Shahid Kapoor says ‘it’s psychotic, not normal’ to call yourself a brand

“We need to learn now. Hindi cinema needs to learn what it is that they can bring to the table that will make the audience say, ‘Yes, this is what I expect from you.’ Every film I do will be an attempt in that journey, learning from the past, where the stakes teach you, and gaining from the successes one sees. It’s a journey,” Shahid told The Hollywood Reporter India.

‘You can’t be seen if you don’t have money’

Shahid added that the landscape of film promotions has changed drastically in the past seven years. “I think it’s wrong for an actor to say, ‘That success is attributed to my stardom.’ We’re not in that phase anymore. Today, producers are extremely important because the truth is you can’t be seen if you don’t have money to spend,” he claimed.

“Most of what we see on social media, and feel is organic, is not organic. It’s all bought,” added Shahid. He argued that if someone wants to hear good about them, they’d have to buy it otherwise it wouldn’t happen anymore. The only criteria for getting praise are either “getting an Oscar or something” or earning so much at the box office that nobody can dispute your praise.

Nobody disputes hit films anymore

Shahid recalled that when Kabir Singh released and amassed over Rs 370 crore at the worldwide box office, it coincided with many pointing out the violence and sexism in the film. “That’s fine. People should be able to express themselves. But now, if a film works, nobody says anything because you want to be a part of the popular opinion. And there’s mostly a certain type of film that’s working well. I think that’s not healthy for the film industry,” asserted the actor.

Shahid argued that we need to be able to “break genre” to not let the audience get too bored of any one genre. That’s exactly why he went from a sci-fi rom-com, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024), to a cop drama, Deva, last year, to an action thriller O’Romeo earlier this year, to now, a rom-com like Cocktail 2.

Shahid Kapoor in Kabir Singh.

‘Perception can be bought’

Shahid pointed out that films today can use various means to manipulate the degree of their success. “But if something is terrible, you can’t say it’s very good. I’ve seen people call a film a blockbuster even though people are saying it’s very bad. If you pay for it, even that can be carried in the news today,” said Shahid.

“Decide who you want to be and which version of you makes you feel good about yourself in the morning. If you wake up in the morning, look into the mirror, and don’t feel good about yourself, change yourself. You need to see yourself as a person. I know a lot of people see themselves as a brand or as a persona. It might work, but it’s psychotic. It’s not normal. I’m scared I should never be like that,” he confessed.

Shah Rukh Khan has previously said that he considers himself to be an employee of the ‘brand Shah Rukh Khan’.

Sad people are getting insecure

Shahid also responded to the alleged paid trolling of his Udta Punjab and Shaandaar co-star Alia Bhatt at the Cannes Film Festival last month. “Whenever one’s going through difficult times, when success and failure become such big factors that it becomes unpredictable, people do get insecure. In a generic sense, that makes sense. I never believe anything anybody says unless I see it for myself. I take everything with a pinch of salt,” said the actor.

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He added that it’s “sad” that a lot gets said these days, which is a “lot of pressure” that gets “too much to handle”. “Negativity comes with the money and the fame. It’s part of the job. That’s how life balances itself. With all that love, can come that much negativity. I just feel, be real. There was a time when you could build a persona and manipulate people’s perception. I’d say even if you’re imperfect and insecure, let people see that. When they feel you’re trying to show them something they can see through, they get pissed off and very angry,” added Shahid.