10 years of Kapoor & Sons: Fawad Khan asked if homosexuality was a whisper or shout, says Shakun Batra

Filmmaker Shakun Batra reflects on the 10th anniversary of Kapoor & Sons, recalling challenges in casting and the subtle representation of homosexuality.

Filmmaker Shakun Batra takes a trip down memory lane as Kapoor & Sons completes a decade. Batra's, Rishi Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Fawad Khan, Ratna Pathak Shah, Rajat Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra starrer, Kapoor & Sons hits the ten year mark on Wednesday, March 18.

Recalling memories of the making, Shakun tells us, “There was a two year gap between when the film was written and when it got made. A lot of actors turned it down in the beginning. Actors weren't comfortable playing homosexuals back then and at one point I thought I need to move on, I'll never get to make the film. Fawad loved the script and called me to ask 'Is homosexuality a whisper or a shout?' I told him it's a whisper and he was on board. That's the only conversation we had, that homosexuality would be presented in a subtle manner, without saying it out loud.” He adds, "There are little hints like tangerine shoes or self concious moments with his mother. We wanted families to connect to the film and feel this person could be part of their family and it does not change anything, we didn't show anything that would be off putting. I remember watching the scene where Fawad Khan breaks down in front of Ratna Pathak Shah saying he isn't the perfect son and I haven't been so touched by any other scene, I watched it from the lens of an audience, not a filmmaker."

He adds that Sidharth's character was inspired by his relationship with his sister who considers him as the "favourite child."

Rishi Kapoor as the partiach of the Kapoor family recieved much love. Shakun says, "There wasn't a single day where Rishiji and I did not argue on set but he showered me with so much love after watching the movie. He invited me for dinner at Royal China and it was a weird date where he let his guard down and told me how much love he recieved for the character. Greg Cannom, the Oscar-winning makeup artist who had done Benjamin Button's look for Brad Pitt was in India and he agreed to do Rishiji's makeup, at that point there were very few artists doing that quality of silicone prosthetics. Neetuji (Kapoor) could not recognise him in his getup."

Speaking about Alia he says, “Alia was the most generous actor even though she had the smallest part. She told me 'I know I may not be on the poster because I'm not part of the main Kapoor family but I love the script enough to jump in.' She brought a certain energy each day.”