The info-maniac

ICE PEOPLE

When Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra called him up after his screen tests to say "Unfortunately, you're a better actor than a director. You're in my movie Rang De Basanti," Kunal Kapoor couldn't have been happier. His association with Mehra incidentally dated back to the making of Aks more than five years ago when he worked as the assistant director.

Today, as he accompanies Mehra on a series of whirlwind tours interacting with cinemagoers at theatres across various cities, Kapoor claims to be virtually numbed by the adulation. "The audience response has been overwhelming which is evident not just at the theatres but through the sizeable number of congratulatory SMSs that we've received," quips Kapoor on his way to a theatre in Baroda.

Hailing from a family which is into the construction business, Kapoor's tryst with cinema began primarily with Aks. After which he realised acting and not direction was his calling. He did theatre with Naseeruddin Shah for a year besides working with Barry John.

RDB however does not happen to be Kapoor's debut film as he appeared as the male lead opposite Tabu in M F Husain's Meenaxi two years ago.

As Kapoor rides the euphoria of his first success, he claims to be taking his own time to digest it all. "I'm reading a couple of scripts but want to take time to decide my next move," says the six foot-plus hunk who's already begun to dabble in charity.

He recently went on a dinner date with the winner of an SMS contest at Pacific Mall in Ghaziabad. "It was for a worthy cause as the proceeds of the contest would go to Helpage India," he adds.

Apart from acting and martial arts the fiery Aslam of RDB loves to write and read. "I write for fun but I'm an info-maniac and a restless reader. I read several books at a time," says Kapoor. He claims to be currently reading Jackie Chan's autobiography, God Loves Fun by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Lance Armstrong's autobiography, all simultaneously.