Award-winning Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor spoke of his early days as an actor, tasting success as well as experiencing failure, and his latest role as a father, during a freewheeling chat at the Red Sea International Film Festival.
Kapoor, 40, who called his first job assisting director Sanjay Leela Bhansali a "starting point" in his career, said the experience would later ground him as an actor. Bhansali would go on to give Kapoor his first acting break, casting him as the lead in his 2007 romantic film Saawariya.
Kapoor, who comes from a family of Bollywood superstars, is the grandson of Raj Kapoor, often considered one of the greatest actors and filmmakers in Hindi cinema.
At his In Conversation with Ranbir Kapoor session at the festival, he also spoke about his body of work, including the 2018 biopic Sanju, based on the life of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, one of Kapoor's most acclaimed roles so far and one of his biggest commercial hits.
“I was a huge fan. I used to have his poster in my room growing up,” he said of Dutt, but added that he was also wary of taking on the role in the Rajkumar Hirani film.
“I wasn’t sure how one could make a biopic on a living person who’s still acting," he said.
Dutt, who was a top star in the 1990s and 2000s, was arrested in 1993 for his alleged involvement in a series of deadly bombings in Bombay. Although he was eventually cleared, he was charged and sentenced for possession of arms and consequently spent a number of years behind bars.
Kapoor would arrive on set for prosthetics and make-up five hours prior to shooting every day. He said the film took a toll on him physically and mentally, trying to perfect a character with "shades of grey”.
But, the star said he remained objective and his effort paid off.
Kapoor was widely praised for his performance and Sanju became one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever.
"I didn't judge him. I played it with my heart and understanding of the character to the best of my ability. I knew it was a high risk because he's well known around the world, and his physicality was really challenging for me. I worked hard because I knew an opportunity would never come again," Kapoor said.
Kapoor, who is married to top Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, recently became a father. He said he was enjoying the new journey and wants to play football with his children and regrets not becoming a father earlier.
"I am a huge fan of Messi and Raj Kapoor," he said. The couple recently released a picture of their newborn girl, Raha, with her name displayed on a FC Barcelona football kit in the background. Kapoor is an avid supporter of the Spanish football club.
Kapoor and Bhatt fell in love while filming the fantasy action-adventure movie Brahmastra: Part One — Shiva, written and directed by Ayan Mukerji, which recently became the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.
Kapoor called the film one of his most memorable.
"Films like this aren't really made in India, it was also really expensive," he said. He said Mukerji and he "have always had similar ideas, I believe in him as a storyteller, and he believes in me as an actor."
He also spoke about the failure of his big-budget 2017 film Jagga Jasoos, his first movie as a producer, "heartbreaking".
"It was a passion project," he said of the 1.3 billion rupees ($15.8 million) film which was a box office disaster.
Kapoor also praised the efforts being made in developing a film industry in the kingdom and said he would “definitely bring movies and shoot movies in Saudi Arabia”.
"Saudi Arabia is making a lot of efforts for film production and is making amazing arrangements. I know Shah Rukh Khan was shooting here, a lot of shooting is going to happen in Jeddah and Riyadh," he said.
One fan asked if Kapoor would work with Pakistani actors and filmmakers. Pakistani artists have been banned from working in India since 2016.
“Art knows no borders and I definitely would. In fact, I would like to congratulate Pakistani cinema on the huge success of [The Legend of] Maula Jatt," he said.
Star-studded period film The Legend of Maula Jatt, which was released in October, recently became the highest-grossing Pakistani film of all time.
Kapoor said he was a fan of popular Pakistani and Bollywood singer Atif Aslam‘s voice. “When he sings, it’s like a hero's singing,” he said.
The actor also revealed he has two movies releasing next year, a romantic comedy with Shraddha Kapoor on March 8, and a crime thriller with director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, scheduled for release on August 11.
Scroll through the gallery below for pictures of more stars at the Red Sea International Film Festival
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
More on Quran memorisation:
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
