Introducing: Ranveer Singh

First director Maneesh Sharma “Maneesh is remarkably talented. Just as I would like to believe that I was born to act, Read More">I believe Maneesh was born to direct. He is a great story-teller and what’s most amazing about him is that his vision of the story which he wants to tell is crystal clear. HeRead More

First director Maneesh Sharma

"Maneesh is remarkably talented. Just as I would like to believe that I was born to act, I believe Maneesh was born to direct. He is a great story-teller and what's most amazing about him is that his vision of the story which he wants to tell is crystal clear. He is also very young just like the whole team of Band Baaja Baaraat and his energy on sets is tremendously infectious."

Working in a Yash Raj film

"To get a chance to work in a Yash Raj film and that too in your first film is truly amazing. They take care of you really well and in fact pamper you to the hilt. They make you so comfortable that the only thing that you have to worry about is doing your own job right. Having Adi Sir as the producer of my debut film is a great boon for me as he is vastly experienced. He is a great guide and I know that I will only get the best possible advice from him."

Music of Band Baaja Baaraat

"The music of Band Baaja Baaraat is simply outstanding. Without sounding biased, I think that it is the strongest album of the year- music wise. It's got 9 songs out of which 2 are remixes. 'Tarkeebein' is a song that has already connected with the youth in a big way, it's become like a youth anthem of sorts. This fun song takes you down memory lane, and reminds you just how much fun college was. Using Benny Dayal's voice for this song is also a master-stroke by Salim- Sulaiman. The shaadi-wala song 'Ainvayi Ainvayi' is also fast gaining popularity and is one of my favourite songs. Another song which I really love is 'Dum Dum' which is a Sufi song. The energy in the song is such that it can put you in a trance. Even 'Mitra' is a beautiful rock ballad with excellent lyrics. These 4 songs I simply cant stop listening."

Bagging the first break “My ambition was always to bag a lead role in a film and hence I refrained from doing any ads, TV serials, Read More">music videos as I felt that a fresh face always works much better. It was a gamble and I took that gamble telling myself that I will give itRead More

Bagging the first break

"My ambition was always to bag a lead role in a film and hence I refrained from doing any ads, TV serials, music videos as I felt that a fresh face always works much better. It was a gamble and I took that gamble telling myself that I will give it my all to bag a lead role. I made my portfolio and began meeting various producers, directors and casting directors. Finally, Shanoo Sharma (who now heads casting division at YRF) called and told me that YRF were looking for a fresh face for one of their projects and she had spoken to Adi Chopra about me. I went to Yash Raj for my audition, was asked to perform two scenes and Adi Chopra who later saw the audition tapes on video was impressed and decided that I fit the part of Bittoo Sharma. However, the director Maneesh Sharma needed some more convincing and I was called for a few more auditions over the next two weeks until they were completely convinced that I could pull it off."

Playing Bittoo Sharma

"Bittoo Sharma is your typical Delhi University ka launda. He is a loafer who is not interested one bit in studies. All he does is fool around with his friends in and around college and do a lot of awaragardi. He is a very chilled out guy full of masti who has no worry whatsoever about his future or career. Besides this, he is also a pucca jugadu someone who knows how to get things done his way. In short…he is a hustler. After college, he is confronted with the question as to what path to follow ahead in life. At this point of time, he meets Anushka's character Shruti Kakkar and she comes across as a very sorted, determined, focussed and career-oriented girl. As an easy way out, he latches onto her and convinces her to start a business together and they end up starting a wedding planning firm called 'Shaadi Mubarak' and the story takes off from there."

First co-star Anushka Sharma

"Anushka is a great person to work with. We are around the same age so we had a lot of fun during shooting. We share a certain comfort level and I truly believe that when you share a certain comfort level with your co-star, it certainly adds to the quality of the work. This being my first film, she used to also give me small pieces of advice some of which I incorporated. Overall, she's been really supportive of me."

