It's just 30
minutes to before the clock strikes midnight. Ranveer hasn't slept for the
last 24 hours and he is shooting for Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy at 6 am!
SpotboyE.com met
up with the Padmaavat star on Friday night.
Excerpts from
the conversation that followed:
First, let's hear about your preparation for the Khilji role in Padmaavat...
I went and
stayed away from my family. I put myself up at my other place in Goregaon. A
lot of homework had to be done. I knew it was not going to be easy.
Frankly, I could
not relate to the character initially. Khilji is so manipulative, ambitious and
greedy- that is so unlike me. So, it was clear that there was no part of me
that I could use.
But I am glad
that I put in that effort. It helped me to build a foundation which I could
take to the set that Mr Bhansali could use and play with.
I would add that
my prep period for Khilji was as exciting as the shoot. Bahut kuch karna tha-
voice, gait and above all conviction.
Mr Bhansali then
added so much to it that it was to be seen to believed. He was so hands-on this
time, unlike in Bajirao when he was hands-off.
What do you exactly mean by hands-on and hands-off?
In Bajirao, I sort of created the character, even on the set I would do what my
homework dictated
This time out, I
only laid the foundation and allowed everything else to come from Mr Bhansali.
So, he was equally the creator of Khilji as I was. It was a very fulfilling process.
Over to the
shoot...
Well, we had a few delays and the shoot kept getting pushed. My portions were
all shot in the end. So I had to go from dance to emotion to action- all
back-to-back. It was extremely exhausting and I thought that I would breakdown.
Normally in Mr Bhansali's film, there is a gap of 3 days after every 6-8 days-
lekin is picture mein aisa nahi hua. I ended up shooting 40 days continuously
(pauses).
Please continue...
I had to dig deeper into my character. That was simply the need of the hour. At
one point I thought that my mind was going blank and my body would break. I
really don't know what kept me going but I think it was the entire SLB team who
had worked harder than me and were still not giving up.
You are
extremely energetic. You deep-dive into so many things. You are jumping,
running, et al, almost all the time. Don't you get tired?
Yes, my energy
levels are very high--- but nothing can be high enough to help you match a SLB
film shoot. It is exhausting and draining, physically and mentally.
Newer actors on
his film find that their systems get shocks.
Has SLB changed?
Well, it's like
3 different directors on 3 different films. The first one, Ram Leela, was
romance. I the second one, he gave me a lot of free-hand because I think he was
very happy with the character of Bajirao I had created; as I said earlier, he
had a very hands-off approach with me during Bajirao.
Coming to
Padmaavat. Initially, in fact right from my first meeting with him on the
Khilji character, I knew that Mr Bhansali has a certain vision of which is
different from mine. I knew I had to get onto his page.
Were you the first one on board, or was it Deepika or Shahid?
I am not sure how it went, but I was apprehensive while taking up this role. As
I told you,, it was so unlike the real Ranveer. It is a very dark character I
have played early in my career. I took the risk, but I took it for Mr Bhansali-
the man who has shaped me as an actor, the man who has given me two of my
biggest hits and now hopefully Padmaavat will be the third.
Would you
have done Shahid's role?
Hmmm... I would
have done any role for Mr Bhansali. It's a privilege to be a part of his
movies. My mentor Aditya Chopra has told me that 'landing a role in Bhansali's
film is an acquisition for an actor'. The growth that you experience as an
actor with him is altogether a new level. There is nobody quite like him as an
actor's director.
Deepika Padukone Poses For A Photo Shoot
I called up Deepika after seeing the film, and would you agree that she had a
very difficult role as she had to emote mainly through her eyes?
I think she has been extremely effective. I am very happy with the entire cast
in Padmaavat. I am thrilled that Jim Sorab is getting so many compliments. He was my suggestion to Mr Bhansali, and I must say that he nailed it with his performance. I really enjoyed working with Jim.
Do you think
your character should have been a little more menacing?
Hmmm... Mr Bhansali has to curb my enthusiasm. I am an extremist and do
hi-risque acting. Mr Bhansali has to temper that tendency of mine and mould it.
Actually, he is an extremist himself- but I think I am more.
You are an extremist in dressing-up too. Your quirky ways of dressing don't
seem to end. What is all that about?
Something stands
out and I get noticed. When I wear something usual and common, It doesn't get
noticed. So yeah, I do dress up a bit differently. It all depends on my mood.
Surely, I don't dress up in the so-called quirky or eccentric manner, every
day.
But I express
myself yeah, and I express without fearing that I would be judged.
Do you think the music of Padmaavat could have been better?
I loved my song Khalli Bali. I cried when I heard Ek Dil Ek Jaan. I liked the music,
personally.
Expecting
awards for Padmaavat?
Once I have done
my work, I don't think about the returns in terms of awards. Karam kiye ja,
phal ki aasha mat kar. I imbibe from that age-old saying.
To work with a
director like Mr Bhansali three times in a row is a big prize by itself.
Everything besides this would be sone pe suhaaga.
You have clearly become his favourite. 4th film with him in pipeline?
I hope so.
With almost
every film, you have gone ahead. Have you raised your market price?
I haven't sat
with my team after Padmaavat, not that money is a concern for me. My team
members concerned with finances will look into it. Honestly, I don't do films
for money. I do them because I love acting.
Exciting year this 2018 for you?
Exciting, no doubt. On one
hand, I am doing Zoya akhtar's Gully Boy- and then I go straight to the other
end of the spectrum to face the camera for Rohit Shetty's Simbba.
I always wished
to champion the cause of hip-hop scene and Gully Boy has given me that
opportunity.
And then of
course, I have Kabir Khan's film on World Cup '83. Cricket was not like how it
is in India today before that victory. There are several anecdotes around that
sport history- like the team had alread booked tickets to return to India from
England after the first round. They were even told: Arre baba, why are you guys
even trying?
Zoya Akhtar, Rohit Shetty And Kabir Khan
I met Kapil Dev. He is a wonderful, warm human being. It's now a big challenge
to get his speech, body language and bowling action right.
I was telling
Madhu Mantena (producer of World Cup '83 film) that we are lucky to have been
the chosen one to tell this glorious story of Indian cricket.
As for Rohit, we
both have grown up seeing masala films and we both just love them. I have
worked very hard and created my luck that today, that I am going to be a part
of Rohit's forthcoming film.
Image Source: instagram/ranveersingh, Manav Manglani, twitter/filmpadmaavat & youtube/viacom18motionpictures