I have just got my wisdom tooth extracted when I reach the venue to interview Ranbir Kapoor. He senses something amiss and, over some conversation about cavities and root canals, we discover a common hatred for all things dental. “Two of mine are giving me terrible trouble but I am scared to go to the dentist. Hate the stitches and antibiotics. Anyway with Besharam promotions, this visit’s gone for a toss!” says the heartthrob of the nation.
The toothy topic just gives you a glimpse of what this successful young actor is like in real life: casual, candid and someone who has regular fears like any of us. Through the interview, he also comes across as self-assured about his position and self-confessedly “arrogant” about his work. “I consider everyone right from Mr. Bachchan down to Varun Dhawan competition. As a community and generation, I genuinely believe that we are encouraging of each other’s work. Also look at the number of new voices in filmmaking; right from directors to writers to lyricists, singers…everyone wants to make something new. It’s a great time to be an actor. Earlier actors used to play repetitive characters, which were more often than not caricatures of themselves. I am getting a chance to do so much more, so much different,” says Ranbir.
For a soft-spoken guy like him, playing Babli in Abhinav Kashyap’s
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“There were many firsts for this role. I haven’t played hero except in
Ranbir clarifies that the Kapoor clan is not a package deal for Besharam . “Before we signed the film, I thought it would be a great privilege if they agreed to be in the same frame as me. When the three of us eventually did sign the film, it was because we individually liked our parts. There have been several offers pouring in for me and my father together, but we didn’t take them up. My mother is returning to a mainstream film after 30 years. This wasn’t simply a package deal. Moreover I thought they’d bully me on the set, but I would often tell mom how to better a scene! My father, I realised, put in so much effort to make scenes look effortless. It was an altogether different experience,” he says.
The only question which ruffles the otherwise cool guy is whether filmmakers ought to make films with greater responsibility. “The
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Co-production
The actor, who will turn 31 this month, is set to co-produce his first movie Jagga Jasoos about a 17-year old detective with a stammering issue. “Anurag (Basu, co-producer, director and good friend) and I are trying to invent a new genre. Let’s see now. This boy has to sing as that’s when he doesn’t stammer. It’s a brilliant story and I love feel-good films. I am very convinced about the concept.” Ranbir will also be seen in Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet with Anushka Sharma. He plays a boxer in the 1950s and 1960s crime drama with a fictitious romantic story. Ranbir is also working on Imtiaz Ali’s next, tentatively titled Window Seat .