‘My Next Is A 180-Degree Shift From ‘Black Warrant’: Zahan Kapoor (EXCLUSIVE)

Two projects in, a fourth-generation actor from the storied Kapoor clan of Bollywood, Zahan Kapoor has taken a path far removed from his famous cousins. He’s not your average star kid and his choices ("Faraaz" and "Black Warrant") make that amply clear. In an exclusive conversation with Variety India, he revisits his learnings on the job, growing up and does a bit of craftspeak in our conversation with him. Excerpts…

When you’re prepping for a role, where does one begin? Text, backstory, physicality, instinct?

I don’t think there’s a single appropriate process. I think you can attack it from every side, depending on which role and depending on the nature of the project. With something like "Black Warrant," the advantages are that there’s source material. The first thing I went to, was the book; I read it. The second thing I went to, was all kinds of interviews - video format, even print interviews and articles - around, first of all, Mr. Sunil Gupta, but also other stories around Tihar jail or the prison system. I looked at other criminals who have spoken about their time in prison and what happened to them. So that process started with research. After I did the research part, there’s a separate part: the physicality and those attributes. There was dialect work and physical work that I wanted to bring. That can inform the role, but that’s the layering. Now, another role could happen differently. Even a costume can influence you so much. If I had to hypothetically play a royal character who has very flamboyant clothing, the clothing itself or period clothing can dictate how you feel and how you move. That could inform the physicality also. Maybe you could start with just dressing; maybe you could start by picking and choosing the difference that comes, for example, with wearing slippers versus wearing heeled shoes.

What is your earliest memory of watching a movie?

My earliest memory, actually, is of watching "Tom And Jerry." I think the "Tom And Jerry" movie was the first movie I saw in the theater. My father tells this story famously about how he took me there, and midway through the movie, he turns around to look at me and sees me leaning forward with tears flowing down my face. He was a bit surprised because it’s a kids’ movie, a cartoon - why was I crying? It was the first experience for his child, right? It took him a second, but he realized I was actually so in awe that I was refusing to blink. I was just so enamored by it. It’s that real ‘adbhut ras’ - that wonder and magic of seeing these giant images and the immersive feeling of it. That’s one of the most beautiful “canon events” for me regarding how in awe I am of this medium. After that, the strongest memories I have in childhood are of two films. I remember watching Lagaan in the cinema because I was a child, but I remember it being a big deal. And I remember "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai." I am not the "DDLJ" generation; I’m after it. Shah Rukh wasn’t my first point of reference. For me, it was Hrithik (Roshan). The movie you experience as a child gives you that impression where you say, “Nobody makes them like that.” That freshness and first impression that came with "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai" was incredible.

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Have you told this to Hrithik ever?

I’ve never really interacted with him. But my God, for me, if anyone asks, Hrithik Roshan is my superstar - the first memory I have of the impact a superstar can give you. My friend Viraj and I were so obsessed, we bought the VCDs - the pirated VCDs, of course. I used to go to his house and we both bought those jaali (mesh) T-shirts. I was so obsessed with 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, I thought it was the best movie ever - drama, action, comedy. I don’t know how many times I watched it as a kid, but it was a lot. I told my mother it was the best movie ever. My mother, very upset, said, “You’ve not seen 'Sholay' yet, you don’t know.” I said, “What rubbish, 'Sholay'?” I told her 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai' was a new film. Then she sat me down and made me watch "Sholay." Of course, it blew my mind. It’s interesting that I discovered Sholay as a counter because my mother was like, “I have to teach you something.” My mother also showed my sister "Seeta Aur Geeta." She was very good at educating us, especially regarding the film connection. My father and grandfather didn’t talk about their movies or their history. My grandfather never spoke about anything. There was no reference point for the past; it was only contemporary conversation. I remember the first time my dad brought home the Laser Disc (LD) of "Jaws" or "Jurassic Park" and we watched it on the home TV. My grandfather used to just watch cricket and TV shows like Cheers. He watched classics, but he would never watch his own movies or the movies of his contemporaries. There were no dinner conversations about the past. It was always about the present: “What new film has released? Have you seen it? Is it good? What new play is happening? What is happening in politics, society or cricket?” Current affairs. Never nostalgia.

Is there a skill, or dialect, you’re trying to sharpen right now?

I realized through a couple of auditions I sent out, that being able to do an American accent is important. I want to work on regional dialects. With "Black Warrant," I had a coach and a reference point in the real Sunil Gupta. Every role gives me an opportunity to learn a new skill. That’s why I wanted to be an actor.

Does a successful show mean a barrage of suggestions on what to do next?

Dealing with the overwhelm of advice... I don’t know what the solution is. I’m also just trying to navigate it.  On a gut level, I want to be able to play the spectrum. I don’t want to be typecast.  I have to be careful because the success of a role often leads to getting offered more of the same. Yes, I’ve played a character confronting corrupt bureaucratic systems. I might have more opportunities in that world, so in contrast, I want to create an exciting palette. I want the ability to speak to different kinds of audiences with different appetites. I want to do it all - theater, mainstream, and independent cinema.

Are you likely to pick up the phone to audition for a cool script, or wait for the call to come to you?

I feel nervous reaching out sometimes because I think, “Who am I to ask?” But now, after "Black Warrant," there’s a bit more confidence.  A series on Netflix is not the “theatrical test.” It’s a tiny speck in the dream. I take it with utmost gratitude, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. There are more struggles ahead. I hope to build relationships and have the confidence to say, “I really want to work with you,” without forcing it.

Who among your peers has impressed you the most?

From my contemporaries, I love Aditya Rawal; we work together and have a relationship. I admire Adarsh Gourav - I’m mildly jealous because he’s taken the parts we both auditioned for, but kudos to him because he’s so dedicated. I’m a big fan of Sparsh Shrivastava; I loved his performance in Laapataa Ladies. Abhishek Banerjee is phenomenal and does such interesting, different roles. Ishaan Khatter has an interesting filmography. And among the women - Rasika Dugal, Tillotama Shome, Huma Qureshi - they’ve given incredible performances. The younger lot, like Pratibha Ranta and Monika Panwar.

What can we expect from you in 2026?

I’m very excited because an edgy and interesting filmmaker is making a movie that I’ve jumped on board with. We start in January. This is supposed to be theatrical, and I have a very unconventional part. It’s going to be a 180-degree shift from "Black Warrant" or "Faraaz". Fingers crossed, I might also have a series release in the first quarter that I shot before Black Warrant. It’s a younger, perhaps more nervous version of me. I’m hoping 2026 will be a busy year.