Ashutosh Gowariker asked me to be human and vulnerable: Arjun Kapoor on playing Sadashiv Rao

Ashutosh Gowariker’s Panipat (2019) is the first time Arjun Kapoor will be starring in a war historical drama. He plays the character of Sadashiv Rao Bhau in the film based on the third battle of Panipat that took place in 1761. During interviews for Panipat, the obvious question was about his preparations for playing a warrior who was alive centuries ago. 

Kapoor shared that he had to unlearn the behaviour of people he has seen in previous historical films. "I have seen so many period films as a child. We have all seen them. We all get consumed by the certain behavioural pattern that comes with a period film. But eventually they were human beings. They were warriors, but they were humans. The way you behave with me during an interview is different from how you behave with a colleague," he said. 

The film features actress Kriti Sanon as his wife Parvatibai. Technically, this is her second historical if we consider the Diwali release Housefull 4 as one. 

Kapoor said that a part of unlearning was to be casual as well at times. "I wanted to be as casual as possible when it came to talking to my wife-to-be in the film or when it came speaking to my friends in the film or when it came to encourage the entire army,” he said. “There has to be some subtle differences in your personality also. Otherwise we all get caught up in being too uptight in every scene."

We are used to see warriors being portrayed as brave and fearless. However, Gowariker gave a different advice to Kapoor for this film. “Ashu sir also said, ‘Be human. Be vulnerable.’ Any person who is the leader of 50,000 to 70,000 people will have [a] vulnerability because he will fear as to whether he is doing the right thing. He is taking a decision for so many people. He won’t show it to them, but it will be seen in front of his wife," said Kapoor. 

Panipat, also starring Sanjay Dutt, is due to be released on 6 December.