'Learn And Evolve': As Ishq Vishk Turns 20, Shahid Kapoor Recalls His Two Decades Journey In B-Town

As Ishq Vishk turns 20, Shahid Kapoor completes 20 years of his acting career, in an interview he reflects on his journey and how he has grown and evolved over time.

It's been 20 years since the release of "Ishq Vishk," which catapulted Shahid Kapoor to stardom. Shahid, Amrita Rao, and Shenaz Treasurywala played the lead roles in the romantic comedy. Shahid has now worked in the industry for two decades.

Shahid Kapoor expressed gratitude for surviving in the industry for two decades during a recent interview with Indian Express. Despite having no idea how to pursue his dream, he began by dancing and modelling before venturing into film. Shahid reflected on his career, describing it as a "learning curve," and stated that while he has changed and grown, he has retained certain qualities, such as his original innocence, which he believes is required to be a good student and stay connected with oneself. "The only way to be alive is to be curious, learn, and evolve. You must stay connected to yourself, remain young at heart, and not take yourself too seriously. I have worked on myself in this department in the last few years. I have really tried to be like that," he was quoted as saying by the publication. 

Shahid was dubbed the "chocolate boy" of the industry after his appearances in romantic films following his debut in Ishq Vishk. He has since grown out of this phase and is now known for his darker roles. Shahid has stated that he dislikes being stereotyped. "To be honest, I despise tags. I don't want to do it now that people say I'm good with grey characters. For me, predictability is not an option. I want to make a variety of films, play a variety of characters, and never be predictable. Otherwise, I get irritated with myself," he admitted during the interview.

Shahid previously in an interview with another online publication that he was nervous on the first day of his shoot. When asked how he got the film, he said: "I gave auditions, I was rejected. Then I gave another set of auditions. And again I was rejected. Then I did a third round of auditions. Then I did dancing auditions. And then, I got the film. It was a long process before I got it".

Ishq Vishk Rebound, the sequel to Ishq Vishk, was announced last year. The film stars Rohit Saraf and marks the Bollywood debut of Hrithik Roshan's cousin Pashmina Roshan, daughter of musician Rajesh Roshan. Jibraan Khan, best known for playing Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol's son in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, co-stars with Nailaa Grewal in Nipun Avinash Dharmadhikari's directorial debut.