Shahid Kapoor 'Mausam' performance is most mature, says Pankaj Kapoor

Shahid Kapoor's most mature performance to date has been in Mausam, according to his father.

Veteran actor Pankaj Kapoor directed the film, which sees his son taking on the role of a Punjabi airline pilot who falls in love with a Kashmiri girl.

Pankaj told DNA: "Today, I'm more proud of him as a professional than I was all these years as a father. From an intelligent boy he's become a committed actor.

"Shahid is a star no doubt, but he refused film offers for two years for my film. I feel after strong performances in Jab We Met and Kaminey, Mausam is his most mature performance."

The first-time director added that he cast Sonam Kapoor as the romantic lead because she had not appeared in too many films so far.

"There couldn't have been a more appropriate choice than her in this epic love story," he said. "I was on the lookout for an innocent and very Indian face that hadn't been overexposed in films. With due respect to all the youngsters around, she fitted the role perfectly."

Pankaj also revealed that he had written the role especially for his son.

"Over the last few years, I got very busy with some wonderful film roles that came my way," he explained. "Four years back, Shahid asked me to write a script for him. Though I had some scripts, I decided to pen a fresh one for a young man, keeping Shahid in mind."

Shahid said this week that the role has forced him out of his "comfort zone" as an actor.

In August, Shahid and rumoured girlfriend Bipasha Basu were said to be looking for a movie to star in together.