'The Magical Nine' - Shahid Kapoor completes 9 Years in the Industry

It feels like just yesterday, when we saw a young, sweet looking boy in a movie promo on TV. Back then Twitter and Facebook didn't exist (I am talking about 2003), so we never got to know much about the response that this particular movie promo got. People thought, it's just another college flick that will hit the theatres and soon be forgotten, but little did they know that it will mark the arrival of a new superstar. While the media was busy going gaga over some star sons, a young boy, whose brilliant dance moves made people go mad, became a new favourite amongst all the girls (and even boys, who wanted to become like him). Today, after winning several awards, becoming an inspiration for his fans and winning several hearts across the globe, the boy has come a long way. Yes! The young boy is none other than - Shahid Kapoor, who completes 9 glorious years in the industry today.

From Ishq Vishk to Mausam and now, his upcoming release 'Teri Meri Kahaani', we have seen Shahid in different roles. His constant urge to experiment rather than follow the boring, typical path earned him accolades from time to time. In fact, for the first time, fans will see Shahid in three different avataars in 'Teri Meri Kahaani' where he plays Javed (A poetic, lafangaa aashiq in 1910), Govind (A sweet chap in 1960's) and Krrish (The modern, uber cool guy in 2012).

We all know how he landed a role in Ishq Vishk after several auditions and rejections. The fact remains, Shahid believes in the philosophy 'Never say never and Never give up' and that's one thing that his fans (like me) have learned from him.

He was a student and later, an instructor at the Shiamak Davar Institute of the Performing arts. He has inherited this special talent from his beautiful mother, Neelima Azim, who is a trainer Kathak dancer. Shiamak loves Shahid and considers him to be one of the top dancers in the country today. I remember Shahid once said, "I remember an incident. Once Shiamak was very angry and threw a chair at me during rehearsals". I think, all good performers get a little punishment from their 'Guru', after all behind the anger, there is immense love that is hidden somewhere.

His early films say him play the sweet, romantic chocolate boy. In Ishq Vishk, we saw him as Rajiv Mathur. His acting skills won everyone's heart and his confidence earned him all the 'Best debutant' awards that year. Not just that, his popularity amongst girls and guys alike got him offers from some of the best directors in the industry. All his movies had different, unique plots. In 2004, he played Jai in Fida followed by movies like Deewane huye Pagal, Shikhar (One of my favorite Shahid Kapoor movie, which earned him his first Best actor nomination at Screen awards) etc.

His biggest breakthrough was Vivah, directed by Sooraj Barjatya. He was paired alongside his Ishq Vishk co-star Amrita Rao. This movie made people smile, cry and shed tears every time they saw 'Prem' on screen. Shahid's flawless acting earned him many Best Actor nominations that year and millions of Fans as well. 

Then came the film we all love! Come on, I don't think there is any girl (Or to be precise, A fan of Shahid) who doesn't like Aditya Kashyap. Jab we met came ONE full year after Vivah. No doubt, Shahid's fans missed him on screen. But, those 365 days of 'No Shahid on Screen' were compensated with the release of this beautiful film. Its an all time favourite and I heart Aditya Kashyap. Shahid Kapoor was brilliant SUPER DUPER Brilliant as Aditya in this magical romantic comedy. In fact, I feel he was almost close to Mr.Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Those magical eyes hidden behind the specs, mushy smile, formal clothing, geek meets cute heart look *Sigh* Ahem! See, I was transported to dreamland for a minute. But, that's the magic of Shahid Kapoor in Jab We Met. Of course, How can I forget Mauja hi Mauja and Nagada, his dance moves had a dhamakedaar effect on girls. Jab we Met is close to my heart for various reasons, but it's also close to Shahid's heart as it earned him his first Best Actor trophy at the Stardust Awards and several nominations at various award functions.

Then, *Dhan Te Nan* Something rather unexpected happened. We know Shahid loves experimenting, but he went in for a complete makeover and came out in a never before seen avataar. He stunned everyone with those six pack abs, long locks and a dashing attitude. Kaminey saw Shahid in a new avataar and a double role. One was Charlie (A character played by Shahid that has the biggest fan following), whose 'F' ko 'F' bolta hoon lingo caught everyones attention and then there was Guddu, who stammers. He is seen promoting safe sex but his girlfriend, the 'Home Science Topper' pulls him into the trap he wants other people to come out of, unsafe sex. This fantastic film was nothing less than a roller coaster ride, filled with some amazing dialogues and a strong plot. Moreover, Dhan Te Nan (a song from this film) became an Anthem worldwide, becoming one of the first hindi songs to be played at the Ministry of Sound. Shahid's brilliant portrayal of Charlie and Guddu earned him many awards, including Best Actor at Screen and Stardust awards, along with several other nominations and he was also honoured with the 'Rajiv Gandhi Award' in 2009.

Post Kaminey, Shahid continued his success spell, with some good films like Badmaash Company under the YRF banner, that saw him play a smart con man named Karan. We also saw him bag some wonderful endorsement deals with VIP, Clinic all clear, Pioneer to name a few. More the endorsements, More the chances of seeing him on TV. We all know he is a pro at it, after all his first advertisement was shot way back in the Early 90's (Complan) followed by some more ad's in his teens, the most popular one being the 'Pepsi' ad with the cast of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hain'. But those were just normal 'ads' where he was a model, the ones that were shot after he became an actor made him the brand ambassador.

Shahid then dedicated 2 years to an ambitious project, which was directed by his father, Pankaj Uncle (I call Pankaj Kapoor, Pankaj Uncle out of respect). 'Mausam' is very close to Shahid's heart. It was not just a film, but also an opportunity for Shahid to spend time with his father. Shahid's fans were dying to see him on the big screen after a year and a half. The 'Mausam' album is brilliant. Songs from this film are soulful, they touch your heart and soul. They top the playlist on my iPod and 'Rabba' has become one of my all time favorites after 'Aao milo chale' from Jab We Met! Mausam got delayed due to several problems but ultimately, it won the hearts of Shahid and his co-star, Sonam's fans. Shahid Kapoor's portrayal of SQ leader Harinder Singh earned him the title of an 'Excellent Actor'. Critics loved his performance in the film. It's a pity that he didn't earn any nomination for this film, but for his true fans, Mausam is undoubtedly amongst his best films so far. He also became the first Indian actor to fly the F-16.

Throughout his career as an actor in Bollywood, we have seen Shahid contribute to several organisations as well. Be it the 'Go vegetarian' campaign for PETA or the 'Greenathon' by NDTV where he adopted 5 villages and promised to pay for the solar lamps distributed there, Shahid has taken part in several social activities from time to time, without making a big issue out of it. He is known to be a warm and kind hearted person amongst his group of friends. He is also believed to be a follower of the Radha Soami philosophical organisation.

To conclude, Shahid Kapoor has made a huge difference to the lives of those who like love him. He has been a huge source of inspiration for several fans out there. He has come a long way in life, from being a 22 year old newcomer to an experienced yet very down to earth 31-year young man (Though I still like to call him 'Forever 21' - Not the brand). I am sure, his 'Shanatics' can only pray that their 'Sasha' keeps walking on the path of success.

Shahid, I congratulate you on completing 9 wonderful years in the industry! Be the person that you are for life, Keep smiling the way you do for life, Keep making us smile with your films for life.

Priya Adivarekar