In a recent conversation with entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, actor Ranbir Kapoor shared insights about his early days in the film industry. Kapoor started his career as an assistant to renowned director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, despite the overwhelming interest from numerous Bollywood filmmakers who wanted to work with him. This unexpected move was influenced by his father, the late Rishi Kapoor, who felt that the young actor was receiving too much attention and thus sent him abroad for studies.
Upon his return to India, Ranbir sought the best practical education in filmmaking and decided that Bhansali’s set was his ideal ‘film school.’ Reflecting on his time under Bhansali’s mentorship, Ranbir recalled the director’s rigorous nature and how it prepared him for his future in the industry. His hard work paid off, as he eventually made his acting debut in Bhansali’s 2007 film, ‘Saawariya’.
Ranbir revealed that upon his return, he found that every director in the industry wanted to launch him, but his admiration for Bhansali drove him to seek out the acclaimed director specifically. He recounted, “When I came back (to India), every director in the film industry wanted to launch me. But I was a big fan of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I was like, ‘If every director wants to work with me, why isn’t Sanjay Leela Bhansali offering me a movie?’ Maybe he wasn’t aware of me. So, I made a resume and went and sat outside his office.”
Bhansali agreed to meet him the following day and was impressed upon recognizing Ranbir’s name. Ranbir expressed his admiration for Bhansali, whose film ‘Devdas’ had recently released. He said, “On the first day itself, he told me that he wanted to make a film with me, so my ambition was achieved right there. But those one-and-a-half years that I spent assisting on ‘Black’ was actually the biggest film school of my life.”
Ranbir Kapoor reminisced about his challenging time working under the direction of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, particularly recalling the director’s infamous temper. “He was a very hard taskmaster. We were working 14-15 hours a day. There were 10 other assistants, but I wasn’t treated like some special kid because of who I was. I was like everybody else. He was… very short-tempered. There was a lot of anger coming our way, and I think that really hardened me. It really prepared me for anything in life,” Ranbir shared.
At a 2021 event, Ranbir disclosed that Bhansali’s strictness sometimes crossed into physical discipline during their collaboration on *Black*. “When I assisted Mr. Bhansali on *Black*, he used to really treat me as an assistant director. I used to be kneeling down for hours, he used to hit us, he used to abuse us… that only hardens you and prepares you for the world,” Ranbir revealed. This tough environment pushed him to his limits, leading to a significant decision in his early career.
In a candid conversation with Neha Dhupia on her show, Ranbir opened up about ultimately walking away from the project due to the intense pressure and emotional strain. “He was beating me… after a point, it got so heavy and I felt so tortured that I had to quit the film at a point… I think it was like 10 or 11 months into my job and I am like, ‘Listen, I can’t do this, it’s getting to me.’ I think I am too sensitive and emotional and he got to know me so well and he kind of kept poking into that… he got too much, went crazy as far as I was concerned,” Ranbir recounted.
Despite the harsh treatment, Ranbir acknowledges that the experience with Bhansali played a crucial role in shaping his resilience and preparing him for the demanding world of Bollywood.
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