The accolades haven’t stopped pouring in for his brilliant performance as Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat. Everyone and anyone has been talking about his high voltage energy and madness in the film. But I was so glad to see that despite all the success and accolades that have come his way, Ranveer Singh has not let any of it go to his head. He hasn’t changed at all over the years when it comes to being the sweet, polite and most fun actors to interview.
This was one of those rare late-night interviews since Ranveer was busy shooting all day for his next film Gully Boy. I was expecting him to be exhausted by the time he got to the interview but Ranveer being Ranveer was so full of energy!
After all the jhappis that my colleague had requested me to make sure I give him, we settled down for our interview and spoke about all the blood sweat, tears and more that went into the making of Alauddin Khilji and Padmaavat!
On His High Voltage Energy!
“I always had this energy since I was a kid and my remarks on my report card in school would always say that I am hyper-energetic. I have always wanted to be a Hindi film hero and nothing else and that’s exactly what I am doing. I love what I do, and it’s a combination of my hyper energy and the enthusiasm for what I do that translates into what it does.”
Image Credit: Movie – Padmaavat
On His Preparations To Play The Character Of Alauddin Khilji
“This time I got 3 weeks to do the workshop. I was alone, cut away from friends and family. I used that time alone to dwell on my character. This time is my favorite time, where I just dwell on the character and stay away from people I know and are close to.I had to do a lot of homework,I studied about tyrannical rulers throughout history, oppressive regimes,dark material like genocide, serial killings. A lot of things I learnt about the character in preparation, generated the conviction in me that there were people like that, things like that did happen in the world. Only then was I convinced of the character.” However, Ranveer admits that he did not relate to Khiji. “I cannot imagine myself being him. When I started out to play the part I couldn’t understand that character that much, I couldn’t find the part of me that was that ambitious, that manipulative, that greedy, scheming, sinister.”
On Why He Enjoyed Playing Alauddin Khilji
“I enjoyed the character because I was free to make a lot of bold choices while playing an antagonist. For example, as Bajirao, he’s a nobleman, a righteous man, he has a lot of dignity. There are certain things he won’t do so that character did not have too much freedom to make that many choices but as Alauddin Khilji, my choices were different and I enjoyed playing the character a lot even though it took a lot out of me,” says Ranveer.
Image Credit: filmycat.com
On What Went Into The Making Of Alauddin Khilji
“All of Bhansali’s scenes are very intense, the film shoot as you all know got stalled due to various circumstances so we were short of time. Sanjay sir gives us a break for two to three days before the next scene whenever we do his films but with Padmaavat we didn’t have time, the shooting was back to back. One day I am screaming, I am banishing Mehrunissa. The next day I am doing an action sequence with Shahid, then the next day I am dancing! The whole shooting process was very heavy for me especially the climax scene. In the midst of the peak heat in May with four layers of clothes, we had to shoot in the open in film city. There were burning tyres all around and imagine all that smoke and heat. The minute they would say cut, I would collapse on the floor. Then all of them would revive me, I’d throw up, clean up and then get back to shoot. The whole sequence was exhausting, on the 37th day I called my mom and cried and told her I couldn’t do it anymore. I had a meltdown and it took its toll on me. Then there were also those instances where my mind was intact and I was very keen to do those scenes but my body just wouldn’t let me, it just wouldn’t move. I remember especially while shooting Khalibali, my muscles were all like jelly I couldn’t feel them but the minute the camera and sound would be on, the animal in me would arise and I would be all energy. At another incident when I was shooting at Film City, I left the set went out for some time and cried because I just couldn’t take it anymore, my make up artist calmed me down and he wiped my tears and I was sweating, I had injuries and I was bleeding and crying so I told him, “Remember this day dada, this is blood, sweat, and tears!” But by the end it was all worth it!” adds Ranveer.
On Whether He Had Any Expectations From The Film
“I had zero expectations because I feel and believe in the saying ‘Karam kar phal ki iccha mat kar!’ For me, the process is the prize and that is something I learnt while shooting for Bajirao Mastani when I broke my right shoulder and I couldn’t do anything with my right hand. My spirit was broken completely, I went into depression and under bedrest that’s when I listened to some audio books by a motivational speaker and that’s where I heard from him and understood that the process is the prize. That actually being on that film set, playing that character that process itself is the prize, not the result. My next aim is to be like my idol, Johnny Depp, it is said that he doesn’t even watch his films after he shoots them and that’s the level I want to get to! Do my work and have zero expectations.”
On The Huge Success Of The Film
“There is a HUGE sense of relief that I feel right now. Because it was a big risk I was taking as no mainstream leading man has taken this kind of risk to this degree of menace and evilness. I did not know how I would be accepted, if this had gone wrong I don’t know where I’d be. It would probably be my undoing! “
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On Failures and Successes
“Every film teaches you something, who you are as a person, your skills, craft etc. You are always learning, even a film like Befikre was a unique experience for me, I learnt so much as a craft. I learnt about my own strengths as a dancer, my limitations as a dancer. I learnt about a new genre so for me I always look at the positives that came out of any film I do. From Padmaavat I learnt that I had to dig very deep, I have these extra gears that I did not know I had. At some point when I thought I couldn’t go on, I still did, which means I can do it.”
On His Forthcoming Films
“I am shooting for Gullyboy at the moment and I am very excited about working with Alia, interacting with rappers for the first time and then I have Simbaa a Rohit Shetty film, a film I think I was born to do, full on masala extravaganza, comedy, action, romance.That’s home territory for me, just the films I grew up watching. I am super excited about it and people are eagerly awaiting that combination. Then I am also excited about playing Kapil Dev, It’s an honor and privilege to play him and his story is ours to tell.
On Expectations Going Up Post The Success Of His Role In Padmaavat
“If I take the pressure of expectations going high post-Padmaavat would bog me down. For me, all the films I do are equally important and different. Yes, today I am more evolved in my craft than I have been before.I don’t know how Gully Boy or my other forthcoming films will do but I am as honest in my approach whether it is Befikre or Padmaavat, I work just as hard.”
All that hard work has paid off! Ranveer Singh definitely needs a huge round of applause! Keep shining brighter!
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