It has been over a year-and-a-half that Janhvi Kapoor has had a release since her debut film, Dhadak. And, the actor is set to cover up for this gap in 2020. In fact, she has started that right in the beginning of the year with her web anthology film, Ghost Stories, that’s already out. She has four more films Roohi Afza, Dostana 2, Gunjan Saxena and Takht lined up. In a freewheeling conversation, Janhvi talks about her digital debut, how it’s exciting to be a part of films that offer variety but at the same time, why she’s not a fan of putting them into any box.

People like to divide cinema into commercial or art, but I think it’s stupid to put labels on films. Every good film that has resonated with people has had something honest or fresh to say. If a film follows a specific criteria but is hollow and made with wrong intentions, it’s not going to touch anyone’s lives.

It’s one of the most exciting, challenging, complicated, physically demanding and emotionally taxing roles that I’ve had the privilege of doing.

Dostana became a cult classic and I hope we match that standard, fun, energy and glamour. But the story, characters and the sets are completely different and what we’ve to say is a little more emotional.

Full-fledged prep will start soon. But when I signed the film, I immediately started learning kathak and Urdu. Although I knew we’ll shoot it almost a year later, I’ve been so fascinated by this era.

I guess so, but I feel it’s something that might come more naturally to me than contemporary roles because I’ve subscribed to that cinema more. I prefer watching older films. Mughal-E-Azam (1960), Pakeezah (1972), Umrao Jaan (1981)… I’ve been obsessed with them and can relate to them.