Shahid Kapoor reacts to Farzi, Bloody Daddy becoming most watched show and film on OTT this year

Having been round for twenty years, actor Shahid Kapoor has seen the definition of stardom change, particularly with the rise of social media and OTT, Despite each of his latest tasks on the medium Farzi and Bloody Daddy registering most-watched numbers of their respective classes (to an Ormax report) the actor continues to put better significance on a completely completely different marker.

“I have always craved to have the audiences’ respect. I feel once an artist, whether it’s a filmmaker or actor, even a sportsperson, has the people’s respect, they will be able to create consistency in their graph. Things are very unpredictable,” he says.

That is why, by choosing the OTT tasks that he did, Kapoor stepped into uncharted territory- channelising the angst he has exhibited in his big-screen roles into elements that required slickness and flirting with gray shades. “As an actor, you should not just presume that just because you are a star, people will like you across the board, it doesn’t work like that! The audience has become very mature and clear about who they like. I was keen to see how people respond to me in that space,” he says.

Explaining the unpredictability additional, he continues, “There are highs and lows which I feel are very opposing in nature. You can see that happening to various actors who are super successful, and nothing is working. It’s important to build a reputation. You really have to think whether you are here for 10 years, 15, or 30 years- you have to understand what game you are playing. Are you running a 100 metre race, or a marathon? As a leading man, it is important to understand how long you want to be here, and if you are playing the big game. Then one or two (low) years here and there should not derail you.”

Kapoor, who can be seen subsequent in a yet-untitled movie with Kriti Sanon, cites the instance of his personal profession, which went via a roller-coaster experience till it stabilised a bit within the final couple of years. “I am gaining experience and learning to get it right more often. I have been through phases where I got it right but in a very scattered manner. This is probably a challenging time and that is great for someone who is up for a challenge. I am enjoying it. I feel this is a good game to play,” he ends.