Jersey actor Shahid Kapoor on doing a dance film: ‘Usually uss genre ki films kaafi kharab hoti…’

Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor is once again on a promotion spree for his upcoming release, Jersey. The movie also stars Mrunal Thakur in a pivotal role, and is a Hindi remake of the Nani-starrer blockbuster of the same name.
Jersey was earlier supposed to release in December last year, and got pushed back due to the Omicron wave of Covid-19. Speaking about promoting the same film twice with Bollywood Hungama, Shahid said that art sometimes has a strange way of mirroring life, “I put up a story asking everybody how to promote the same film a second time because we thought we had done everything. But then Jersey is a film about second chances, so sometimes the things you do in movies, also happens in real life. It’s very strange.”

Later, Shahid was questioned about one of his key strengths as a performer, his dancing. The actor confessed that as much as he loved dancing, and would love to do a dance film, he wants that particular art form to be reflected in the best way possible, within a narrative that is rich and suits that kind of storytelling.
“I like to perform every chance I get, but for the past 6-7 years I have not done a film that has songs which feature me performing. Because, kai baar kya hota hai ki film mein gaana isliye daal do kyunki Shahid ek achcha dancer hai, but jo film ki kahani hai, character hai, kya uske liye sahi hai? (There have been many times in the past when it has happened, that a song has been put in the movie just because the makers feel I dance well. But they don’t see at that point whether that song suits the narrative of the film, or even my character). So, I want to approach that thing in a more pure way. Genuinely, I have been searching for a film where I can dance, and where dancing feels like a natural element of the film. But usually uss genre ki filmein kaafi kharab hoti hain yaar (But the films belonging to that genre usually turn out to be so bad),” Shahid said with a little laugh.

While there might still be some time left to see Shahid Kapoor feature in an out and out dance movie, fans can take relief in the fact that he will soon be gracing the big screen with his highly awaited sports drama Jersey. The movie has been helmed Gowtam Tinnanuri, who had also directed the original.
Jersey will release in cinemas on April 14.