This was such a fun interview, I love that Ranveer was chatty and friendly and so honest about his work. Looking forward to Lootera too now to see what he’s like in it! Read on for your Twitter questions answered and more! xoxo
MissMalini: Hey Ranveer, how are you doing?!
Ranveer Singh: I’m gooood, how are you? And are you ready to chat with me?
MM: Yes! Awesome, so first thanks so much for taking the time to chat 🙂
RS: Oh come on, why would I not want to talk to a pretty girl on the phone?
MM: That’s sweet… *blush blush* So I actually tweeted your fans and they sent some really fun questions as well so I’m gonna throw some of those in the mix as well as mine, cool?
RS: Alright!
MM: Ok. So first, are you on Twitter?!
RS: Yes, I am!
MM: Someone told me your handle is @RandomSingh, is that true?
RS: No, no no! What happened was, I picked Random Singh and then the firm that was supposed to handle my online presence said Random Singh is too like “niche” and all, you should make it @RanveerOfficial to reach out to your fans. So I said fine I’ll change it. So it’s @RanveerOfficial. Although I want to change it back to Random Singh but I don’t think that’s possible now because some imposter’s taken it up… Also there’s this imposter called @iRanveerSingh who really irritates me because he tweets all this crap and then it gets reported that I’m tweeting that crap and I get into the bad books of certain people!
MM: Well we’ll make sure we tell everyone to unfollow that guy!
RS: Ya, I am @RanveerOfficial, @RANVEEROFFICIAL!
MM: *LOL* Alright perfect! So you’ve got a very interesting year coming up with Lootera, Ram Leela and Gunday… three films with three very different type of directors. Did you choose that on purpose? Picking different films to do?
RS: I chose Lootera based just on what I saw of Vikramaditya Motwane‘s work. I was so so blown away by Udaan that I knew that this is a mind that will rarely go wrong. He’s got a certain level of film-making that I couldn’t believe that somebody from our cinema had actually made this type of film. He’s a very bold filmmaker, he sticks to his guns. He makes the film that he wants to make. He just stays true to his story telling. Very, very very crafty also. And I knew that what he had for me was just something that people would not expect from me. You know people have this image of me in their head that I’m chirpy and bubbly, vivacious… loud and obnoxious – here I’m playing a guy who just doesn’t speak, you know? He’s very internal, an introvert… stuff like that. So I consciously chose that, primarily because of Vikramaditya, because I’m a big fan of his previous work. And I knew that I would be exploring something new about myself also.
RS: You know I encountered a lot of problems when we were doing workshops. I just wasn’t grasping it. It was just such a break from what I usually do in terms of performing. I once got frustrated and was like, why have you chosen me for this part? This is just not for me! And he was like, no, it is. You have that side of you, I know you don’t like to show that side of you because you’re a people pleaser. But, this is what you have to tap into for this part. I know you’ve got it in you. And he worked me through it and honestly I was surprised at the fact that I could do it. A part that is so different from who I am.
MM: Any particular scene we should be looking out for? That you’re particularly proud of in the movie?
RS: Well, I hope I’ve done all the scenes right! I haven’t seen much of the film yet so I can’t really tell, but I felt good about a lot of scenes while doing them. I’m really happy with how it went. I felt it, I really really felt it. So hopefully that will translate! I’ve said this before but there are very few things I’m looking forward to in life more than seeing a cut of Lootera, I’m really anxious to see it!
MM: So like Ram Leela and Gunday are they also very different? Do you have a similar feeling about those two?
RS: Well they are hard core mainstream massy films, both of them. They’ve got all the mainstream elements, songs, action, they’re masala – full of masala – action, dance, romance, comedy. They are your quintessential masala films! But in that sense they are also very different from each other. Ram Leela is set in contemporary rural Gujrat. Gunday is based in 70s-80s Kolkata, against the backdrop of the coal mining mafia, it’s a two hero film. The stories are extremel different. One is an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, the other is a story of two boys, where they come from, the heights they achieve and then what happens in their lives. But ya, both are mainstream masala films. And I’m happy I’m doing very very hardcore mainstream films.
I remember Sonakshi, when we were doing Lootera said I know you have a tendency to chose these type of films, try mainstream you’ll have a lot of fun! So I’m glad these came along and I’m very excited about them. I feel after I’ve shot a fair amount for both of them, I think I’m made for mainstream ya… massy films are apparently my forte!
