The 42-year-old actor made his debut in 2007 with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's tragic romance, 'Saawariya'.
Ranbir Kapoor has seen both highs and lows in his career - some of his films achieved unprecedented success, while others fell short. For instance, his debut film, 'Saawariya', was a critical and commercial disaster. But Kapoor was destined to be a star, and hence that failure couldn't stop his meteoric rise. With films like 'Wake Up Sid', 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani', and 'Raajneeti' among others, he established himself as a force to be reckoned with - effortlessly. Films like 'Rockstar', 'Barfi!', 'Tamasha', and 'Jagga Jasoos' showcased his remarkable range, and blockbusters like 'Sanju', 'Brahmāstra', 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar', and 'Animal' made him a superstar. There were numerous failures in between as well, including 'Besharam', 'Roy', 'Bombay Velvet', and 'Shamshera'.
Well, the point is that Kapoor's legacy goes beyond his films' merit or box office performances. He has been consistently phenomenal, with his dedication being an example for others. The natural charm that he possesses, along with his unbelievable versatility, make him one of the industry's stalwarts today.
(Credit: dharmamovies)
The celebrated actor comes from the renowned Kapoor family, and hence he had been in the spotlight even before his debut. As Hindustan Times wrote about him, "... he was always a star kid from whom everyone had great expectations." However, have you ever wondered what would he have been if not an actor? Today, on his 42nd birthday, let's learn that.
Ranbir Kapoor's grandfather, the late Raj Kapoor, was a great filmmaker. And well, the 'Animal' actor has time and again said that he would have been a filmmaker if not an actor. In fact, not many know that he studied filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
In an interview on the TV show 'Yeh Hai Meri Kahani', Kapoor said, "If I failed as an actor, I would take up direction or produce films but I will do something around the film industry. This is when I told my father that I would want to go to an acting institute and train myself."
Notably, while studying filmmaking in New York City, he made about 300 short films on varied subjects. Also, he has been an assistant director on films such as 'Prem Granth' (1996), 'Aa Ab Laut Chalen' (1999), and 'Black' (2005).
Speaking about whether he still wants to direct a film, Kapoor once shared in an interview with Hindustan Times, "Absolutely. My intention and my ambition before becoming an actor was to become a director. But I don’t have a story to tell, which I need. Secondly, it’s a very selfless job. You work for so many people, and so many departments, and you give them the credit; that’s very hard. The more I’ve worked with good directors, the more I’ve realized that I have so much to learn. I have to change my personality a bit too. As an actor, you become very selfish and you’re only concerned with what you’re doing. Direction is a whole new ball game. It’s something that I want to do, but I’m far from it right now."
As a kid, Kapoor studied at the Bombay Scottish School. He wasn't much interested in academics, however, was very much into sports, especially football. He represented his school at several tournaments, and even once aspired to become a professional footballer.
Speaking about this, the actor shared in an interview in 2012, "Football is life for me. I think if I hadn’t become an actor, I would have definitely taken up this sport professionally. I’ve represented my school in the under-16 team football team."
Check out these pictures of #RanbirKapoor engrossed in a football match that took place last Sunday. pic.twitter.com/7TCKrVGxO3
— Filmfare (@filmfare) July 13, 2021
(Credit: Filmfare)
"I really hope to do a film on football in the future. I think sport is still an untapped genre in Indian cinema and there have been very few exciting sports films in Bollywood that have made a mark. I’d definitely want to act in a film based on football if I get a suitable script," he added.
Well, we are happy that Kapoor pursued what he was meant for. Otherwise, we would have missed so many great performances in Hindi cinema!
