Padmavati: Ranveer Singh is likely to take his versatility several notches higher as Alauddin Khilji

Ranveer Singh infused the Hindi film industry with fresh air when he danced to the tunes of Benny Dayal’s ‘Tarkeebien’ and romanticised bread pakoda in Maneesh Sharma’s 2010 wedding film Band Baaja Baaraat. What followed was a phenomenon never seen before in Bollywood.

Ranveer came to be known for his unadulterated energy and impassioned portrayal of a wide range of characters. Just when he was about to be pigeonholed as the flag-bearer of single screen cinema, he proved otherwise through his rather nuanced portrayal of an archaeologist-turned-conman in Vikramaditya Motwane’s 2013 period drama Lootera.

He further consolidated his multiplex audience base through Zoya Akhtar’s 2015 family drama Dil Dhadakne Do. In the midst of seasoned actors like Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra, Zareena Wahab and Rahul Bose, the young actor held his own. But even in his two best known roles as a multiplex hero, he displayed his versatility.

“Both the characters were so different. It is natural his approach to both the characters would have been different too. But Lootera was an altogether different experience. Even behind the camera, he was very warm, very cordial,” says Vikrant Massey, Ranveer’s co-star in both Lootera and Dil Dhadakne Do.

Given the fact that both those roles were emotionally demanding, it is commendable on Ranveer’s part to have stayed warm to his co-stars. But the warmth seems to be a mere extension of his vivacious personality, as is evident from his red carpet appearances and social media presence.

But admittedly, he considers Sanjay Leela Bhansali as the filmmaker who compelled him to push the envelope and surprise himself. Whether it was the 2013 romantic comedy Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela or the 2015 period drama Bajirao Mastani, Ranveer played characters that had his basic self as the foundation but were so much more.

Given Ranveer’s eccentric style of acting, it is fair to say that he would need a director with a more streamlined approach who will serve as the method to his madness. For example, the audience was surprised to see Ranveer at his subtle best in the song ‘Nashe Si Chadh Gayi’ in Aditya Chopra’s romantic comedy from last year, Befikre. Chopra managed to make the Befikre Ranveer front his most restrained self as he matched steps with Vaani Kapoor on Vaibhavi Merchant’s choreography.

Similarly, it took a Vikramaditya Motwane to pull off a Ranveer without dance or buffoonery in Lootera. To his credit, Ranveer slipped into any character like a chameleon. But it would have been even more challenging to collaborate with Bhansali since the filmmaker is as eccentric if not more than his newfound muse.

While the success of Goliyon Ki Rasleela: Ram-Leela was attributed to the chemistry between Ranveer and Deepika, a Filmfare Award for the Best Actor in a Leading Role proves that Ranveer was at the top of his game, in his personal capacity, in Bajirao Mastani. But all eyes are set on his next role of Sultan Alauddin Khilji in Bhansali’s period drama Padmavati.

As soon as the trailer of the film released, tweets in awe of his look and impact poured in on social media. An emotional Ranveer even took to Twitter to thank his fans through a heartfelt note. But the actor has undergone immense turbulence to get into the skin of his dark character. He found it so difficult to overcome the evil role that he reportedly visited a psychiatrist.

As his fans eagerly look forward to the role, one wonders what would have gone into the preparation of his role. As Bhansali is known to push actors to such lengths that it take a great effort on their part to come back to their own selves, Ranveer must have challenged himself like never before.

Homi Adjania, who had roped in Ranveer for a special appearance in his 2014 road movie Finding Fanny, reveals that the actor prepared in great depth even for the little screen time he devoted to the film. “Ranveer is a maverick. Even for the blink-and-you’ll-miss-him role he did for Finding Fanny, he spent time on his look, mannerisms and then of course he had a playlist for his character. Now this playlist does two things. It puts him in the mood of how he wants to portray his character and it announces his arrival on set as he blasts it and literally dances on! He has the right energy and is a good guy to work with,” says Adjania.

The playlist, the filmmaker admits, is a crucial tool in several actors’ processes. But Ranveer surely takes it several notches higher. Actress Neha Dhupia had a similar incident to narrate, when she invited him on her audio chat show No Filter Neha Season 2 this year. “He is crazy. He is plain simple crazy. I do not think I will ever be able to forget when he stepped into the studio. He was at his casual best with the mustache and beard. And he carried a boombox with him, just grooving to ‘Take It Easy, Urvashi’. But as soon as we started rolling, he tuned into it completely.”

This ability of being the nucleus of every set surely translates to his films. Irrespective of the length of the role, he has often been the film’s focal point. Expect him to do the same yet again, and still surprise you, as Khilji in Padmavati.

All images from YouTube.