Shahid Kapoor Talks About Portraying Kabir Singh 'Authentically', Says 'Girls Fall In Love With Guys Like That'

Shahid Kapoor recently opened up about the controversy surrounding his film 'Kabir Singh', admitting that his job is to present the character authentically, not judge them.

Kabir Singh, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, was released in 2019.

Source : Instagram/@shahidkapoor

New Delhi: One of Shahid Kapoor's most iconic performances was playing the complex and flawed character of ‘Kabir Singh’. There was a lot of discussion on the film's depiction of toxic masculinity and how it may affect viewers. Shahid recently voiced his opinion on the character and his acting part in relation to these continuing debates.

Shahid Kapoor Reflects on Kabir Singh’s Controversial Character

Talking to Faye D'Souza, Shahid admitted that many of Kabir Singh's deeds were "unacceptable," but he stood by the film's portrayal of the real-life character. He elaborated that such tragic characters really exist and that women in particular might fall head over heels for them, despite the character's obvious flaws. 

The actor said, "I would not accept a guy like that, but do guys like that exist? Do girls like that fall in love with guys like that? Yes, they do, so why can't we make a movie about it? You walk away, and you decide what you like and what you don't like. That's really up to you as an audience."

When questioned whether films can change people's attitudes and actions, Shahid said he would be "fine with that" if someone saw Kabir Singh and decided they never want to meet a guy like him. 

Additionally, Shahid made it clear that he does not want to criticise the people he plays onscreen. According to him, "My job is to present the character authentically, not to judge them or dictate what the audience should think."

He added, “My role is to reflect life and things happen, good characters, bad characters, grey characters. If I was standing here defending my character saying that he is the nicest guy. There are so many artists who play these perfect characters, but they do the exact opposite in their real lives and that is a choice I want to be responsible for.” 

About 'Kabir Singh'

Released in 2019, 'Kabir Singh' is a remake of his own Telugu film 'Arjun Reddy', directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. The film, starring Shahid Kapoor in the titular role, became one of the highest-grossing films of the year but also sparked intense debate over its portrayal of toxic masculinity. The film also stars Kiara Advani.