Ranveer Singh on Lootera: The safest thing I could have done

Three years after newbie Ranveer Singh got the audience and the film industry to sit up in wonder and take notice of his powerhouse performance in Band Baaja Baaraat,he’s ready for a lot more of the ‘light,camera,action’ routine. With an interesting slate of films that include the upcoming Lootera by Vikramaditya Motwane, Maneesh Sharma’s Gunday,Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela and Shaad Ali’s Kill Dill,the young Turk has his hands full and acting chops being put to good use. Between coffee and conversations,he spills the beans on his special bond with mentor Aditya Chopra,working with dream directors like Vikramaditya Motwane and ungrudging respect for Ranbir Kapoor. Excerpts from the interview:

There is a lot of curiosity around Lootera,your third film since the last one was not a huge commercial success. So what can one expect?

When this movie was offered to me,the first thing I looked at was that it was being directed by Vikramaditya Motwane. I wanted to work with him,but then I also asked myself — What does he have for me? Does Lootera have a powerful story? Is it a home run on paper? My answer to all these questions was,‘Yes’. Considering the director he is and the kind of material he had on paper,I felt that with this project he was going to go ten steps ahead.

Everybody tries to hardsell a script but all Vikramaditya told me was,‘Whatever is there is there in the script. Just read it and let me know what you think.’ I read it cover to cover and it evoked a very strong reaction in me. I remember reading it alone in my room at two in the morning and weeping. I was like ‘Man,this is powerful stuff here!’ And that really was the clincher.

In Lootera,I play a conman posing as an archaeologist. He goes to this zamindar and seeks permission to excavate his land. The zamindar kind of lets him in and is eventually betrayed by the conman; he also betrays the zamindar’s daughter,who he has started to have a love relationship with. It’ s a story of redemption,and it’s a really good story!

In both your films so far,you have essayed gregarious characters that are closer to your own personality,but the protagonist of Lootera,has a brooding quality to him — how did you achieve that?

When I read the script,I could actually read the character I had to play as a brooder. Like someone who is very well into himself,doesn’t react much,doesn’t express much,doesn’t engage much and is an introvert. He is everything you don’t associate with me.

Though I was excited that I was getting to do something new, it was very difficult for me in the initial stages to pull off a character like this. Because frankly I had not done something like this before,be it in the acting school or university.I never played a character,who doesn’t do or say much. For the first three days of the workshop,it was so frustrating for me as I was not getting it right. On the fourth day I just threw a fit and told Vikram that he had made a wrong decision. I told him that I don’t have this person in me and I wanted to quit.

Vikramaditya just sat me down and scolded me. He was way too frank and blunt in making his point that day. He told me that I had some tendencies,some predispositions and some insecurities that I had to let go of, because these qualities were limiting and restricting me as a person and as a performer. He pointed out that I had this need,sort of an obligation to keep everybody entertained all the time.

He said,‘You like to infect people with energy,to make them smile and laugh all the time. And you do this to diffuse tension and evade conflicts,but these are your bad habits. While this is a part of your personality,I can see the other side of you,your sensitive side. I can see that depth in you. You are scared to allow people to know that you are sensitive and vulnerable,so you do all of these things that prevent you from grasping the character. If you want to grow as an actor,then you have to let go of the fear of letting people know that you are sensitive.’

That particular day was a breakthrough for me as a performer.

That’s interesting. As an actor,how would you describe Vikramaditya?

I love him as a director — his voice is a very sophisticated cinematic language. He is one director who truly is international level, head and shoulders above many directors we have. He may or may not have a mainstream appeal,but his voice is unique,new and an evolution in our cinema. He proved that with Udaan. I still remember watching Udaan at PVR Juhu at 11.30 pm; the show was packed to capacity and the cinematic experience was unlike any other. I was expecting to see a good film,but what I saw there was pure genius. It was such a powerful experience to watch the film because I could not believe I had just seen a Hindi film. I had experienced European cinema and all in my university days,but to see a Hindi film not falling into the trappings of mainstream,commercial cinema was amazing. It was a heartfelt story and that is his USP — he tells honest heartfelt stories. In cinematic grammar that is as good as what you will find anywhere in the world. He is Mr Bhansali’s brightest protégé,who goes about dealing with his actors in a very collaborative way. Over and above that,he is meticulous and organised in his work ethic,discipline — he walks around with a clipboard that thick (signals with his hands) with the amount of papers in it. He keeps joking that he’s going to make a book at the end of his career with all those notes of how his films got made. To me the most exciting part is that Lootera is the second edition from Vikramaditya Motwane,who will go on to become one of the greats of Hindi films.

Did you not deem your choice of Lootera rather risky for your third film?

When I signed Vikramaditya’s film,a lot of people said,‘Tum kamaal karte ho yaar,at a time when you need to establish your commercial value as a star,when you need to do films designed to make numbers,you have gone and done this’. But the truth is that nobody knows what is going to work. What I do know with Vikramaditya is that he will never make a bad film. People say it’s the riskiest thing I could have done,I say it’s the safest thing I could have done. I have put my money on a guy who I know will make a kickass film.

These are early days yet but as an actor, would you say that you have any defining trait?

