Mellow side
humans are equal and all these disparities are manmade. On a superficial level they have differences but nobody was born with more or less…everybody has the same vein for life running through them. So I cannot get my head around why somebody would want to display such abject elitism,” he says with the seriousness that is seldom attributed to him.
He’s naturally cheerful and that is something th a t s t r a ngely doesn’t sit well with many in the industry who expect a certain degree of p r o p r i e t y. Ranveer is fully aware of the derision that has been directed to him even in the light of his stupendous career graph, and he himself likes to constantly project his light-hearted side. In his words, he is “predisposed to mischief and the desire to revel in mirth”. Tell him that even the chirpiest person has some buttons that shouldn’t be pushed, and Ranveer nods in agreement. He doesn’t get angry much, but says, “I have a minimal tolerance for insincerity. Somebody who is very sincere makes my heart glow. Whether or not the person is competent or works smartly is another matter. As long as they work hard and are sincere, it makes me happy. There’s nothing worse than being capable, yet not doing justice to the work at hand.”
This, of course, Ranveer speaks about in a purely professional setting. “I’m completely chilled out outside of work. I’m both fun-loving and serious at work and personally. I’m serious when I’m required to be,” he says.
The contrasts extend to his famed energy levels too. Although he’s always been the high-octane kid, Ranveer reveals that he goes through prolonged down times as well. “I’m not lazy. But I’m also capable of sleeping for 24 hours. If I don’t need to be active, I can remain in some kind of vegetative state,” he guffaws.
Talking to him is like talking to two different people rolled in one. The merrymaker, the reflective one, the vibrant actor and the one who can go through seasons of hibernation. Point out the contrasts and he just shrugs it off with a smile. There’s surely a lot one doesn’t know about a man who is frequently labelled. Ranveer adds, “One of the things that people don’t know about me is that I don’t evade or shy away from conflict. If you got to do it, you got to do it.” So what else is he willing to reveal about himself that we don’t get to read about? “Well, I’ve gotten into trouble with the law on various occasions, albeit all minor. I’m not a bad person who hurts people or something. I’ve basically gotten into trouble for having too much fun. What would constitute as fun? I’ll leave that to your imagination!” he laughs again.
He insinuates about his wild streak without saying much, but prod him about his passionate side, and he admits to being “all heart”. “I’m a heart person. All my decisions are heart decisions. They may not be good business ones and my father is petrified by my decisions, but I can’t have it any other way. They may not work all the time, but just the fact that I made them from my heart makes me feel like I can live with them. Every time my heart is not in it and it’s a business decision, it’s uncanny how it has not worked out. If your heart is in it, the outcome is incidental.”
Being a “heart” guy is definitely a big plus in a relationship. The actor, who is rumoured to be dating the lissome Deepika Padukone, says he’s the greatest boyfriend on earth. He declares, “You can check with the women, but I know that I’m the best boyfriend. I can be too sentimental though. And I can be possessive too. But I’ve learnt how to control that side of me. One of them (his girlfriends) explained to me about how relationships are like grains of sand. I’ve learnt not to let things slip away.”