My) films like ‘Woh Saat Din’, ‘Eeshwar’, ‘Virasat’, ‘Judaai’, ‘Beta’, ‘24’ and others have been adaptations and they are all successful. I have built my career on this, ” Kapoor told PTI in an interview here.

Billed as a high-octane thriller, "The Night Manager" is the Hindi adaptation of John le Carre's novel of the same name. A British series on the novel has been made with Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Elizabeth Debicki, and Olivia Colman.

The Indian version is created and directed by Sandeep Modi and produced by The Ink Factory and Banijay Asia. Priyanka Ghosh is attached as a co-director.

Kapoor said when "The Night Manager" offer came he really loved the script.

"This is a role I feel I have never done before. It has shades of grey. I have played positive parts. This was a more challenging role,” the actor said, describing his character of arms dealer Shelly Rungta.

In the Indian adaptation of “The Night Manager”, Kapoor steps into a role that was essayed by Hugh Laurie in the British version.

Kapoor said the attempt was not to mimic Laurie in anyway and rather create a different character.

“It automatically becomes different because we are two different people. You cannot mimic someone, you are speaking different language, the entire body language, the culture and values everything changes. Even though the emotions are same but the way you express it, it is different,” he added.

He is returning to the series format after the success of 2013's "24", which he adapted for Indian television following his stint in the international version.

The actor said a decade ago many industry people were hesitant to do a long format show and he too was advised by his colleagues to not do the American TV series.

“Even when I was doing ‘24’ internationally everybody said you are a big screen, mainstream actor, how can you go to television. For me, it is always about the story and role. I wanted to experience it (TV), no matter what happens,” he said.

Kapoor later bought the official rights of the hit espionage drama, which was launched in India on a leading TV channel in 2013. The idea of a limited TV series didn’t excite many people in India back then, said Kapoor.

“I wanted to get that world back here as it was very exciting. The way I pitched ‘24’ to all the platforms (here) was, 'I am going to give you 24 good films' but nobody took me seriously except for a few of them,” he said.

The third season of the show didn't materialise, possibly due to budget issues, he said.

Kapoor is happy that the OTT boom has brought a much-needed change of perception in the industry. “As the boom of OTT started, everything changed. During COVID-19, it became bigger. Now, it is there in every household. It will become bigger and bigger with the connectivity of the internet in India,” he said.

The actor feels blessed that filmmakers, especially the young writers and directors, come up with interesting projects for him.

“I try to work with younger storytellers, because they are offering me something that is progressive rather than something that I have already done. The key is to do different things, which I have been doing for 42-43 years,” he added.

Kapoor, who was recently seen in movies "Thar" and "Jugjugg Jeeyo", said the "trickiest" job for an actor is to wait for right roles and avoid getting boxed into stereotypical characters.

“Before they can box you, you move to the next. You are ready to fail, ready to fall flat, and all of that. I knew there is a possibility that it might go wrong but I was taking that plunge. And at times, there is greed and you feel that there might not be any role that will be offered to you. But then you sit at home, relax with family, and then the right offer comes to you,” the actor added.

Up next for him are “Animal” with Ranbir Kapoor and “Fighter” with Hrithik Roshan.

"It is too early to talk about ‘Fighter’ and ‘Animal’. I have been fortunate that filmmakers have cast me in all genres,” he said.

“The Night Manager” also features Aditya Roy Kapur, Shobita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome, Saswata Chatterjee, and Ravi Behl in pivotal roles. It premieres on February 17.

(PTI)

More For You

Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa

Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa expecting first child, share news with sweet Instagram post

Instagram/patralekhaa

Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa announce pregnancy in joint Instagram post

Highlights:

  • Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa announced their pregnancy via a joint Instagram post on Wednesday.
  • The image showed a floral cradle with “Baby on the way” written on it, captioned simply: “Elated ❤️.”
  • Industry friends including Farah Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, and Esha Gupta congratulated them.
  • The couple, who were together for 11 years before marrying in 2021, recently launched their production house, KAMPA Film.

Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa shared that they are expecting their first child together in a joint Instagram post on Wednesday. The announcement came with a floral-themed image featuring a cradle illustration that read, “Baby on the way,” along with their names. The couple summed up their feelings in one word: “Elated.”

 Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa smiling during a public appearance earlier this year Instagram/patralekhaa/rajkummar_rao 

Keep ReadingShow less
Sara Arjun

Dhurandhar teaser reveals glimpses of Sara and Ranveer’s on-screen pairing

Instagram Screengrab/saraarjun.fan.club

Sara Arjun who earned £950,000 as a child, stars opposite 40-year-old Ranveer Singh in 'Dhurandhar'

Highlights:

  • Sara Arjun, once India’s highest-paid child actor, stars opposite Ranveer Singh in Dhurandhar.
  • Started her career at 18 months old and rose to fame with Deiva Thirumagal.
  • The teaser dropped on 6 July, coinciding with Ranveer’s 40th birthday.
  • The film has sparked online criticism over the 20-year age gap between the leads.

Once a toddler in detergent ads and later the daughter of Vikram in Deiva Thirumagal, Sara Arjun is now stepping into the spotlight as the female lead in Dhurandhar, Aditya Dhar’s espionage drama starring Ranveer Singh. The teaser, released on Singh’s 40th birthday, has made waves not just for its slick visuals but also for the casting of Sara opposite the veteran star.

 Sara Arjun Former child star Sara Arjun cast as Ranveer Singh’s romantic lead in 'Dhurandhar' at age 20 Facebook/Sara Arjun

Keep ReadingShow less
Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp attends the "Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness" Screening at the Red Sea International Film Festival

Getty Images

Johnny Depp says Warner Bros. pushed him to ''retire'' from 'Fantastic Beasts' after libel case

Highlights:

  • Johnny Depp says Warner Bros. asked him to resign from Fantastic Beasts in 2020, but he felt they wanted him to retire.
  • The actor had just lost a libel case against The Sun, which referred to him as a “wife-beater.”
  • Depp was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen in The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).
  • He has now returned to directing after 20 years with his new film Modì, releasing on 11 July in the UK.

Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has opened up about being removed from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, saying he felt the studio’s request for his resignation was effectively a push into retirement. Depp made the comments in a recent interview while promoting his new directorial project Modì: Three Days on the Wing of Madness.

In 2020, shortly after losing a high-profile libel case against The Sun over claims of domestic abuse during his marriage to Amber Heard, Depp was asked to step down from the Harry Potter spin-off series. Speaking about the moment, Depp said, “It literally stopped in a millisecond, like, while I was doing the movie. They said, ‘We’d like you to resign.’ But what was really in my head was, they wanted me to retire.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Ranbir Kapoor Ramayana

Ranbir Kapoor will play Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming Ramayana

Youtube Screengrab/Sony Music India

Ranbir Kapoor tops 'Ramayana' cast fees with £14 million as Yash and Sai Pallavi secure record pay

Highlights:

 
     
  • Ranbir Kapoor is reportedly earning £14 million (₹150 crore) for playing Lord Rama in both parts of Ramayana.
  •  
  • Yash, cast as Raavan and also producing, is expected to receive £9.3 million (₹100 crore).
  •  
  • Sai Pallavi will reportedly take home £1.1 million (₹12 crore) as Sita.
  •  
  • Sunny Deol is said to be charging £3.7 million (₹40 crore) for portraying Hanuman.
  •  
 

The upcoming two-part film Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is shaping up to be one of the most expensive projects in Indian cinema history. With its Diwali 2026 and 2027 releases already confirmed, all eyes are now on the cast’s sky-high fees.

Though the production house hasn’t officially confirmed individual earnings, multiple media reports, including those from Siasat.com and Republic, have provided a breakdown of what the film's leading stars are reportedly taking home, and the numbers are staggering.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gregg Wallace sacked

Gregg Wallace dropped from MasterChef after over 50 sexual misconduct claims surface

Getty Images

Gregg Wallace sacked from MasterChef after fresh sexual misconduct allegations from over 50 people

Highlights:

  • Gregg Wallace has been dropped from MasterChef following a misconduct probe.
  • BBC was approached by over 50 individuals with new allegations, including sexual misconduct.
  • Wallace says an independent investigation cleared him of “serious” claims but found him guilty of inappropriate language.
  • He has hit back at the BBC, accusing them of betrayal and failing to support his autism diagnosis.

Gregg Wallace has been officially removed from MasterChef after more than 50 new individuals came forward with misconduct allegations spanning his two-decade television career. The move follows an ongoing investigation led by law firm Lewis Silkin, commissioned by the show’s production company, Banijay UK, into Wallace’s behaviour.

While Wallace claims he has been cleared of the “most serious and sensational” accusations, he was reportedly found responsible for inappropriate language and comments dating back as far as 2005. The BBC, which aired MasterChef, is now facing renewed scrutiny over how long-standing concerns about Wallace’s behaviour were handled internally.

Keep ReadingShow less