During a conversation with Pinkvilla, Kapoor opened up about the doubts he faced before agreeing to star in the film. Despite eventually delivering one of the most acclaimed performances of his career, he revealed that he initially struggled to understand how he could portray a character whose life was so different from his own.

Shahid Kapoor‘s first reaction to ‘Udta Punjab‘

Shahid Kapoor shared that his immediate response to director Abhishek Chaubey was one of surprise. The actor explained that he had never consumed alcohol or experimented with any substances in his life. As a result, he found it difficult to imagine how he would authentically portray someone battling addiction. Recalling his conversation with the filmmaker, Shahid said, “Why did you offer me this role? Bro, maine life mein kabhi sharab nahi pi hain. Aaj tak nahi pi hain. Maine life kabhi koi substance nahi ki hain. (Bro, I have never drank alcohol in my life. I haven’t drank to this day. I have never done any substance in my life.) I don’t know what it is to be high.”

Abhishek Chaubey’s confidence changed everything

While Shahid had reservations, Abhishek Chaubey remained convinced that the actor could bring the character to life. According to Shahid, the filmmaker encouraged him to trust his instincts and rely on his abilities as a performer rather than personal experience. Sharing what the director told him, Shahid recalled, “But I think that as an actor, you can do this character, and I feel like if you put yourself to do it.” Those words eventually helped Shahid view the role from a different perspective and consider it as an acting challenge rather than a personal limitation. Even after deciding to explore the project, Shahid admitted that he continued to wrestle with self-doubt.Kapoor was worried that people who had firsthand experience with drinking or substance abuse might question his portrayal. The actor feared criticism if audiences felt the performance lacked authenticity. Speaking about that phase, he said, “I actually went through a lot of doubt because I knew my friends who drink will ask, ‘Why did you do it when you don’t know things?’ I thought I would be embarrassed, and it would be bad for me. But I loved the script and I loved the character. Then eventually I told myself, ‘If I can do this, which I cannot relate to at all, If I can pull this off, then I think I will be fearless for the rest of my life as an actor because this is as far away from my reality as it possibly can be.’”

Why the role was impossible to ignore, according to Shahid Kapoor?

For Shahid, the script ultimately became too compelling to pass up. He realised that opportunities to play such layered and unconventional characters do not come often. The actor believed rejecting the role could have become one of his biggest professional regrets. Reflecting on his decision, Shahid added, “And also, it’s a great role. I mean, if somebody else does it really well, I’ll look back and be like, ‘What a fool I was to let go of this opportunity,’ because how many roles like this get written? Usually, it’s just these nice guys who are running and doing all this.”Released in 2016, ‘Udta Punjab’ featured an ensemble cast that included Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh alongside Shahid Kapoor. On the work front, Shahid Kapoor will be next seen in ‘Cocktail 2’.