'I want to be successful on my own terms'

Trying hard

The film fraternity faces no dearth of chocolate boys, but not many of them can boast of playing critically-acclaimed roles in movies directed by some of the stalwarts of the industry. In this regard, at least, Ranbir Kapoor is different.

The actor has successfully carved a niche for himself by combining mass appeal and commercial success with some incredibly powerful performances.



Metrolife caught up with him to find out more about his passion as an actor, and his latest project ‘Rockstar’.

He might be a star child, but that doesn’t mean his journey as an actor has been all smooth-sailing. Ranbir admits that being the golden boy of the Kapoor khandaan has both pros and cons. “I have received a lot of guidance, but at the same time I have the responsibility to carry on the 80-year-old legacy of my family. I’m here to make them proud and I want to be successful on my own terms,” he says.

He adds that there were several tough skills he had to pick up when he started acting, and the most challenging by far was mastering the art of marketing his films. “This sounds silly, but marketing is really hard. As actors, our job is to play a character well, but marketing is still an important quality that we have to learn. It’s very important to garner a visibility for a film,” he explains.

Another aspect of acting that Ranbir takes very seriously is forming a connection with his role. He says, “It’s important to connect to a script and character. Of course, every role comes with its own homework. In ‘Rockstar’, I play a Jat boy from Delhi, so I actually hung out with a few to see how they live. I think this makes a difference which the audience can subconsciously feel.”

Ask him whether he perceives himself to be a ‘director’s actor’, and he dismisses this label immediately. “I think this term has been wrongly interpreted. I’m an actor and I have a point of view, but I respect the fact that a director comes to the sets with more knowledge than me. So I have to enact what he wants convincingly and at the same time retain my own perspective as well,” he says.

Ranbir’s latest project, ‘Rockstar’ has afforded him the opportunity to work with some fantastic talent— director Imtiaz Ali and debutant Nargis Fakhri. “Working with Imtiaz was a great experience, especially since this was the role of a lifetime. And Nargis is one of the finest talents I’ve worked with. Working with a first-time actress brings a certain freshness to the sets, since she has no pre-conceived notions of acting and her expressions can sometimes really surprise you,” he says.

Being an actor is a full-time job, and Ranbir admits that this has its own drawbacks. “Your personal life tends to take a backseat. But when you love what you do, life becomes quite easy. So I’m very grateful,” he concludes.