My directors have shown me the world I was sheltered from: Ranbir

Ranbir Kapoor admits that working with directors like Imtiaz Ali and Anurag Basu gives him a chance to learn more about India

For Ranbir Kapoor, the last few months have not been very cheerful (his last two releases, Bombay Velvet and Roy, have not done well at the box office). But there is no denying that his exciting lineup of films has the potential to turn things around.

Ranbir-Kapoor-has-been-in-the-industry-for-eight-years-but-the-actor-has-almost-never-gone-for-any-publicity-stunt

A still from Bombay Velvet.

In fact, there is a lot of optimism in the film circuit regarding his next Tamasha. It also stars his ex-girlfriend, Deepika Padukone, and is being directed by Imtiaz Ali.

"Working with

Imtiaz

challenges you as an actor. He makes you unlearn what you already know. He changes your perception and method as an actor," says

Ranbir

, adding that the directors he is currently working with provide him with a different kind of vision.

Through their eyes

"I have lived a very sheltered life in Bandra, in a rich family. I’ve travelled the world, but I’m not too aware of what is happening in my country. I haven’t travelled much within India. So, when I work with directors like Anurag Basu, Anurag Kashyap and Imtiaz, they give me characters or channels that I have never seen. I try to express myself through them," he says.

Ranbir is quick to add that it’s "very important" that he works with people who know much more than he does. He also says that he has no desire to portray characters that are closer to him in real life. "If you ask me to be myself on screen, then it will probably be boring because my personality is reserved and quiet. I’m not outlandish. So, to borrow personalities, and trying to be them on screen, is much more exciting for me," he says.

New role

On another note, Ranbir, who is also turning producer, has been at the receiving end of a lot of queries regarding the delay of his maiden venture, a co-production with Basu. "He has a different method of working. He’s making a film that is ambitious. It is a musical, has different landscapes like Africa, Maldives and India. So, that has been taking time," he says.

But wouldn’t such a delay work against them? Ranbir says, "I wanted to have a 50-50 partnership with the director of the film I was producing. I don’t want to solely produce the film because the director should also feel like it is his film too. This way we can do things our way without any pressure. If our film is pushed to next year, it’s our call. We will pay interest on it, but we know that we can make it the way we want to."

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