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INTERVIEW: Ranveer Singh on 11 years in Bollywood & more: ‘Want to champion the cause of theatrical medium’
Ranveer Singh gets candid about completing 11 years in the industry, working with all the top directors - From Sanjay Leela Bhansali to Kabir Khan and Rohit Shetty. Read full interview.
On December 10, 2021, Ranveer Singh completed 10 years in the Hindi Film Industry. Over the decade, the actor went on to work with a few of the biggest directors of the industry – Rohit Shetty, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ali Abbas Zafar, Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar to name a few. Ranveer insists that he is living a dream. “I have been extremely fortunate to have collaborated with some of the finest filmmakers. I do understand that it doesn’t get bigger than this, it is the cream of the crop,” he says.
He believes that every filmmaker he has collaborated with has their distinct identity and considers himself blessed to have got the chance to slip into a different world of cinema. “Rohit Shetty and Zoya Akhtar are two opposite ends of the spectrum. To cover that and be equally effective in each one of them is something I would regard as a personal achievement. That has always been my endeavor – to be recognized as a versatile actor. I am very grateful to them for believing in me. Mr. Bhansali in particular. He molded me as an actor, and increased my bandwidth. He has been a large part of my growth and evolution,” he admits, quick to add that his next, Jayeshbhai Jordaar is helmed by a debutant.
Rohit Shetty and Zoya Akhtar are two opposite ends of the spectrum. To cover that and be equally effective in each one of them is something I would regard as a personal achievement
Ranveer Singh
“It’s directed by Divyang Thakkar. He has written a story that’s one of the best I have heard till date. After working with all the diggaj of the industry, my next is ironically with a first timer,” he smiles. Ranveer recently won appreciation for his portrayal of Kapil Dev in the Kabir Khan directed 83’. What was the biggest take away for him from the film? “It has to be self-belief. Nobody believed in that team, but Kapil knew that they had the heart and talent to do the unthinkable. I feel that about our cinema too. We may not have the budget that big Hollywood films do, but we have got the talent, which is why I feel we can stand shoulder to shoulder with just any cinema in the world. It’s our time now,” he replies, quick to add that he is overwhelmed with the appreciation that has come his way for stepping into the shoes of Kapil Dev.
“It’s the first time in 10 years that people are using such kind of words and adjectives for my performance. The response has been unlike anything ever before,” he keeps it short. While awards do act as a sense of validation, the actor is content with the journey of being Kapil Dev in the film. “Winning an award would be the cherry on the top. Right now, I am happily having the cake.” 2018 was a historic year for Ranveer as he became the only star after Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar to clock Rs 500 crore at the box-office in a single calendar year.
We may not have the budget that big Hollywood films do, but we have got the talent, which is why I feel we can stand shoulder to shoulder with just any cinema in the world
Ranveer Singh
What do these numbers mean to him? “It makes me happy to see my films do that kind of business as it will only empower me as an actor, as a star. I will be able to greenlight more ambitious films, take bigger risks. The exciting thing about numbers is that they help one empower their creative side,” he exults. Ranveer advocates big screen entertainment and explains why numbers play an important role in making a feature film.
“I want to be a part of universal stories but I don’t want the number game to corrupt me. I have gone through funky phases, but now, I am very clear that I want to protect my artistic integrity too. So yes, in a nutshell, numbers will help me mount films that have visual scale for the big screen. I look upon myself as one mainstream leading man, who wants to champion the cause of the theatrical medium. It’s a different vibe to enter a big dark room and share that emotional experience. I want to champion the cause of theatrical,” he shares and signs off saying that actors can’t detach themselves from the numbers as they are important for the ecosystem to sustain.
I look upon myself as one mainstream leading man, who wants to champion the cause of the theatrical medium
Ranveer Singh
“My producers are the ones who are taking the risk. The numbers are important because they are important to my producers too. I won’t say business doesn’t matter, it does, but to a different degree. It’s about the number of people watching the film, it’s about the ability to provide a theatrical value and thirdly, allows me to take some risks,” he concludes.
Stay tuned as the second part goes live tomorrow, wherein we discussed the vision of Ranveer Singh going forward, side by side all his upcoming films – From Cirkus to Shankar, Jayeshbhai and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani.
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