‘My family never told me how to go about my career’

With seven films behind him — an almost equal number of hits and misses among them — that naivete is rapidly being displaced by raw energy. Ranbir proclaims he wants to be “the biggest star and greatest actor of all time” and is busy trying his hand at different roles. After Rockstar,he will play a deaf-and-mute person in Anurag Basu’s Barfee,followed by roles in a biopic on Kishore Kumar and a film with friend Ayan Mukerji.

Ranbir admits he is “fairly successful” among the current crop of actors of his generation (read Imran Khan and Shahid Kapoor),but owes his success to being in the right place at the right time. His directors say his ability to switch images in front of the camera makes him a coveted actor. Basu,who directs him in Barfee,says: “Ranbir doesn’t think of his career graph while signing a movie. He does it because he sees potential in the script,wants to try out something he has not done earlier and he isn’t scared of the final result.”

With Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar releasing on November 11,the actor says it’s his most challenging performance till date. “The experience of playing a Jat boy was unique since I don’t know any Jat. We didn’t have a reference to a rockstar either because India doesn’t have the tradition,and we didn’t want the character to replicate Jim Morrison or Bon Jovi. So building on the character was a demanding task,” says Ranbir.

Despite starting off as the quintessential romantic hero in his first two films Saawariya and Bachna Ae Haseeno,Kapoor was quick to change track and mix it up with films like Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year and Raajneeti. “I don’t want to label myself. Characters should challenge me. If I keep playing the Bachna… kind of character,I will be bored to death. That’s the reason I did Wake Up Sid and Rocket Singh… which not many mainstream actors would do so early in their careers,” says Ranbir.

These two films have been crucial to his five-year-old career. Writer Jaideep Sahni believes that Ranbir is an actor who knows how to integrate his talent with the demands of the film. “Ranbir has a mature understanding of the profession and also inherent talent,two qualities which often don’t co-exist. This makes him a great collaborator and an asset to the team.”

In an industry that seems to mostly have adulatory opinions about him,Basu sounds a word of caution: “When you tend to do well in different genres,there is a tendency to believe that you know it all. Ranbir should guard himself against this and just stay focussed and honest about his work.”

The actor says he is equipped to deal with the pitfalls of his career. “The biggest advantage of being born in a film family is that I don’t need to work for money. My family never sat me down and told me how to go about my career. While the success is mine,the failure is mine too. So I can afford to try my hand at different things,” he says. He is proud,he says,that people in the industry now recognise him for his own merit rather than for his family name. “Why would directors like Imtiaz and Anurag cast me otherwise? They don’t need popular surnames to sell their films,” he says.

Ranbir seems equally at ease admitting that his endorsement assignments benefit him more than the brands. “It adds to my public persona. The brands I endorse are household names,they don’t need me to sell their products,” he says. It’s also a calculated effort to make the most of an actor’s short-lived career. “I remember around 13 years ago when my dad retired from lead roles to play character-driven roles,the same people who hung around him,disappeared. It is a fickle industry. Yahan chadthe suraj ko salaam karte hain. (People only acknowledge the rising sun.) So one must make hay while the sun shines,” says Ranbir.

Quick Take

What is your earliest memory of Bollywood?

I went to the set of my father’s film Sheshnaag. In that particular scene he was being beaten up. I started crying looking at him. Everything seemed so real.

Who is your favourite actor in the Kapoor clan?

Rishi Kapoor.

How was it sharing screen space with him in an endorsement?

I was really nervous,because if I gave a bad shot,he would look at me as a bad actor for life. Secondly,it was the first time he was on my set seeing me act.

Was it your idea to cast the late Shammi Kapoor in Rockstar?

I was watching his song O haseena zulfonwali when it struck me that Rockstar cannot be complete without the original rockstar. Imtiaz agreed and then we convinced Shammi uncle to play the role.

How would like to be remembered ten years from now?

I want people to mark my films on their calendar and await their release every day.

How do you react to your huge female fan following?

I love the female adulation. And as a rule,I never refuse a fan an autograph or a photograph. When I was a child,I saw my dad’s fans outside our house waiting to meet him. When he refused them at times,they would be really disappointed and walk away dejected. I don’t take my fans for granted. It doesn’t take much of an effort to sign an autograph or pose for a photograph with them.

Is the proxy war with Imran Khan still on?

There is no war,but I obviously want to be ahead of Imran,Shahid,Ranveer (Singh) and Prateik. I also believe we need to broaden our horizons and compete with the three Khans. It is going to take some time,but we have to aspire to reach there.

Are you friends with any of your contemporaries?

I don’t have place for new friends in my life. All my friends are from school,they are not yes-men around me. If they don’t like me in a film,they don’t think twice before saying so.

Who is your best friend in the industry?

Ayan Mukerji (director of Wake Up Sid).

Who is your favourite co-star?

Nargis. Because I am selfish and I want our film to do well.

You are linked with every actress you work with?

I sometimes wish it was true,but then I know it is a part and parcel of being an actor.

Are you dating anyone?

No. I am single and I have never been so single in my life.