Anil Kapoor on working with son Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor: ‘Admire his fearlessness’

On Monday, Anil Kapoor, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Satish Kaushik came together to launch the trailer of their upcoming film Thar. The desert noir is set in Rajasthan and has been helmed Raj Singh Chaudhary. It will premiere on Netflix on May 6. The film also marks the second collaboration of the father-son duo after AK vs AK.
As the media quizzed Harsh on working with his father, he said that he was focused on the job and did not get overwhelmed the situation. He also added that he didn’t see it as (working opposite) a family member. “I just approach the scene the same way I would if it was anybody else. AK vs AK was quite different; it had comedy, dark humour. This is more cinematic and visual. The idea is to break away from the conventions of what people expect a father and son to do together.”
In answer to ’s question about working with his son, Anil said that while he was nervous, the ice between the actors was broken in the first film.

 
“The tentativeness and anxiousness was there when we started shooting AK vs AK. And honestly, I was more nervous than him. Harsh also had a long monologue in the film and I was worried about that. I have never done that in my career. But when Harsh finished the shot — Vikram (Motwane) and Anurag (Kashyap) – both have always been encouraging and critical out of love, and were so pleased. Anurag was clapping while Vikram came and hugged him. Harsh later told me that Bhavesh Joshi ke time itne pyaar se baat nahi ki thi unhone (They never spoke to him with so much love during Bhavesh Joshi). And when I saw him perform, I realised what he is capable of.”
The proud father could not stop showering Harsh with words of praise. Sharing that people have this wrong impression of him that he is introvert and serious, Anil said, “One tends to create a perception. But when I saw him do that scene which was so funny, I was happy that the entire media, critics and everybody praised his work and loved what he did. Apart from relief, I was so happy and proud.”

 
The Mr India actor also shared that if he was in Harsh’s place, he wouldn’t have done a small role in a film with his father as lead. “Main bolta father ka role do (I would have asked for the father’s role). This is the way the younger generation works. They are so fearless, at least he is. And I really admire that about him, and am really proud.”
As Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor smiled sheepishly at his father’s sudden display of love, Anil Kapoor shared a fun anecdote from the shoot of Thar. He revealed that he gave his son some suggestions but he outrightly rejected them.

“When we were shooting for Thar, I had one or two suggestions, but he rejected it (laughs). He did it in his own way, and he was right and I was wrong. I really enjoyed working with him,” he shared.
Also starring Satish Kaushik, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Mukti Mohan and Jitendra Joshi, Thar will begin streaming from May 6 on Netflix.