Playing Sanjay Dutt took a toll on me: Ranbir

The accolades for Ranbir Kapoor’s performance in Sanju are still pouring in, long after the film’s release. Considered Bollywood’s biggest blockbuster so far this year (it has made over ₹340 crore at the Indian box office alone), it has also impressed global audiences at various film festivals. But essaying the troubled life of actor Sanjay Dutt in the film took a heavy toll, says Ranbir. But it became “easier” since he was “working with really good people”.

“I had to literally go through everything — all the events of his life, understanding certain things he went through, besides using prosthetic makeup, putting on and then losing weight,” he says. He credits the positivity of people around him for keeping him going. “Everybody on the set was good and positive. I think that positive energy also kept me inspired. It’s not that I got into depression or a dark phase after the film. His life may seem dark to you but he is a very positive soul. Sanju sir has always fallen down because of his mistakes but he has come out of it also on his own will, with the help of his late father Sunil Dutt, or his friends. His life has been very positive and not dark at all,” he explains, adding, “It does take a toll on you but when you enjoy something, it becomes easy.”

Sanju has now been nominated in the Best Asian Film category at Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts awards. The film has also done the rounds of other festivals like New Horizons International Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, and Busan International Film Festival. “Certain scripts — such as Sanju’s — are what I call ‘actorproof scripts’ as it comes with a lot of gravitas and emotions in the story itself. That does half the work. In this case, Sanju sir’s life, the film’s script and Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) sir’s vision was exactly that. These kind of roles don’t come easily, so it was once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me,” says the actor, adding he just had to “feel inspired and happy”.

Everybody on the set was good and positive. I think that positive energy also kept me going. It’s not that I got into depression or a dark phase after the film. Sanju sir has always fallen down because of his mistakes but he has come out of it.

RANBIR KAPOOR, ACTOR

PHOTO: AFP Actor Ranbir Kapoor says he dealt with the challenges of his role thanks to people around him; Inset: Ranbir as Sanjay in the movie