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Reality Show Participants Should Enjoy Themselves

DUBAI - Critically acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire’s Indian actor, Anil Kapoor, said reality show participants should enjoy themselves rather than feel pressurised. Kapoor, the host of a reality show in the film, is at the DIFF for the second time.

Slumdog Millionaire, which has won a lot of accolades in international film festivals, is about a young boy who aces a quiz show, despite his lack of formal education.

“Certain kinds of competition put a lot of pressure and stress on children as well as parents. Sometimes parents put a lot of stress on children and that is not a healthy thing to happen. Success is going to be only for a few days after which life has to move on,” Kapoor told Khaleej Times before the screening of his film.

The national film-award winning actor added: “Someone should make an effort to educate people to go and enjoy it and forget about it.”

Reality shows have become an integral part of Indian households and has dominated the lives of youngsters. From performing impossible stunts to overworking themselves, these shows have drawn a lot of flak from audiences in recent times.

Directed by Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire is the first English and Hollywood film in which Kapoor has acted. Interestingly, the actor’s daughter, Sonam Kapoor, also a Bollywood actor, is also at DIFF to unveil the first look of her new movie — Delhi - 6.

“This is probably the first time from India that movies of a daughter and father are being screened at a film festival. Her first look Delhi - 6 was unveiled here. The feeling is great that we are both here,” said the actor.

Speaking about being approached for the film, he said, “My only concern was it is my first English film. I have done films in South Indian languages and Hindi. But this is the first time I am doing an English film.

However, the advantage is we have learnt English, been educated in English and somewhere our thinking is also in English. I was obviously happy that it was directed by someone of Danny Boyle’s stature.”

Bollywood actors crossing over to Hollywood or acting in English films directed by Indians, is a trend that has been gathering momentum over the past decade. Kapoor, however, believes Bollywood still has a long way to go.

“It is a good beginning. But the kind of platform Slumdog Millionaire has created, no other film is going to give. Such films are good for a country and fantastic for the Indian film industry.”

The film is also being dubbed in Hindi and is expected to hit theatres in India and the UAE in January.