In no way can one overlook the talent and majesty of Ranbir Kapoor in his upcoming film Shamshera. Set in the 1800s, this film tells the story of a dacoit tribe fighting for their rights and independence from the British. In this periodic drama, Kapoor takes on the role of Dacoit, a key protagonist who wants to accomplish his father’s mission.
Ranbir Kapoor will make his big screen return after four years with Yash Raj Films’s (YRF) Shamshera, which is slated to hit theatres on July 22, in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
The film is directed by Karan Malhotra, and apart from Ranbir Kapoor and Vaani Kapoor, who are preparing for the film’s release, it also features Sanjay Dutt as the antagonist along with a slew of other actors, including Ashutosh Rana, Saurabh Shukla and Ronit Roy.
In a candid conversation with us, Kapoor talks about the journey of his physical transformation that he has to undergo in order to stand against a villain such as Sanjay Dutt. He also reveals that playing two characters at the same time was one of the toughest challenges for him because it comes with a responsibility to look believable to audience.
Excerpts:
In this action-packed period drama, you play the role of a rebellious dacoit who fights for his community against British rule. Did you find it challenging to prepare and portray that character from the 1800s?
Absolutely, it was quite a challenge for me as an actor to play two different characters at the same time. Taking on the role of Shamshera required quite a lot of preliminary preparation, such as learning horse riding, a lot of action preparation, as well as having intense physical training, and all of these factors indeed contributed to my ability to play this role.
Fortunately, we had a great script and well-written characters, which made the movie all the more interesting! Moreover, the director has meticulously worked on visualising what the world of Shamshera will look like, as well as how the characters in the film will appear on the screen.
The trailer shows you dancing to a song called Ji Huzoor in a fictional city called Kaza, set in the 18th century. What kind of moves did you perform to represent that period?
We were fortunate to have choreographers like Chinni Prakash and Brinda Ma’am, who designed groovy yet entertaining dance moves. While the choreographers focused on that particular era for the dance steps, they also made an effort to make the dance moves as enjoyable as possible for the audience in such a way that they might not have any trouble picking up the steps by themselves.
Director Karan Malhotra is in all praise for your physical appearance, and it is indeed a treat to your fans. Can you tell us how rigorous your training sessions were? How long did it take you to acquire this well-toned physique, ripped muscles, and thick biceps, especially for this film?
It required considerable physical fitness on my part to play this character in this period-drama film. Especially since I had to be a part of a revolution in the film, also the fact that I had to stand against a villain like Sanjay Dutt, that particular physical appearance was a prerequisite in order to become a perfect fit for the role.
Unfortunately, I was shooting two films at the same time: Brahmastra and Shamshera, and I had to look lean for Brahmastra while I had to bulk up for Shamshera. Certainly, that was quite challenging, and it did take a toll on my health.
My daily schedule as part of Shamshera consisted of eating six different meals a day, working out for two hours a day, and preparing a lot of actions every single day, so it was physically very demanding.
Was it challenging to play two separate roles at the same time? You played both a father and a son; how would you describe the transition from playing a very aggressive and intense character like Shamshera to a grittier and more youthful Balli?
As my character had to fight for freedom and face the British army, I had to make it seem plausible. It was an exciting yet challenging task for me to make my character look believable to the audience.
Moreover, I have to say it is every actor’s dream to play two roles at the same time, so in this case, I played both a father and a son. They may have very little screen time together, but we took extra steps, starting from their voice modulations to their unique looks, to make both of the characters look appealing to the audience and have their own individual personalities.
Please explain what inspired you to take on the role of a father in this film?
As an actor, when I heard the script for the first time, I got so greedy because playing two roles in a film like this would be an absolute dream come true for me at this specific point in time and stage of my career. In addition, I believe it adds gravitas and prominence to the story, which makes it more intriguing.
While you were working on Shamshera and Brahmastra, your father was undergoing treatment at the same time. Was this emotionally tough for you? How did it affect your work?
Yes, that was the difficult phase of my life, but the show must go on. Regarding work, I must say that commitment holds immense responsibility, irrespective of what happens in your personal life. There may be many people whose work as well as careers hang in the balance because of you, and so it becomes your responsibility to make sure that they are taken care of.
After learning about my father’s illness, I contacted Adi Chopra and Karan Malhotra a number of times, asking them to delay the film, push back or recast the role with another actor.
As this was a huge setback for me. Despite this, they made me feel at ease and gave me a lot of confidence. They told me they would wait for me until I am ready and willing to work. It was undoubtedly a tough time for me; however, it became possible with the help of everyone.
You are going to have a great year, with two major films about to hit the screens, plus the beginning of a new phase of family life. With such a remarkable and busy year, how do you manage your time between family, friends and work? And how important is it for you to spend the ‘me time’?
Apart from work, I do get a lot of space and ‘me time’. Yes, our tribe will grow very soon, but much like any other profession, keeping a healthy balance requires us to prioritise the time out for our family and our own well-being while fulfilling our professional obligations.
As well as that, I will be turning 40 years old this year, so I believe that life has taught me a lot about what truly meaningful is! It is necessary to find a balance in such a way that you do not miss out on real moments, and happiness is only real when it is shared!
Image source: Yash Raj Films
