(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Arjun's character in the trailer of the film Ki & Ka wears aprons, cleans the house, does grocery shopping, cooks for his wife and spouts dialogues like, "I want to be like my mother" and "Give me some money for grocery." But he is very clear that more than giving out a social message, this film talks about the freedom of choice of these two characters. There is a gender reversal happening in Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor's forthcoming film where Arjun plays a house husband and Kareena plays an ambitious young woman who is focussed on her career.
Arjun on women
The 30-year-old Arjun Kapoor is best known for his villainous smile from his debut film Ishaqzaade but he is glad that with this film he has the opportunity to change that image and bring out his softer side to the audiences.
So would Arjun be fine if his girlfriend or wife made more money than him? "I grew up around some really strong woman. My mother is my biggest inspiration, she was a working woman. I think females are stronger emotionally than men, they are definitely superior to us. Also, as long I am doing pretty well in my career, I will be happy if my partner earns more than me," said Arjun while talking to City Times over the telephone from Mumbai.
Kareena Kareena
Kareena has acting in her DNA as she comes from the Kapoor family famously referred to as The First Family of Hindi Cinema. She was last seen with Salman Khan in the National Award winning film Bajrangi Bhaijaan. "I think I am very excited for Ki &Ka and I think its first of its kind, where you have a stay at home husband and working ambitious wife. It's going to be fun," said Kareena while talking to City Times at the TOIFA red carpet.
Arjun told us that he is one of the biggest Kareena Kapoor fans and saw Kareena's first film Refugee in a movie theater 16 years back. "Refugee and Jab We Met are my favourite Kareena films. Apart from her, I am great friends with her sister Karishma as well," said Arjun.
HE VS SHE OF BOLLYWOOD
Bollywood continues to be a male-dominated industry that creates male-centric roles. But for the last 2-3 year, the landscape is changing and women-centric roles are being written. Actresses are talking about pay gaps. Right now talented and National Film Award winning actresses like Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut and Vidya Balan do not have any leading heroes who are willing to work with them because these females refuse to be a mere prop in their films. In fact, we should also make it clear that Hollywood is accused of the same sexism.
Actresses like Patricia Arquette, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep and many others have spoken openly on how females are made to feel guilty for expecting more or equal money than men. Let's oversee the current scenario of Bollywood from both the perceptive.
He: The audience is ready is see an older actor in the main role. Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, who are in their fifties are still playing college students and romancing actresses half their age.
She: Actresses have a shelf life. After 34-35, things start looking down for them. Actors like Juhi Chawla, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala who started their career with the three Khans are nowhere part of the current scenario of the industry.
He: Actors like Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar are still doing formula films and why not, because most of these film get money in the industry. Ultimately it is a Hero who pulls in the audience to the theatre. Also, when a film flops, it is generally the hero who gets blamed.
She: Hindi films in the last few years have offered female actors different character sketches to widen their horizon. Actresses gave in their best and their efforts clicked at the box-office. With films like NH 10, Queen, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Piku, Kahaani, The Dirty Pictures, women are finally bringing in the moolah and showing what they are capable of.
He: Hero gets a big budget film and more people are willing to invest in those films.
She: Heroines do not get great roles generally because of lazy and bad writing but lately there some of them have managed to make a success of low-budget films revolving around women (NH10, Piku, Kahaani, Masaan).
HE: Anushka Sharma recently revealed in an interview that a male actor gets bigger rooms and better cars during outdoor schedule.
She: We think this is largely due to the patriarchal way in which Indian society thinks. But India is changing and so is the mindset of the film industry. So one can look up in this regard.
Ki & Ka not a documentary on women empowerment: Kareena
Kareena Kapoor Khan may be playing an independent career-oriented woman in her upcoming film Ki & Ka, but the actress says the movie is not about women empowerment. The 35-year-old actress, who was in the capital along with co-star Arjun Kapoor to promote the R Balki-directed movie, said the film is not trying to bring any change in the society. "Films are a medium of entertainment first. This movie is not a documentary on women empowerment or gender equality or is aimed to bring about a change in the society. "People can see the film and enjoy it and if after watching it they take back so message thats an add on. But this movie is no where an revolution," Kareena said.
The movie stars Arjun, 30, as Kabir, who decides to be a homemaker while, his wife pursues high-climbing corporate job. The makers initially focused on the unusual storyline of the movie but Arjun says it is more about freedom of choice than gender equality. "The film is not dedicated to women empowerment. It is about the society which should treat men and women equally. Everyone should be free to make choices. We are not the torch bearers of women empowerment. I feel women are very empowered and we need to respect that," Arjun said. Balki, whose last outing was Shamitabh, also agreed with the lead pair saying that he never wrote any of his stories with an intention to give a social message.
"I have never ever made a film with a message. I don't write a film keeping in mind the social issues. I just want to tell a story which is entertaining and fun. "In the process of telling the story, if somebody gets a message well and good. But I think the fundamental purpose of the film is entertainment," he said. PTI
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