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It’s 11 pm, and Shahid Kapur seems to be on a high. He’s in the capital for a day for the promotion of UTV’s Chup Chup Ke directed by Priyadarshan (in cinemas now). After a couple of hours, he’s scheduled to fly back to UK for the grand finale of his first world tour, Rock Stars. Says Kapur, “The shows have been fantastic. It’s great to feel the love and admiration of your overseas fans within touching distance.”

But what about the lows, like controversies that he told Salman Khan about his performance on stage? “That’s the work of an idle mind working overtime. I’m relatively new in the industry and could not give advice to any senior, and here we’re talking of Salman Khan,” he says, adding, “I was upset with the stories, but Salmanbhai cheered me up. He laughed it off and eased out the awkwardness I felt initially.”

There was also the buzz that Khan had been denied a Canadian visa, forcing him to opt out of shows there. “Salman did get the visa and did perform in Canada.” He also dismisses stories about Khan asking other star performers on the tour to pay a share for the choreographers who were working very hard. “I must say the shows are more popular in India than anywhere else where we performed, going by the rumours that are coming up daily,” he says caustically. “There was no controversy at all and each one of us had a great time on the tour.”

After 36 China Town, Kapur will be away when his next film with Kareena Kapoor hits the screens. “But like every film, I’m nervous about this one too,” he admits, continuing, “This is my first comedy, and that too with Priyadarshan, who is known for his situational comedies. Besides, it was a wonderful experience working with actors like Om Puri and Paresh Rawal.” Distinguishing his and Kareena’s approach to their characters, where she plays a mute girl and he pretends to be deaf and mute, Kapur says, “Priyadarshan made sure our performances were spontaneous. He told Kareena to behave, and not act. As for me, since I’m only pretending to be something I’m not, I do my own thing making a fool of myself and that’s how the situations the characters get into become funny.”

Ask him if he’s hoping for an encore after 36 China Town, a decent success, after the failure of Fida and he answers, “When Fida failed people felt the climax went against our real personas. At the end of the day, it’s a film and if the audience likes it, it will do well. Chup Chup Ke is a family entertainer and I’m hopeful it will find appreciation with the audiences.”