Veteran actor Rajat Kapoor, who has recently been seen in a string of authoritative government officer roles, has opened up about his upcoming reprisal in the highly anticipated thriller Drishyam 3. In an exclusive conversation, Kapoor humorously downplayed the complexity of his part, stating he essentially just "stands behind" his on-screen wife, played by Tabu.
The 'Cop Husband' Returns with No New Arc
Kapoor will soon return as the civilian husband of Inspector General Meera Deshmukh (Tabu) in Abhishek Pathak's Drishyam 3, slated for release next year. His character is caught in the moral conflict between his wife's extrajudicial actions and the desperate search for their son's killer. When asked if the threequel would offer a new dimension to his role, Kapoor was candid.
"There's nothing to crack. I was standing behind Tabu, that's it," Kapoor said nonchalantly. He added with a laugh, "There's no arc. I'm still standing behind Tabu." This self-effacing take highlights his character's supportive, yet arguably peripheral, position within the central family drama of the franchise.
From Raid 2 to Raat Akeli Hai: A Year of Officers
The actor has indeed had a busy year portraying figures of authority. Earlier in 2024, he played a senior Income Tax officer superior to Ajay Devgn's character in Raid 2. More recently, he appeared as a Directorate General of Police (DGP) in Honey Trehan's Netflix whodunit Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders, where his character was superior to Nawazuddin Siddiqui's ACP Jatil Yadav.
"Oh man, income tax, CBI, that's where I'm stuck at," Kapoor joked about his recent typecasting. He did, however, draw a distinction between a generic officer role and a fleshed-out character like Siddiqui's. "The problem with playing a generic cop of this kind... is that you've got nothing to do. He just comes in the end and says, 'Chalo sab andar!' That would be boring," he explained.
Collaboration and Improvisation
While he presents himself as someone who submits to the script, Kapoor emphasized that he values the organic process of filmmaking, which includes room for improvisation. "You can't close yourself to that because then you've already made your film," he stated. He revealed that in most of his projects, directors are open to such contributions, recalling only one instance where a director was rigidly attached to the exact written dialogue.
Raat Akeli Hai marked his second collaboration this year with writer Smita Sharma, who previously crafted his memorable role of Hakim in the Prime Video horror series Khauf. Kapoor is a huge admirer of her work, praising her ability to weave larger social concerns into genre narratives. "The common ground would be her larger social concern, that's there in Khauf and is also reflected in this one," he noted.
The Director's Struggle in a Challenging Market
While acting gigs are keeping him busy, Kapoor's passion project—his directorial career—has faced significant hurdles. A National Award-winning director for films like Raghu Romeo, his last directorial RK/RKay released over three years ago. He currently faces difficulties releasing a film he completed two years ago.
"It's the same old thing. You never have money," he said, outlining the constant battle for funding. "But one can be bitter about it or one can say okay, this is what it is. This is the marketspace we live in. You got to keep doing the thing you believe in."
He acknowledged the bleak scenario for independent cinema in India today, where even crowdfunding has limited reach. However, he finds hope in the relentless spirit of indie filmmakers. "There are filmmakers like Payal Kapadia, Rima Das, and Prateek Vats, who will find a way to do it. They may even sell their houses if they have to. They'll loot a bank if they have to. That's all a part of the hope," Kapoor added with a mix of realism and optimism.
As audiences await his return to the high-stakes world of Drishyam 3, Rajat Kapoor continues to navigate the dual paths of a character actor who submits to the script and a director who fights to bring his own visions to life.
