Zahaan Kapoor asserts he is ‘not Ranbir’: I am different, I grew up differently

Zahaan Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor

Zahaan Kapoor, grandson of legendary Indian actor Shashi Kapoor, made his screen debut in Faraaz (2022) followed by the central turn in Netflix’s recent Black Warrant. The series, created by Vikramaditya Motwane and Satyanshu Singh, received critical acclaim and earned Zahaan wider recognition.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Zahaan, who started out on stage, described his family’s legacy as a ‘double-edged sword’. The young actor talked of the pressure of being perceived as the ‘next Kapoor’, a label earlier bestowed upon his second cousin Ranbir Kapoor.

“Post Ranbir’s launch, which changed things, everyone was like, “He is the next Kapoor.” But I am not Ranbir. I am different, I grew up differently. He is Rishi Kapoor’s son, so there is an immediacy. He is a working member of the film industry. I am on the fence, not in the epicentre. The advice is coming from the epicentre, but I am not being treated like that also,” Zahaan was quoted as saying by THR India.

Zahaan’s father, Kunal Kapoor, acted in a string of films in the 1970s and 80s and is the co-trustee of Mumbai’s Prithvi Theatre. He quit acting at an early stage in his career.

Zahaan maintained that while there are advantages of hailing from an illustrious film family, the path he is navigating is entirely his own.

“Which is why it is a double-edged sword. Certain doors open, but not all. I won’t get bullied, as opposed to someone who is an outsider, but the expectation is there. I am extremely nervous about not taking it for granted. I don’t want to be somebody else’s experiment. As a producer you might say this works on paper, let’s take a chance with this at the box office. But I need to feel confident today,” he said.

A gritty, discomfiting prison drama, Black Warrant was adapted from former Tihar jailer Sunil Gupta’s eponymous memoir. His role was played in the series by Zahaan.

While a second season of Black Warrant hasn’t been officially announced, creator Vikramaditya Motwane recently told The Hindu that the ideation process has begun. “I hope it happens soon. Fingers crossed,” Motwane said.