Shahid Kapoor says Leonardo DiCaprio’s advice reshaped how he chooses roles

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor has revealed that an insight from Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has significantly influenced the way he selects his film roles, as he continues to challenge himself creatively.

In a recent conversation on the podcast Prakhar Ke Pravachan, Shahid spoke about reading an interview with DiCaprio that made a lasting impact on him. According to the Bollywood star, DiCaprio said that if he reads a script and immediately understands how to play the character, he tends to decline it because it lies within his comfort zone. He is more drawn to roles that take him into unexplored territory — where he is unsure of how to approach the character at first. Shahid described this philosophy as prioritising “exploration and that fear of the unknown” when choosing projects.

Shahid said that this approach has encouraged him to step beyond familiar ground and embrace roles that push his craft forward, rather than repeat familiar patterns. He explained that while acting within one’s comfort zone might feel safe, taking on challenging characters offers a chance to grow both as a performer and as an artist.

The actor also spoke about how this mindset has reflected in his forthcoming film *O’ Romeo*, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Shahid, who has worked with Bhardwaj on multiple occasions, said that the filmmaker’s projects often present a creative journey that demands actors to find new ways of interpreting their parts. He added that when a script is written differently, the performance should be distinct too — not merely familiar portrayals dressed in new narratives.

With O’ Romeo marking his fourth collaboration with Vishal Bhardwaj, Shahid’s remarks suggest he is more keen than ever to pursue roles that defy predictability and push him beyond conventional boundaries in Indian cinema.