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Ranbir Kapoor inspired me to be choosy about work, met me like he knew me forever, says Paramvir Singh Cheema: ‘Welcome to the industry’

Chamak star Paramvir Singh Cheema shared that he was not a fan of Ranbir Kapoor and thought he was just a good looking guy. But things changed after he joined the industry.

Paramvir Singh Cheema recalls his meeting with Ranbir Kapoor. (Photo: Paramvir/Ranbir Kapoor Fanclub/Instagram)

Paramvir Singh Cheema, who is gearing up for the release of the second season of the Sony LIV show Chamak, is a big fan of Ranbir Kapoor. Since the beginning of his career, the actor has followed Ranbir’s footsteps. Be it his choice of work or his looks from various films, Cheema has been mostly inspired by the Tamasha star, often being compared to him by his peers. In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, Cheema shared how he thought Ranbir was just another good looking guy until he joined the industry himself.

Speaking with SCREEN, Cheema said, “I was not a fan of Ranbir Kapoor. I thought he was a good looking guy. But when I joined the industry, I got to know how things work here. And when you see Ranbir Kapoor’s career, you will see his graph has only gone upwards with each of his film. It is all because of the choices he has made and the way he performed.”

Following Ranbir’s footsteps, Paramvir too became quite picky about the kind of projects he took up from the beginning of his career. “It was very difficult. It also comes to finances. But then I had seen people taking up any and everything they got and then suddenly disappear. So I knew it was important to make the right choices. It was Ranbir Kapoor who inspired me. Be it his film Barfi, Animal, or Tamasha, they are all so different. I started to say no to a lot of work. This made my manager worried, but thank God I did. Today I have amazing lineup of films”, said Paramvir.

Paramvir said a lot of people compare him to Ranbir Kapoor. “A lot of people have told me that Ranbir and I share a lot of similarities. They had compared my look from Sapne vs Everyone with Ranbir’s Tamasha look. People compared Chamak to Animal. I really liked it.”

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After admiring him for years, Paramvir finally had a chance to meet his favourite star face-to-face at the screening of Black Warrant. Paramvir played a jailer in the show who becomes an alcoholic. “I got a chance to meet him at the screening of Black Warrant in Mumbai. He came and he was standing there and I was just looking at him and wondering, ‘Should I go to him or not’ and then I saw him coming to me. He met me as though he knew me forever. He spoke so warmly with me, praised my work and said, ‘Welcome to the industry’. That was the moment for me.”

Paramvir Cheema rose to fame after his show Tabbar. He then played a rockstar in the Sony LIV series Chamak. He is currently working with filmmaker Anand L Rai for an untitled project. He will also be seen with Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh in the sequel of 1997 film Border.

Jyothi Jha

Jyothi Jha is an incisive Copy Editor and multi-platform journalist at The Indian Express, where she specializes in high-stakes entertainment reporting and cinematic analysis. With over six years of diverse experience across India’s leading media houses, she brings a rigorous, ethics-first approach to digital storytelling and editorial curation. Experience & Career Jyothi’s career is characterized by its breadth and depth across the media landscape. Before joining the editorial team at The Indian Express, she honed her expertise covering the entertainment beat for premier national broadcasters, including NDTV, Republic Media, and TV9. Her professional journey is not limited to digital text; she has a proven track record as an on-air anchor and has successfully managed production teams within the high-pressure segments of Politics and Daily News. This 360-degree view of newsroom operations allows her to navigate the complexities of modern journalism with veteran precision. Expertise & Focus Areas Guided by the Orwellian principle that "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want you to do," Jyothi focuses on transparent, accountability-driven reporting. Her core areas of expertise include: Cinematic Deconstruction: Analyzing the social subtext of mainstream Bollywood and South Indian cinema (e.g., Kantara, Masaan, Dabangg). Toxic Masculinity & Gender Studies: A vocal critic of regressive tropes in Indian cinema, she often highlights the industry's treatment of women and social progress. Box Office & Industry Economics: Providing data-backed predictions and analysis of film performance and superstar fee structures. Exclusive Multimedia Coverage: Conducting deep-dive interviews and long-form features that bridge the gap between archival history and modern pop culture. Authoritativeness & Trust Jyothi Jha has established herself as a trusted voice by prioritizing substance over PR-driven narratives. Her background in hard news and political production provides her with a unique lens through which she views the entertainment industry—not merely as gossip, but as a reflection of societal values. Readers rely on her for "Journalism of Courage," knowing her critiques are rooted in a deep respect for the craft and a refusal to settle for superficiality. Her ability to pivot between daily news and specialized entertainment analysis makes her a versatile and authoritative pillar of The Indian Express newsroom. ... Read More

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