The trailer of Shahid Kapoor’s upcoming film Jersey was launched on November 23. The film is a remake of the Telugu film of the same name, and Shahid is elated about it. The actor was thrilled to set foot into a cinema hall after ages.
“It is amazing to be back in the theatres. During the pandemic, I hardly stayed in Mumbai. I was back in Punjab with my family and also shooting a few portions of Jersey. I have completely forgotten how to be an actor, but we are here to celebrate cinema yet again. Since content is flowing in from everywhere, this has been the most understanding and collaborative team I have worked with in the recent times,” Shahid shares.
Like most film productions, the release date of Jersey had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “It took us so much time to finish our film. We waited for nearly two years to release it. Allu (Aravind) sir has a great vision. I feel blessed. God has been kind that we have a release date. Jersey is about the triumph of the human spirit. It is relevant in the times we are living in. We have worked really hard to get the authenticity of the sport,” Shahid says.
Post the massive success of his last release, it was Jersey’s Telugu version that caught Shahid’s attention. “After Kabir Singh, I went to everyone in the industry for guidance since I had to look comfortable in the 200 crore club as none of my films had done this kind of a massive business. Many people suggested that I look for roles where I am looking young, and a few told me to do an action film. I heard a lot of subjects, but when I saw the original Jersey, I cried buckets. The story has hit me hard, and Gowtam (Tinnanuri) is a very talented director as he touched my sensitive side in the film.”
He is paired opposite Mrunal Thakur who was recently seen in Dhamaka. Mrunal is the toast of Bollywood currently and is one of the busiest actresses at the moment. Shahid jokes and says, “Whenever I messaged her, she was always shooting either in Kashmir or Mumbai.”
The trailer has a scene where Mrunal slaps Shahid’s character. She giggles and says, “It was so difficult to slap him while we were shooting. Initially, I said no to do this but later managed to do it. The shooting was stalled for three days, and the producer let me sink into the character for this scene.” Mrunal, too, is happy that films are finally hitting the big screens. “I am glad that films are releasing now, and I wanted this film to come out in theatres. I feel blessed to be a part of this wonderful team,” Mrunal adds.
Also present at the trailer launch were producer Allu Aravind, director Gowtam Tinnanuri along with co-producers Dil Raju, S Naga Vamsi and Aman Gill. Jersey is slated to release on December 31, 2021.
