RANBIR KAPOOR
HOW DO YOU LOOK BACK AT YOUR FIRST ACTING EXPERIENCE, NOW THAT IT’S OVER AND DONE WITH?
Satisfied and happy, but also sad that it’s over. There’s so much happening right now. I have often dreamt of the moment when my first film would be released. And now when the moment is almost here, I can’t believe it’s actually happening. Even though I’ve finished one film directed by the Grand Master, I can’t say I don’t feel like a newcomer any more. I can’t even call myself a good actor until people see my work.
DO YOU DREAM A LOT?
To me working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a dream come true. But I realise, in some ways, I achieved this dream too easily. If I had worked outside and then earned my right to work with one of the country’s best filmmakers, maybe I’d realise his worth more. Right now, we are more like friends. We share a father-son bonding.
DID YOU, LIKE YOUR FATHER, MAKE FACES IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR AS A CHILD?
Oh, I did other stuff, like sing, dance and enact scenes from my grandfather’s films around the house. The conversation in the house always centres around films. Even if we’re discussing Osama Bin Laden, it somehow veers around to cinema.
YOU BELONG TO THE FIRST FAMILY IN FILMDOM.
I’m aware of the responsibility, but I don’t think about it all the time. If I did, I’d be bogged down and might go into a depression. I’m driven by my ambition to do my best possible. I’m the biggest fan of my grandfather (Raj Kapoor) and father (Rishi Kapoor). I have not seen that many of my great grandfather’s (Prithviraj Kapoor) films, though I’ve seen Awara, Mughal-e-Azam and Kal Aaj Aur Kal. I’ve a huge portrait of my grandfather in my bedroom. It’s a collage of his face from all of his films. It reminds me of where I come from and where I have to go.
DO YOU WANT TO GET TO WHERE RAJ SAAB REACHED?
I want to achieve all of what he did. That’s how ambitious I am. But my favourite actor is my dad. I loved him in Mera Naam Joker, Bobby, Prem Rog and Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai. He’s passionate about everything. Even when he’s on the computer, he’s constantly drumming out a tune. I wish I could do that. My dad and R D Burman were buddies. He has a great treasure-chest of musical anecdotes about RD.
YOU GREW UP IN A FILMY ENVIRONMENT.
Oh, I was allowed to be fully filmy. But we also had a normal routine of school and play. After school, my sister and I preferred to play with our friends, do our tuitions and homework, rather than go to my dad’s sets. I did my schooling in Bombay Scottish till class 10. Then I did two years of college, after which I went to the School Of Visual Arts in New York and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute.
WE SEE A LOT OF RAJ KAPOOR IN YOU.
It isn’t intentional. I don’t copy either my father or grandfather. My grandfather did have a style, but my dad had no style at all. He blended into every character. Yes, I did use their scenes as references in Sawariya. When I see my dad gliding on stage in Karz, I cringe. I’m not even close to being a good dancer.
MANY EXPECTATIONS RIDING ON YOU.
It’s all hype. And I know it’ll die down soon. Of course, it does excite me to know people are looking forward to watching me. Even if I am liked in Sawariya, they’ll say everyone is good in a Bhansali creation anyway. So I’ll have to prove myself all over again in my next film.
SONAM KAPOOR
FROM A PODGY TEENAGER TO THE SWAN-LIKE BEAUTY IN YOUR FIRST FILM, IT HAS BEEN QUITE A TRANSFORMATION.
The passion and intensity that Mr Bhansali infected Ranbir and me with have changed our lives forever. So I won’t call it a long journey. I’d like to call it a lifechanging roller-coaster ride. No newcomer could’ve hoped for a better launch.
ALTHOUGH, BHANSALI IS SUPPOSED TO BE A HARD TASKMASTER.
You know, I’m livid when I hear about how hard a taskmaster he is. My father (Anil Kapoor) is a perfectionist too. So I know what it is like to push yourself beyond the limit. Of course, Mr Bhansali pushed us beyond our limits. But he pushed himself the hardest. Today, after four years with him, I know he is a magician.
BHANSALI THINKS YOU’RE A MIXTURE OF WAHEEDA REHMAN AND REKHA.
I don’t know how to react to that. He is my third parent. He’s my guru. He naturally thinks his daughter is the best. Both the actors you mentioned are icons. Can I even be an atom of what they are?
WERE YOU ALWAYS KEEN ON BECOMING AN ACTOR?
I’ve never even been to the sets of my father’s films, except once when he was shooting with Salman. Since I’m a Salman fan, I wanted to meet him. And there he was without his teeshirt.
AND YOU ARE WITH SALMAN IN YOUR VERY FIRST FILM!
Can you believe it! I guess I’m born lucky. I was never denied anything. Just to cope with the growing-up demands of us three siblings was tough on our parents. We had a very normal upbringing. Hopefully, we’re all grounded individuals because we did all the normal things like eating and chatting at the dinner table, going on holidays together, etc.
WHAT ELSE INTERESTS YOU, OTHER THAN ACTING?
I love reading. When it comes to reading I suffer from an obsessive-compulsive disorder. My librarian says, ‘Baby, itna mat padho, chasma lag jayega’. I live in the world of imagination. I love to create images in my mind and to build screenplays in my head. I used to make my mom read bedtime stories. I was constantly living in la-la –land.
SO YOU ARE A BEAUTY WITH BRAINS.
Don’t know about the beauty or brains bit, but I crave to create. We lived in a very creative atmosphere. I loved watching Sridevi, Madhuri and Rani dance. I joined Kathak classes and learnt it for 12 years.
YOU ASSISTED BHANSALI IN BLACK?
That’s right. I was in Singapore for two years studying theatre. I studied all the expressionist artistes. The only name from Indian cinema that people mentioned in my drama school was that of Mr Bhansali. My teacher Jonathan Carter one day asked me if I had heard of him. I told him I had seen all his films at least 30 times each, and that I’d love to work with him.
YOU ALWAYS KNEW SOME DAY HE WOULD SIGN YOU AS AN ACTOR, DIDN’T YOU?
Nooooo! Out of the blue one day he called me over and asked, ‘Bachcha, would you like to act in my next film?’ I was 18, and had no acting aspirations at that point. I didn’t have that high an opinion of myself. I didn’t think I had star quality. He gave me the confidence. Do you remember how fat I was? I was a motu who didn’t even do her eyebrows. I knew he was serious when a few days later he met my father and offered the film. He groomed me, made me lose weight, told me to be alert and agile.
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Well I’d really really like to know how Sonam Kapoor lost so much of weight coz I’m just like her a motu and really wanna loose…..so please Sonam do let me know….and you look aaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnggggggggg in Saawariyan…………doesnt look like u were ever fat coz u’ve toned down every part of ur body……how did u do that….let me know…
thanks
ooooooohhhhhhhh i jus luv both of u . ull hav such an amazing chemistry . im mad about ull .ranbir ur jus 2 cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!