Ranbir Kapoor in his debut film Saawariya.
Ranbir Kapoor opened up about his debut film Saawariya with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and its disastrous run at the box office.
Reflecting on his career, Ranbir Kapoor, who delivered the blockbuster ‘Animal’ last year, expressed gratitude for his debut film ‘Saawariya’ being a box office disaster. He shared that the failure humbled him and taught him to handle both success and failure as integral parts of his profession.
In a candid conversation with Nikhil Kamath on the podcast ‘People by WTF,’ Ranbir reminisced about his early days working with renowned Indian auteur Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB). After completing his studies abroad, Ranbir was eager to make his mark in Bollywood. He said, “When I came back, every director or producer in the industry wanted to launch me. But, I was a big fan of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I thought, ‘Maybe he doesn’t know me.’ So, I made a resume and sat outside his office.”
Ranbir Kapoor shared more insights into his early career, recounting his initial encounter with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. “I waited, and although he wasn’t there initially, he saw my resume and recognized who I was. The first day we met, he said, ‘I want to make a film with you,’” Ranbir recalled.
He began working as one of Bhansali’s assistants, enduring grueling 13-14 hour shifts daily. Describing Bhansali as a hard taskmaster with a short temper, Ranbir noted, “It hardened me.”
When ‘Saawariya’ was released, it turned out to be a significant box office disaster. Reflecting on this, Ranbir said, “In hindsight, I’m glad it didn’t do well because that really prepared me for the life ahead.”
‘Saawariya,’ which also marked the debut of actress Sonam Kapoor, clashed at the box office with Farah Khan’s directorial ‘Om Shanti Om,’ starring Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan and debuting Deepika Padukone. Despite the tough competition, the experience with ‘Saawariya’ taught Ranbir invaluable lessons about resilience and the unpredictable nature of the film industry.
His most recent film, ‘Animal,’ directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and co-starring Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Triptii Dimri, Suresh Oberoi, and Shakti Kapoor, achieved commercial success but faced criticism from some quarters for its portrayal of toxic masculinity and glorification of violence.
Up next, Ranbir Kapoor will be seen in Nitesh Tiwari’s adaptation of ‘Ramayana,’ based on the ancient text by sage Valmiki, which is eagerly anticipated by audiences and critics alike.