In an industry filled with strugglers, there are countless hopeful eyes which wait for that one elusive break. While not all of them manage to get that break, Read More">a few lucky ones do. The really chosen ones in fact manage to get a break with a big banner and Bollywood’s latest entrant Ranveer Singh isRead More

In an industry filled with strugglers, there are countless hopeful eyes which wait for that one elusive break. While not all of them manage to get that break, a few lucky ones do. The really chosen ones in fact manage to get a break with a big banner and Bollywood's latest entrant Ranveer Singh is among those lucky few. Ranveer is all set to debut with Yash Raj Films' Band Baaja Baaraat which releases on Dec 10. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama's Nikhil Ramsubramaniam, this new Punjabi munda talks about how he is literally living his dream and much more. Read on!

My Background

"I am a complete Bandra boy, born and raised in Mumbai. After doing my junior college from HR College in Mumbai, I went to the US to do my BA from Indiana University in Bloomington. Post my return from the US, I was struggling to make it as an actor for almost 3 and a half years until I got my first break."

Childhood ambition

"I always wanted to be an actor ever since I was a little kid. I knew that I had to do something related to performing arts and I enjoyed acting the most as it incorporated so many different art forms. However, when I was in college, I realised that getting a break is not at all easy as it was mostly people with a filmy background who got the prime opportunities. I don't have a filmy background at all so it all seemed too far-fetched for me. So for a few years I worked in advertising as a copywriter with top agencies like O&M and JWT. However, that never was my true calling and I felt that if I pursue any career other than acting it would be a compromise in my life."

Alleged link up with Anushka “I knew that such rumours are a part and parcel of every actor’s life. In fact whenever you see two young good looking people enjoying each other’s company and having fun together, the natural tendency in our society unfortunately is to think that they are going around. Anushka and I, Read More">Read More

Alleged link up with Anushka

"I knew that such rumours are a part and parcel of every actor's life. In fact whenever you see two young good looking people enjoying each other's company and having fun together, the natural tendency in our society unfortunately is to think that they are going around. Anushka and I, as I mentioned earlier, got along really well and had a lot of fun during the shoot, so it was expected that there would be such stories of a link-up. There is nothing you can do about it. 'Kuch toh log kahenge…logon ka kaam hai kehna.'"

Rumours of dad's connections helping him bag the film

"This was a really absurd story. My dad is a businessman and mom is a homemaker. We have absolutely no filmy connections whatsoever. It's really unfortunate that some journalists don't check their facts before publishing a story. For me bagging a lead role in a Yash Raj film on my own merit is my biggest achievement in life till date and hence when such stories began doing the rounds, but naturally I was upset even though I knew that there is not an iota of truth in them. My father was also upset that people were taking credit away from me. Yash Raj Films is among the oldest, biggest and most reputed production houses in the country and to say that they took money to launch an actor is utter rubbish. If you take a look at their body of work or even visit their state-of-the art studio, you will realise that they are too big to need anyone else's funding. I've heard of small producers resorting to such cheap stuff but to accuse someone like Yash Raj Films is absolutely ridiculous."

Future projects

"I have a 3 film contract with Yash Raj Films but it's a non-exclusive contract which means that after Band Baaja Baaraat releases, I am free to do films with other banners too. Right now I am just waiting for the film to release so that people can see my work and then decide what I am capable of doing."

Comparisons with Ranbir Kapoor “I am most definitely not aping anybody be it Ranbir or anybody else. As an actor, I would like to think of myself as unique, as someone who has his own individuality. Be it in terms of my looks or my dialogue delivery, Read More">I am just being myself and not tryingRead More

Comparisons with Ranbir Kapoor

"I am most definitely not aping anybody be it Ranbir or anybody else. As an actor, I would like to think of myself as unique, as someone who has his own individuality. Be it in terms of my looks or my dialogue delivery, I am just being myself and not trying to emulate anyone at all. I don't base myself on anybody because I am a creative person and creativity for me is synonymous with originality."

Favourite Actors

"Growing up, at different phases of my life, I had different actors whom I looked up to. First there was Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, then Anil Kapoor, and of course Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. They've all been my idols."

Actresses I would love to work with

"I find all the current actresses really interesting so would love to work with all of them. Each of them has their unique charm so wouldn't want to pick and choose. For me, nothing would be more satisfying than to work with a variety of people."

Favourite Yash Raj Film

"It has to be Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge without doubt."