MUMBAI: In an earlier interview, actor Ranbir Kapoor appears self-aware of the kind of celebrity he has and the kind of cultural impact his grandpa, Raj Kapoor, has had. Kapoor is currently enjoying the largest success of his career with the controversial blockbuster Animal. He related a story about his grandfather and stated that he could only imagine receiving so much praise. Raj Kapoor will turn 99 years old on December 14, 2023.
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In an interview with The Big Indian Picture more than ten years ago, Ranbir was questioned on past declarations that he aspired to be the greatest Indian celebrity of all time. He said, “I want to be the best at my job, not just critically acclaimed. I don’t want to do movies where just (people in) the cities know me. I want India to know me. I want to reach the small centres. I want to reach the small villages. If I’m a part of movies, it’s not just to make myself happy and intellectually masturbate, and say, ‘What a great performance, look at the nuances’. Unless every single individual in this country knows my name and likes me, I’ll never be a big star.”
He claimed that such popularity requires patience and work. Ranbir told two stories about Lata Mangeshkar and his late grandfather Raj Kapoor to show what fame meant to him. Ranbir claimed that the renowned singer entered a coffee cafe one evening when he was there. He added that as a sign of respect, every person in the coffee shop rose subtly.
He recalled the tale of his grandfather and added, “I’ve heard so many stories about him. I’m very interested in knowing about his life. I was only six years old when he passed away. He went to Russia for the premiere of Awaara. He came out of the theatre, and there was a huge mob of Russians just waiting to see him. He went inside his car, and you wouldn’t believe it, all these people, they carried his car and took him to the hotel. That’s another kind of stardom.”
Though he stated he wouldn't want to whitewash his grandfather, Ranbir expressed interest in making a movie about him. “I was offered a film… I was actually myself writing a film about him, when I was in school in New York. But I wouldn’t want to. I can’t tell his story the way it’s meant to be told. Controversial is not the right word, but if I ever make a film about Raj Kapoor, I wouldn’t paint him as this amazing, beautiful human being.”
Ranbir said that although his celebrity is "great," it is "shortlived," as he is used to people yelling his name and showing him love. “There’ll be another heartthrob after you, and there’ll be 10 more after them,” he stated.
However, Ranbir may now rejoice due to the enormous box office success of his most recent movie, Animal. Animal directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, is Ranbir's highest-grossing film with over Rs 750 crore in global receipts.
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Credit- The Indian Express
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