Exclusive Shamshera cast interview: Ranbir Kapoor 'can't wait to be a father'!

The blue-eyed Kapoor boy is back to wooing his audiences on the big screens after a hiatus of 4 years. Ranbir Kapoor, this time will be seen in a double role, playing Shamshera and Balli in YRF's period drama. It stars Sanjay Dutt and Vaani Kapoor in the lead roles with Karan Malhotra calling the shots on the director's seat. In an exclusive interview with Zee News Digital, the cast of Shamshera got talking on various things - from comparison with Thugs of Hindostan to Ranbir being excited about fatherhood and much more.

Excerpts from the interview: 

Q. YRF's last adventure period drama 'Thugs of Hindostan' failed to create magic on-screen. Was there any apprehension from the producer's side on making the period film 'Shamshera'?

A. Karan Malhotra: Just for you to know, Shamshera was greenlit even before Thugs of Hindostan was released. We made the film very efficiently and in between 2 saal COVID-19 ho gaya. But having said that, I don't think we are that kind of filmmakers nor is Aditya Chopra that kind of a producer every film has to be delt in a way that it is a different animal. Kisi ek film ka baggage kisi disri film pe aye doesn't make business sense and that doesn't make creative sense also.' Because hoga kya then you will be operating out of fear and I don't think any of us including Adi operates out of fear. You will make films, ambitious films - some will work, some won't because there is no foolproof formula to do that. But what you can do it enjoy the process of making the film and give your best.

Q. Was the cast also pre-decided?

A. Karan Malhotra: That doesn't happen, because when a concept is greenlit, a script has been made. No actor will say yes to an idea, they have to be presented with a script they believe in, nurture and kind of adapt. Only then will a responsible actor say yes to it. Toh vo hona zaruri hai, and that's exactly what happened here.'

Q. Not many people know that you and Taapsee Pannu are from the same school in Delhi. Did you guys ever discuss this after becoming actors?

A. Vaani: We used to go in the same school bus. But you know I was such an introvert and she was very extrovert, outspoken just out there and very flambouyant. I was this quiet meek oberserver, not talking, looking outside the window - just looking at trees, in my own zone. I remember just listening to music whatever cassettes were played in the bus and chilling. And Taapsee was this really outspoken girl, talking to everybody, dictating to everybody and I was just in my own world. I barely used to talk and she was so charming to all. 

Yaa...we have spoken 100 per cent. She remembers me as the quiet girl and I remember her as the chatty girl.

Q. You have plenty of good news coming in this year. Ther' daddyhood, Shamshera, Brahmastra. Did you get any 'new daddy tips' from Sanjay Dutt or Karan Malhotra on the sets?

A.  Ranbir: Ofcourse, especialy from Karan as we were shooting that period when he became a father and even post the pandemic humne shot kiya. Karan and I really bonded apart from Shamshera when I told him the good news in my life. The kind of reaction he gave me, I don't think my mother also gave me such reaction - uske aankhon mein aansu bhar aaye. He hugged me so tight - so I could tell his feeling of being a father was so real and alive that I can't wait to be a father.

Q. You are the quintessential lover boy, boy-next-door and now you have kind of broken this image with Shamshera. Out of these, in which role do you feel most comfortable?

A. Ranbir: I think this comfort zone is a very dangerous role for an actor. Like how you said, max I have been typecast as a lover boy, coming of age roles. So I would have fallen into that trap especially at this time of my career, after 15 years ki main vo typecast hoke ki audience bolti ki nahi isko hum bas lover boy ke role mein accept karenge. So I think har actor ka farz hota hai...before you get bored of yourself before the audience gets bored, you have to keep changing. I have so many legends before me - the three Khans, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, and Ajay Devgn they have had a career which spanned more than 35-40 years and it only happened because they constantly reinvented themselves. You see an Amitabh Bachchan, and as a matter of fact, my father, the kind of roles he did- at one point in time Karan offered him an Agneepath and he did a Rauf Lala. So, as an actor you have to surprise yourself and the audience constantly. Challenge yourself, never be in a comfortable place because that will just make you lazy and people will get bored of you.

Q. Do you guys watch Korean dramas?

A. Karan: I watch what is recommended, am not a crazy fan of world cinema. A show like Hellbound is great, please watch it. Their whole emotion is also relatable to my sensibilites, and I am a fan of Hindi cinema - their passion for projecting emotion is very similar. Feels very close to our space.

Ranbir: Ofcourse. My mom is crazy about Turkish dramas the only thing is that usme 250 episodes hote hai, itna time nahi hai. The popular one I know is Squid Games and I really enjoyed it. I think Korea is doing amazing in the field of art - be it K-pop, dramas or the movie Parasite which came out - that's really something to learn from. That country has taken its culture all around the world and I think we should also take a leaf out of the book.

Vaani: My mother is a huge fan of K-dramas. She loves it.

Q. Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Ayushmann Khurrana and now Ranbir Kapoor, you have worked with all. Do these actors have anything in common?

A. Vaani: They all focussed as actors. I feel they are individuals and unique people so I don't want to compare them. They all bring their individuality to sets. They are all phenomenal in what they do and know how to win people over and that's what am trying to learn a little bit.