From new year resolutions to his favourite movies. We caught up with screen legend Anil Kapoor.

Do you have any resolutions for 2020? And what tips or advice would you share with our readers who have set goals and ambitions for the New Year?
My resolution this year is the same as my resolution every year, which is to do and be better than I was yesterday. However, I can’t, in all honesty, say that I succeed in living out my resolution every single day, so my advice to anyone who wants it is to just keep trying. Treat every failure to live out your resolution as a kick-in-the-butt to do better next time.

What kind of films do you enjoy as a movie fan?
I don’t think there’s one particular genre that I claim as my favourite. On slow, easy days, I love the warmth of old Hindi cinema with its soothing tunes and nostalgia. On other days, I binge watch my favourite action-drama-thrillers…So I guess it has always depended on my mood. In the recent past, I absolutely loved The Joker. Joaquin Phoenix has outdone himself. I also consume a lot of digital content - Selection Day on Netflix, The Kominsky Method, The Crown.

What attracted you to Malang?
Well, it all began when Luv Ranjan gave me a call. He sounded super excited about a project that he wanted to discuss with me. So that’s where it all started. Mohit Suri’s script and his vision for it instantly drew me in. From the moment I heard Mohit talk about it, I could see the movie play out in my head. I was hooked.

How would you describe your character in Malang?
He’s dark, edgy, gritty and very different from all the characters I have played so far and.... well, you’ll have to watch the film to find out more.

What was the biggest challenge you faced with this film?
I think getting into the skin of the character physically and mentally. The character is very different from the person that I am in real life, so that was an exciting challenge.

How much preparation and research did you have to do?
The day that I signed Malang, Adi put me on a special diet because I needed to drop quite a bit of weight for my character. In addition to that, there was a lot of physical prep involved in shooting the action scenes. But perhaps the most challenging and exciting part of the prep was getting inside the mind of my character and understanding his motivations and drive.

What is your favourite moment in Malang?
If I answer that, I’ll be revealing a very crucial bit of information about the film!

Did you learn anything new with this film?
Yes, I learned that it can feel very good to be bad! Just kidding! Honestly, every film is a new learning experience, but Malang was a whole different beast.

How was the experience working with all the new generation of actors? 
It was so great. I felt right at home with them. Their professionalism and commitment to their craft, at their age, is really impressive. Also, I had the benefit of learning all sorts of cool, young, hip trivia from them, so that’s a bonus.

Why do you think the British south Asian audiences in the UK should watch this film?
Because it’s a thrilling and gripping story told in an exciting and refreshingly raw way. Moreover, it’s so grounded in our desi roots that it’s bound to hit home with the South Asian diaspora and give them a taste of contemporary desi-ness. Very simply, it’s great content, and great content needs to be watched.

Starring Anil Kapoor, Disha Patani, Aditya Roy Kapur and Kunal Kemmu and directed by Mohit Suri, Malang is in cinemas now.