MM: On Twitter Nakul had a question about advice for struggling actors…
RS: Um… well it was about 3-3.5yrs and it’s a battle you know? You have to battle rejection, bleak prospects, that’ll bog you down. You just gotta keep hustling, keep at it, keep at it, keep at it. Put yourself in a position where an opportunity might come along. Don’t be far removed from it. Be in the mix, try and meet as many people to spread the word that you’re an actor who’s looking for work. My advice would be give auditions, spread your pictures around, keep hustling and the rest is not up to you. I was lucky, I got an opportunity and I made good on it. I had put myself in that position, the casting directors of Band Baaja Baraat knew I was out there looking, they called me for the audition and I did a good one. So you have to primarily just put yourself in the positon… and something will come along!
MM: Cool! I’m also curious to know what YOUR all-time Favorite Bollywood movie is?
RS: There are a few! I can watch Raja Babu any number of times same for Judwa, Andaaz Apna Apna and Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye! These films I’ve watched 30-40 times and I never tire of seeing them! You were very surprised when I said Judwa and Raja Babu right? *LOL*
MM: *Lol* I was! And do you have a song stuck in your head right now? Everyone has a bollywood track stuck in their’s now and again!
RS: I’m doing a performance for the Screen Awards day after, so there are songs from the 90s that are all stuck in my head. Koi Na Koi Chaiye is one of them… Shah Rukh Khan‘s break-through song. It’s one of the songs I’m performing on <sings> Koi Na Koi Chahiye, Pyar Karne Wala!
MM: And who would say are your all-time favorite Bollywood actor and actress?
RS: All time favorite, all time favorite… umm. See I’d have to say Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit… And Govinda also really!
MM: Also, we loved the sherwani you wore to Shaad Ali‘s wedding! Where do you like to shop? Do you have any favorite designers?
RS: You know that it’s so surprising, my people who I work with were telling me, hey you got some good feedback online for what you wore. And I was like man, people are really like looking into these things huh? Because I had a night shoot, I woke up really late, so I was late for the function and I went like a zombie, stumbled into my cupboard and was like, ok haan… oh! kurta wear it, oh! pajama wear it! oh, I need some shoes, I’ll wear these and I was dressed in like less than five minutes. And then it’s been broken down, I like the color of his kurta, I like the texture of his pants and I was like man if you knew how I put this thing together! You’d probably feel stupid analysing it! So ya, it was a complete fluke!
MM: *LOL* That’s awesome. So can you describe yourself in 3 words?
RS: See don’t put me on the spot like this ya, I don’t like saying these things *lol* see I tell you what, if I give you three words then that means I’m restricting myself. Then you’ll associate these three words with me forever. So I would say one of those words is “Mercurical” I’m ever-changing. You have to be like water, you have to adapt and change all the time. Its not like I’m one particular thing ever. I’m damn moody! So moody, mercurial these are words that would aptly describe me… it’s a good thing I’m an actor because I don”t know who I am, or what I am! People who interact with me on a daily basis take a few minutes to figure hmm what is he like today?
MM: So what do you think you would have done if you weren’t an actor?
RS: I’d be either a writer or DJ, or both.
MM: Now everyone on Twitter wanted to know about working with your different co-stars so I’m going to name them and you have to say the first thing that comes to your mind about them!
MM: Anushka Sharma
RS: Brillaint.
MM: Deepika Padukone
RS: Composed.
MM: Parineeti Chopra
RS: Bubbly.
MM: Sonakshi Sinha
RS: Laser!
MM: Laser? *lol*
RS: Actually, wait! Laser would be Deepika, Sonakshi would be “Effortless” she’s so effortless, she’s so chilled out!
MM: Your Twitter fans want to know… will you be working with Anushka again? I mean, would you like to?
RS: Of course, I would love to, who wouldn’t want to? She’s such a brillant actor she elevates the performance of whoever is acting with her, I’ve experienced it. And I would love to work with her again.
MM: Twitter question came in about your passion for sport…
RS: I’d like to play a sportsman probably… somebody was saying you know you should do a biopic on the life of Kapil Dev, I thought that was an interesting idea!
MM: It is! And we got another interesting question on Google+
RS: If there was one thing I could change… I don’t know. just get less stressed out so easily. I get stressed out damn easily, unnecessarily I need to take a chill pill. I would buy myself some chill pills and take a chill pill!
MM: And finally, obviously ALL your fan girls want to know are you single or are you dating someone?
RS: Yeah I am totally single and I’m absolutely loving it!
MM: Awesome! And finally do have a message for all your fans on MissMalini.com?
RS: My apologies for the long absence, I promise there are exciting things to come in the 2nd half of this year. I think around July we should have Lootera around November/December should be Ram Leela and followed by Gunday. So my apologies for being away for so long but I fully intend to try and make up for it.
MM: Thank you so much for your time Ranveer!
RS: Thank you, have a great evening, off to Mr. Bhansali’s set’s now… 🙂