Ranveer Singh: 'I Feel Trapped In Bombay'

Under that wired, expansive, neon exterior, Ranveer Singh is earnest, secure and operating in the zone, finds Neville Bhandara

- Neville Bhandara

The first time I met Ranveer Singh was on the day we shot him for ELLE. His managers glided in and out of the studio as they shuffled to and from Singh’s vanity van, answering phone calls and making sure everything was ready. Eventually, the door opened and in he strutted, framed by the glare of the harsh afternoon sun that shone through the door. His hair was coiffed and teased, and he was dressed in the first look for the day. In his hand, he carried a retro tabletop Marshall speaker that blared music as he swaggered up to us, and then rather anti-climactically, shook hands with and introduced himself politely to everyone in the room.

I watched as he posed for the camera: smiling, scowling, pouting—a sharp contrast to the rather private man I would later meet at his home. It’s like Singh is drawing a line in the sand with all his theatrics. He’s marking where public territory ends and where you may not trespass.

Other than a growing unease with prying eyes, Singh doesn’t betray many other similarities with his peers. He doesn’t seem constrained by the trappings of lineage or custom. He brings a refreshing realness to his work that his fellow actors seem to struggle to do, and at any given time—both on and off screen—Singh is constantly trying to narrow the gap between his audience and himself.

He never overplays his masculinity, but he doesn’t shy away from it, either. He’s carved a little niche for himself that’s made him not only the most sought-after actor of his generation, but perhaps the most likeable too.