Sushant Singh Rajput’s dedication made Shekhar Kapur ‘fall in love’ with the actor; their film was shelved: ‘He refused many films for this’

Shekhar further revealed that the actor would sometimes call him late at night just to discuss small details about his character. The filmmaker said that it became an ‘addiction’ for him. Witnessing Sushant’s dedication to his craft and his passion for the project during the three-month preparation period, Shekhar said he “kind of fell in love with” the actor.

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‘Sushant cried after Paani shelved’

However, the filmmaker shared that Sushant was shattered when YRF backed out of the project. “Jab film bandh ho gayi and he realised he wasn’t doing the film, bohot roya woh. Main bhi roya. Woh rota tha toh main bhi rota tha saath-saath because I was also passionately and deeply involved with it. Humari zindagiyaan hi kuch aisi hoti hai – ups and downs. Aur yeh jo lafz hai – depression… Aisa nahi hai main keh raha hoon ki depression nahi hoti, main aisa keh raha hoon ki depression ek lafz hai jiske saath hum khel lete hai (When the film was shelved and he realised he wasn’t doing the film, he cried a lot. I cried too. I would cry every time he cried because I was also passionately and deeply involved with it. Our lives are full of ups and downs. This term – ‘depression’… I am not saying that depression does not exist, I am saying that we play with depression). As creative people, it is an emotion that we play with,” he said.

Shekhar also shared how the producers refused to make the film with Sushant and asked him to work on another project with a different actor instead. He said, “Paani, producers ne kaha, ‘Hum nahi banayenge Sushant ke saath. Paani nahi banegi.’ Kuch aur film koshish karke bana leta, woh nahi kiya. Main bahar chale gaya Hindustan se. Gussa, naraaz ho gaya (The producers said, ‘We will not make Paani with Sushant. Paani will not be made.’ I should have tried to make another film with him, which I didn’t. I left India as I was angry and upset),” he said.

However, after Sushant’s death, Aditya Chopra told the Mumbai Police that Paani was shelved due to creative differences with Shekhar Kapur and not because of Sushant, as per ANI.

‘Sushant left many projects for Paani’

It has also been reported that Sushant turned down six projects during his preparation for Paani. Reports suggest that he even let go of high-profile films like Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram-Leela and Fitoor to star in Paani. “He said no to so many films just because of Paani. Logo ko laga ki woh star ban gaya hai toh isi liye he was acting arrogant (People thought he is acting arrogant because he has become a star), but he was genuinely happy and excited about the film. Everyone wants to work with Shekhar Kapur. I was there when he was confirmed for the film. Jaise bacche ko khilona mil jaata hai aur woh khush ho jaata hai, waise hi he was very happy after the news. Unfortunately, the film didn’t happen,” Mukesh Chhabra said at an event in Mumbai.

Sushant passed away in 2020.