I would like to believe that I have a vast repertoire,which I would like to put on display at an early stage so that I don’t get confined. So that directors know that I am somebody they can work with. I can be a part of different projects,and keep myself stimulated and challenged creatively.

My whole agenda has been to put my versatility on display because I want to be a part of different genres. I want to work with every director. I want to do the seena thok ke massy,mainstream entertainers. And do small films that have a voice or message. I want to keep the audience excited about me,my next installment. My whole agenda is that I want to create a brand value that if there is a film I am in,people should expect it to be a good film. It should be like an ISO ka chaap. My whole excitement is to have that mild shock value and get a ‘I can’t believe that this is the same guy I saw in that film’ kind of response.

Lootera is a Balaji film outside the YRF fold. Is that allowed for YRF discoveries?

When we shook hands for Lootera,it was a Phantom film,Balaji came later. This was after Udaan,when I was shooting for Ladies Versus Ricky Behl. Even then I knew that somebody with a proper infrastructure would back us up. I have always maintained that I am not bound to YRF,the only binding thing in the contract is that your first release will be Yashraj film. After that we are free to do whatever we want,but I had a three film deal. In the same breath,I will tell you that I hope to continue with YRF — they are a premier banner. People wait all their lives to work with them,here I have an opportunity to work with them over and over again. Even after my contract with them expires,I hope to continue with them. They have the strongest infrastructure,it’s like a well oiled machine. You know that their film is going to be put out in the best way possible,so there is a certain confidence and an assurance that comes when working with YRF. It stems from Aditya Chopra’s passion for films that come out of his stable,and his drive and desire to make a significant contribution to films. So it is my privilege and honour that I am so closely associated with YRF. I absolutely love it when people call me YRF’s blue-eyed boy. Mera seena phool jaata hai. You know when Band Baaja… was happening,everybody around Adi was giving me a thumbs down,but it was his pure conviction that he put me where I am. I will forever be indebted. I will take a bullet for him. Whenever I am doing outside films,as an artist,I take a few opinions and Adi’s is certainly one of them. I use his creative and business acumen to my advantage. That I have his advice at my disposal is a privilege.

Of late,we have seen some very interesting additions to the list of young stars — In this competitive scenario how do you ensure being under consideration?

Everybody wants to work with the best film-makers and be a part of the most sparkling stories. I am only confident of my own ability; I am not cut-throat. I am never going to try and steal a role from another person. If a director thinks I can deliver for a character he has,he will come to me. Doing a particular film is the destiny of an actor and that is the destiny of a film. Everybody is good and that is the reason they have made it this far. I think the ones that will last are the ones who can really act and are all-rounders. It’s too early to have a persona,which comes from many,many years of work. At this stage it is not your persona that’s going to get you work. At this point it is whether you have the acting chops or the all rounder quality. And luck has a big role to play. There is only so much you can do. After a point,there is just good fortune. What is in my hands is all I am concerned with and I am confident that I can give 100 per cent.

I am sincere at my work,I value the opportunity that is given and I do the best that I can. Performance is something that falls into the realm of art,it is subjective. What I may think of a performance may be completely different from what the person sitting next to me may think. What evokes an emotion out of me,may not evoke an emotion in them. Films are subjective,They can’t be quantified. There are films that have not done well commercially,but have great performances and then there are some blockbusters with ordinary performances. What can’t be quantified can’t be deemed competition,but yes,everyone will have work. Those who prove their versatility and deliver on the acting front will be the ones who will have the staying power.

I respect Ranbir Kapoor as I think he’s really leading from the front as far as young actors go. He has established his commercial value by making very intelligent choices about films and now,he’s in a position where he chooses the kind of film which gets the maximum eyeballs and the widest appeal because he’s attached to it. A Rockstar,a Barfi! or Bombay Velvet are some very brave choices and he’s doing it for the betterment of our movies,so I really respect and admire him. He’s good in whatever he does. I may not have liked all his movies,but I have liked him in them. And I hope even I enjoy that position someday.

You are certainly more confident since your debut,but why is it that you are occasionally described as brash or attention seeking?

It’s a matter of how someone perceives me. For me,speaking normally is saying it as it is,but somebody else could call it outspoken. It’s a matter of how people judge you. I am a lot of things but I am certainly not malicious,I am certainly not arrogant. I am certainly confident and self assured,but people may amplify it in their heads and misconstrue it as being arrogant or pompous or whatever. I don’t take myself too seriously.

A very senior technician,who I was collaborating with on my film,described his impression of me,thus,‘You know,I thought you were a c*#@% but I was wrong. I was a few tables away from you at a restaurant and I thought of you a certain way,and then I saw you at a party and you were exactly the same! You don’t change yourself for people,so I was wrong in judging you negatively.’

I think it requires fortitude to admit that,but he said it. I don’t put up a pretence because I find it too taxing. I keep telling my friends that if you see me overstepping the line,you have to slap me back behind it. For most part they say I am doing fine.

My father points out,‘I know you are working very hard,I know it’s stressful and taxing,but please get a grip on your temper’. I know I have friends and family to ensure that I don’t get like that; I am very happy to know that people think I am still the same person. I am doing alright.

When I came,people didn’t know me,so they passed judgments; it’s human nature and I don’t hold it against them,but now after two and a half years people are beginning to understand. I can see a lot more acceptance of the way I am.