Here’s why Ranveer Singh Stapled his Stomach in Lootera…

Ranveer Singh is undoubtedly one of the most versatile actors in Bollywood. The young boy who started out with high aspirations of becoming an actor is now the industry’s precious gem and most sought after actor today. 

Right from his debut film in 2010 till today, the actor has made a mark for himself in the showbiz with his impeccable performances and fire cracking energy. From a wedding planner to a gangsta and from a brave Maratha warrior to an ambitious Gully boy, Ranveer Singh has managed to tap into his characters like a pro!

However, it was no cakewalk for him as he reveals that his lack of experience during the initial days of his career made him take a drastic step, which he plans to never do again. 

During a recent chat, Anupama Chopra mentioned that Ranveer had stapled the sides of his stomach, as a preparation for a scene in Lootera where he gets shot, and would hit himself there to get the right expression.

Reacting to the same, Ranveer says it’s true and said, “At that time I was very raw as an actor, exploring my craft. I wasn’t comfortable with my craft. I didn’t know how to do it. I was so raw that I didn’t know the ABC of filmmaking. Even when I was an AD, I used to be given menial jobs, I would be far away from the sets. So I hit the ground running.”

The actor adds that he was so kaccha (raw) during Band Baaja Baraat, he would be doing two shots with Anushka and there would be a boom mike guy standing and he would ask her ‘Who’s this guy?’ She’s like ‘whatever dialogues you say, he’s going to capture that’. “I literally started from scratch,” says Ranveer.

I didn’t know at that time when I was making that choice for Lootera. You operate from a place where you are not comfortable with your craft, a place of insecurity and nervousness and you tend to do a lot more to achieve a certain effect... sometimes to the degree of harming yourself. I wouldn’t do it now as I know that there is more efficient way of doing it. Back then, I am thinking to myself: ‘I have never been shot, now I am going to get shot. So how am I going to depict a real sort of pain on screen?’ Now when I look back on Lootera, I watch the scenes like this (leans back and make an expression of discomfort) because it takes me back to a memory of immense amount of physical pain. It’s all real. But today, having acquired more knowledge and comfort with my craft, I know that there is another way of creating that effect.

- Ranveer Singh

Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Lootera is a historical romance film starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha. The film was critically acclaimed and came as a breakthrough for both the actors, as they were highly lauded for their performance in the film. 

Meanwhile, on the work front, Ranveer will be next seen as Kapil Dev in Kabir Khan’s sports biopic titled ‘83.