I'm A Teddy Bear. I'm A Man-child. Arjun Kapoor

My latest meeting with Arjun Kapoor is a revelation. It was like a superhero film playing in reverse. I could see the mask of a rough and tough guy peeling off and the child within emerging.

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In his own words, he’s Wolverine-meets-teddy bear. The contradictions define him as also his choice of films. It explains why he could carry off a Ki & Ka and 2 States with the same easy as he did Ishaqzaade and Gunday. It’s been five years since his debut and Arjun has had a rollercoaster run. Right now, he’s in the most exciting phase of his career having consolidated his position with his versatile strength. Apart from movies, rumours of his love life have kept the tabloids buzzing. But currently, it’s his next film Half Girlfriend that’s keeping him on his toes. His chemistry with childhood friend Shraddha Kapoor promises to tread the unknown... Excerpts from an exclusive interview...

How did Half Girlfriend come your way?

I was in Argentina when Mohit Suri emailed the script of Half Girlfriend to me. I was aware of Chetan Bhagat’s book and was excited to read it. I finished it within two hours. It had all the beats of an intense romantic film. I called Mohit and said that I was on.

Your biggest success, 2 States, was a Chetan Bhagat adaptation. Did that give you further confidence to do Half Girlfriend?