Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor: I am an avid reader of reviews

By - Uma Ramasubramanian for Mid Day

JUNE 25,2021

I must have done something right in my past life,' quips Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor, considering himself fortunate to bring the late Satyajit Ray's short stories to life. With the Netflix anthology series, 39Ray39, he offers a modern interpretation of the celebrated writer-filmmaker's story, 39Spotlight39. 'It is a privilege [to be part of a tribute to Ray], especially since I have entered showbusiness only recently. Honestly, I haven't watched too many of Ray's films, although I am a fan of [the ones I have seen].'Only three films old, Kapoor's choice of projects has made it evident that he has little interest in the run-of-the-mill fare. With digital entertainment booming in India and bringing a new wave of content-driven stories, the actor finds himself in the right place at the right time. 'I have consumed [films] from all over the world and they have shaped my sensibility. I don't know if this is the right time for me, but I am taking it one film at a time. In 2018, Bhavesh Joshi Superhero came out and tanked at the box-office. Then the film dropped on Netflix, and my Instagram feed was flooded with messages of people who loved the movie. The good wishes have not stopped to date.'In the five years since his debut, Kapoor has had his share of naysayers questioning his acting prowess. But the actor says he is open to constructive criticism. 'I try to learn from constructive criticism. I am an avid reader of reviews, and love reading people's feedback because I want to know how things could have been better [in a film]. That said, a lot of criticism is just to bring people down. So, it's important to separate the two.'