Shanaya Kapoor made her screen debut last year with Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan, where she was paired opposite Vikrant Massey. The noticeable age gap between the two actors quickly became a topic of discussion.
In her latest release, Tu Yaa Main, she stars alongside Adarsh Gourav. This time, conversations have centred on the height difference between the pair. Both casting choices move away from conventional Bollywood norms, and Shanaya believes her generation is more open to breaking established patterns.
‘It’s About Taking That Risk’
Speaking about the discussions, Shanaya clarified that her choices are not about challenging critics but about embracing creative uncertainty.
“It’s not about proving anyone wrong. I can speak about myself, and I think as an actor, it is all about taking that risk; that’s what excites me. If you read something and feel like, ‘This is something that I’ve done, and let’s go back into it,’ I don’t know how exciting that would be for me. I want to look at a scene and be thinking, ‘Oh my god, am I going to be able to pull this off or not? How do I pull this off? How do I find truth in this?’”
She added that attempting something unfamiliar is where the magic lies. “That’s where you hope to create that spark when you try to do something new and not stay to doing the same thing.”
On Changing Audience Trends
Shanaya also pointed out that it is an encouraging time for actors, with audiences returning to theatres.
She cited the impact of Dhurandhar and Border 2 as examples of renewed theatrical excitement. She further mentioned that even international titles like Marty Supreme are drawing group audiences.
“It’s an exciting time for all actors and creators. The audience had stopped coming for a bit, but now people are going in groups to watch films. That’s the fun I missed for a while as an audience. So, of course, as an actor, it’s just more exciting and motivating,” she said.
With back-to-back unconventional casting choices, Shanaya Kapoor appears ready to embrace risks that challenge both herself and industry norms.
