Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jan 21: Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, one of the most loved stars of Hindi cinema, was deeply shattered after filmmaker Shekhar Kapur’s ambitious project Paani was shelved, Kapur has recalled in emotional detail.
Sushant, who earned acclaim for films such as Kai Po Che, Sonchiriya and MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, had been preparing for Paani for nearly three months and was set to collaborate with Kapur for the first time. However, the project was eventually dropped after Yash Raj Films (YRF) pulled out, leading to its shelving.
Speaking earlier during an Instagram Live interaction with actor Manoj Bajpayee, Kapur said Sushant was extremely excited about Paani. “He was bouncing up and down, so excited that he was going to work with me and do Paani. Acting for him did not stop at rehearsing lines or reading the script. His interest went way beyond that,” Kapur said, adding that Sushant would attend meetings with the production designer, cinematographer and VFX team out of sheer passion.
Kapur revealed that Sushant often called him late at night to discuss even the smallest details of his character, describing the actor’s dedication as almost an “addiction”. “Watching his passion during those three months, I kind of fell in love with him,” the filmmaker said.
Recalling the moment the project was called off, Kapur said Sushant was devastated. “When the film was shelved and he realised he wasn’t doing it, he cried a lot. I cried too. Whenever he cried, I cried with him because I was equally deeply involved,” Kapur said, reflecting on the emotional highs and lows of creative lives.
He further disclosed that the producers had refused to make Paani with Sushant and suggested he work on another project with a different actor instead. “They said, ‘We will not make Paani with Sushant.’ I should have tried to make another film with him, but I didn’t. I left India, angry and upset,” Kapur said.
However, following Sushant’s death, YRF chairman Aditya Chopra told the Mumbai Police that Paani was shelved due to creative differences with Shekhar Kapur and not because of the actor.
It has also been reported that Sushant turned down nearly six projects while preparing for Paani. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra earlier revealed that the actor even let go of high-profile films such as Ram-Leela and Fitoor for the project. “People thought he was arrogant after becoming a star, but he was genuinely excited about Paani. Everyone wants to work with Shekhar Kapur. Unfortunately, the film didn’t happen,” Chhabra said at an event in Mumbai.