Mumbai, November 07: If Ranbir Kapoor is bearing the weight of expectations as a member of Bollywood’s first family, he’s not showing it.
Just four films old in the industry, the 27-year-old grandson of Raj Kapoor has already made a name as one of the most successful new faces in Bollywood.
After a hectic day promoting his latest film “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani”, Kapoor spoke to Reuters about discovering his comic timing and why he doesn’t read the newspapers every day.
Q: You’ve done a lot of talking today. Is there anything that you havent been asked?
A: (laughs) “Actually no. I think I have been asked everything about my life today. Except for whether I have cut my nails.”
Q: So have you cut your nails then?
A: (laughs) “No, I haven’t. I am glad you reminded me. That’s the first thing I will do now. Thanks for asking me a new question.”
Q: Now that we’ve got that out of the way, could you talk about your film “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani”?
A: (laughs) “Yes. First of all, this is a Rajkumar Santoshi film and I am a huge fan of him. This is a romantic comedy and has a really light tone to it. It was such a privilege to work with a director of his calibre. Raj ji’s brand of comedy is like no other. I think I discovered my comic timing in this film.”
Q: You are one of the few heroes in the under-30 bracket. Do you feel that is an advantage or a disadvantage?
A: “Depends on the way you look at it. Yes, as a 27-year-old, there will be certain roles that will suit me better than others, but I really don’t think there is a dearth of roles in Bollywood these days.
“Films like ‘Wake Up Sid’ or now Prakash Jha’s ‘Rajneeti’ are films that maybe would not have been made ten years ago. I really don’t look at it from the point of age. This is a good time to be an actor in Bollywood.”
Q: Do you feel that you have been slotted as a romantic hero?
A: “Not really. Also, I don’t really look at my films in terms of genre. I don’t care what genre it is, as long as I agree with the script. At the end of the day, it has to be a good cinematic experience. The rest of it hardly matters.
“And it is not that I am not doing other roles. I have Prakash Jha’s “Rajneeti”, which is a hard-hitting film and different from what I have done earlier. There is no set plan in my head as to the kind of films I should be doing.”
Q: There has been so much written about you in the press, whether it is about your link-ups or relationships. Does it bother you?
A: “I will not lie and say it doesn’t bother me, because it does. However, there are certain things you cannot control. I have tried to put my side of the story across to the media so many times, but it doesn’t really yield much.
“I have stopped reading newspapers and magazines because they seem to know before me what is happening in my life. I tell myself that as long as the people who are close to me know the truth, I really shouldn’t pay attention.”
Q: Has there been too much media focus for your own good?
A: “Yes, especially this year because I have three films releasing back to back. First there was “Wake Up Sid”, now this one and I have Shimit Amin’s “Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year” coming up in December.
“You know earlier actors didn’t really have to worry about much media presence, but now there are so many channels and so many publications that it becomes difficult to keep them out. But that’s okay. I think this is part of our occupation and we must accept it.”
—-Agencies