2013 seems to be the year of Ranveer Singh. After gaining praises for Lootera, Bollywood’s new hot-bod is all set to play the modern day Romeo in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus Goliyon Ki Raas Leela – Ram Leela. Sreya Basu in conversation with the actor in Mumbai
Are you a director’s actor?
Yes. I really do believe is cinema is entirely a director’s medium. We are just tools which he uses to create art and the director is the captain of the ship. And after working in Ram Leela, I can say that nobody makes films quite like Mr. Bhansali.
Seems you can’t stop praising Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
It’s a really, really big deal for me that I got to work with Mr. Bhansali at such a nascent stage of my career. He truly is a master director. He creates his own world.
So Ram Leela is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s epic love story Romeo and Juliet?
Yes, it is Romeo and Juliet, the classic, quintessential love story – two young lovers, torn by their warring clans. But it’s Mr. Bhansali’s take with his kind of twists and turns.
Tell us about your character in Ram Leela.
When I was given a narration, my character’s entry was described like – And enters Ram … raw, rugged, energetic, intense. He is basically a young, strapping lad from Gujarat. It’s my take on Romeo.
What do you have to say about the Sanjay Leela Bhansali signature sets?
I have done only a few movies, but none like this one. Everybody working on the film had put in their 110% energies to set up each frame to make them look grand and impactful. The film is operatic, it’s larger than life.
Your pairing with Deepika is already being appreciated. Do you think your off-screen chemistry has translated on-screen?
I believe I was destined to be in this film. I believe Deepika was destined to be cast opposite me. And it’s Romeo and Juliet, so the chemistry between the leads really lies at the core and it is the essence of the film. So I hope it worked.
Much is being written about your off-scren chemistry with Deepika. Do you think that will help in the promotion of the film?
Not at all. I honestly don’t pay any attention or devote any mental space or energy to what is being written in tabloids or whatever. I just wake up in the morning and try and give my best at my workplace. I love what I do and I focus all my energy on that. So I hope the result of that translates into something good for me.
You had to grow a long moustache for the film. Was it difficult to walk around with it all the time?
I had to work a lot on my moustache. Every night I used to put oil on it and spike both ends up. I literally used to beg to it to grow fast.
Lootera has been a smash hit. You must be on Cloud 9 now?
You know, the first time I saw the film, I was very happy the way it turned out. Only our team knows what difficulties we had to overcome during the shooting of Lootera. Now that we are getting the results of our hard work, it’s only deserving. I am so happy that people are giving so much love to the film. (TWF)
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