LIFFT India: You can carve your own path, says actor Omkar Kapoor on typecasting in films

Actor Omkar Kapoor has been a part of the film industry as a child. He acted in several films such as Hero No. 1 (1997), Judwaa (1997), and Judaai (1997), amongst others and featured with stars like Govinda, Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Sridevi, etc.

After assisting several directors in the industry, Kapoor decided to become an actor himself and made his debut with Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015). Based on the battle of the sexes theme, the film highlights the experiences of three men in love. The film was a hit at the box office. Kapoor then went on to star in India's first web movie, U, Me Aur Ghar (2017), which traces the travails of a couple trying to find a home for themselves in the city.

In an exclusive chat with Cinestaan.com, the actor talks about his unusual experiment in choosing to do a web movie and his presence at the LIFFT India festival.

Tell us about your experience at LIFFT India and your thoughts on the festival.

Well, it’s always good to attend film festivals. I attended MAMI and Jagran Film Festival in Mumbai. Riju is a colleague so I did want to lend support to him and the festival. This festival is also very different since it’s not just about films. It’s also a great location, since it’s out of the city and in a beautiful place like Lonavala.

You had starred in a web movie earlier this year. Tell us the reason for your choosing to do a web movie.

This was the first time that we were trying to do a web movie and not a web series. The character that I play in the movie is also exciting. I would love to explore more opportunities on the web. The web allows for greater freedom, given the way censorship works in our country. It allows for greater freedom as there are lots of things that we cannot do, but we can explore many more options with the web.

What is your opinion about the theatrical versus an online release of films? We’ve been discussing this topic throughout the festival, so I wanted to get your thoughts on that. 

I feel that for now, the online medium is great because it is a different medium, so why not explore all aspects of film making through the medium. It’s also a medium that connects well with the youth since they are the ones consuming online content the most. All entertainment is now available at the tips of your fingers. 

Another one of the topics discussed at the festival, is the typecasting of actors. Actors often find themselves being typecast with just one kind of role and it’s difficult for them to break out of it. Have you faced that as well, especially as you have been a part of the industry as a child actor.

In my childhood, I didn’t face this and hopefully, I’m not going to get typecast going forward. I’m an actor and I would love to explore different roles. And I am trying to break the stereotype by making my own choices.

I haven’t been trying to make a certain image as such and the film that I am working on now has me in a completely different role as compared to the roles I have played earlier. So, yes, while typecasting does exist to an extent, you can carve your own path since it’s also a choice. 

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