Pankaj Kapur says asking for script made him a difficult actor early in his career

Pankaj Kapur said he was labelled a "difficult actor" early in his career because he insisted on reading the script before accepting roles.

Veteran actor Pankaj Kapur said the long-standing perception of him being a “difficult actor” largely came from his insistence on reading a proper script before agreeing to a role. The actor explained that early in his career, asking for a script was considered unusual in the industry, which eventually led to the label sticking with him.

Kapur recently addressed the issue during an interview with Zoom while promoting his latest film Jab Khuli Kitaab, in which he stars alongside Dimple Kapadia. The film is directed by Saurabh Shukla, who was also present during the conversation.

Speaking about how the perception began, Kapur recalled that it dates back to the time he moved to Mumbai after completing his training at the National School of Drama.

Clarifying the situation, Pankaj said, “When I came from the National School of Drama to Mumbai, and I started to find work, I was asked to play a certain part. I asked for a script, and they said I'm a difficult actor for asking for one. For years, it stuck on because I would say I would not work without a script and without knowing what I am doing in this given structure of things. A whole lot of people got put off by that, and they branded me as a difficult actor.”

The actor added that during earlier decades in the industry, it was common for actors to arrive on set without having read the complete script beforehand. Scenes were often given shortly before filming, leaving actors to prepare at the last minute.

Explaining the working culture at the time, he said, “In those days, nobody would ask for a script. Even the hero wouldn’t ask for a script. The director would say, ‘Come’, and he would go there, and the scenes were given at the last minute. They would just prepare the scenes and perform them. Hats off to those actors who did that. My training taught me that without a script, without knowing my role, and without developing the character I was meant to portray, I couldn’t perform,” Pankaj said.