Are superstars insecure? Is vulnerability directly proportional to the fame you achieve? Does effusiveness arise from the need to be loved? And, in the face of unimaginable success, can anyone truly keep their head on their shoulders?
These questions run through my mind as I prepare to interview the Bollywood outsider (sorry, nepotism blamers!) who is arguably Bollywood's most successful leading man today.
“Yes, I've let myself get carried away. My first sleeper hit (Band Baaja Baarat, 2010) made me over-confident. A career-threatening injury during my third film (Lootera, 2013, see box on page 12] brought me crashing down," Ranveer Singh, 36 years old and very much a millennial superstar, tells me in an introspective chat.
"But no, I'm not insecure. I've always held my artistic integrity very closely to me; filmmaking is a collaborative process, and I'm just a tool." There's a pause.
“But," Ranveer continues, unusually measured with his words, but honest as always. “It's becoming increasingly difficult to not lose perspective [and keep one's head on one's shoulders). It has been over a month since 83 released, and I see the way people are reacting to me as an actor; if I read enough of it (the praise], I will start believing it. I must be careful and not lose my head. I am just a tool in the creative process of a director. It's not all about me. I know my place; I know that I am a microscopic dot in the context of the entire universe. It's dangerous to have an inflated sense of self. So when I see this avalanche of praise coming my way for 83, I'm taking it all in, but I'm also channelling, putting it all into my jar of gratitude and compartmentalising."
この記事は Brunch の February 27 , 2022 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Brunch の February 27 , 2022 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Staying well within range
Driving from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar in an XC40 Recharge at night means going against the odds but it's not dangerous
Forget demure, forget mindful
Women are expected to dress their age. But why should arbitrary numbers dictate anyone's choices? Wear what you want, when you want
Bubbling under, boiling over
The year's best food yet, from Bandra to Seoul, from old names and new, from starters to afters
The new spin doctors
Come for the hooping, stay for fire poi, dapostar, leviwand and more. India's newest subculture blends art and athletics, meditation and showmanship, public and private. And it looks great on the 'gram
Shall we put a label on this?
What is high fructose corn syrup? Is red dye good? Dieticians and nutritionists break down the confusing stuff we see on food labels
Pho heaven's sake, explore!
There's more to Vietnam than the Golden Bridge or Ha Long Bay. Discover limestone cliffs, rice terraces, and local foods that haven't made it to the 'gram
No. Wait. She did what?
These mean girls are self-centred, bratty, and can make your life hell. But they stole the show. Read on, loser. And tell us how it wasssss
Are you seeing spots too?
Jyoti Bhatt's serigraphs use traditional symbols in modern ways, creating art that is slyly clever and full of little stories
Leave us to our own devices
Instead of banning gadgets, restaurants should ban people that are actually disturbing the peace
Siam Siam, but different
The reason Indians feel instantly at home in Thailand is because their mix of Hindu and Buddhist traditions so closely mirrors our own, creating a comfort zone abroad