Mumbai: Director Habib Faisal took 45 days to finalise Arjun Kapoor for "Ishaqzaade" and the newcomer says he is happy to have scored a film on his own.
Arjun, who is producer Boney Kapoor's son, is making his debut with the Yash Raj film opposite Parineeti Chopra. The movie hits theatres on May 11.
"I auditioned for Yash Raj and got a three film contract with them and then I had to audition for Habib sir's film. He took some 45 days to say yes to me because he wanted to ensure that I would fit the character of a small town boy," Arjun told PTI.
"This film is a perfect launch pad for me. It is not a regular film and I am not being launched as Arjun Kapoor rather the focus is on the film which is great," he adds.
It may be his first acting assignment but Arjun is not new to the world of films as he has grown up in a filmy family. Arjun says he wanted to be in the world of films but being overweight he had lost confidence to face the camera.
However Salman Khan helped him realise his passion for acting. "I wanted to pursue direction on a serious level. When you put on weight you stop believing that you can face the camera. I had put on a lot of weight and never gave acting a serious thought but Salman gave me the confidence to lose weight.
"Later, I put my photos on Facebook and was contacted by the casting director of Yash Raj. She met me and was kind enough to offer me the chance and I jumped at it."
Arjun plays a small town boy in the movie, which is set in the fictional city of Almore. Initially, Faisal was not sure whether Arjun would be able to play a small town boy.
"He needed to be convinced that I would be able to carry off the character at a consistent level. Small town people have a certain attitude and he helped me pick up those nuances."
Arjun says he is not a very outgoing person but movie sets have always fascinated him.
"I am very different when I am on a movie set. When your passion becomes your profession you have a great amount of intrigue. I am like a child in a candy shop."
