Ranbir Kapoor's Career Analysis and Why YJHD is Important!
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When Ranbir Kapoor debuted in Bollywood with a film like Sawaariya, a lot of people wrote him off. People just assumed he'd succumb to the pressure of being from the Kapoor family. But in the 6 years after his debut, he has deservingly created an unique position for himself in the industry. He chose to tread the less-taken path and earned major brownie points from the filmy intellectuals whose opinions matter.
Saawariya competed against a biggie like Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om and sank without a trace at the box office, but one person stood out even in the rubble of that disaster (Sony Pictures shut down it's business in India after the film), and it was Ranbir Kapoor. People took notice of his acting talent and he was even rewarded with the Filmfare Best Debut Actor award that year.
After his debut, Ranbir's destiny was in his own hands. He chose to play it relatively safe with a Yashraj film – Bachna Ae Haseeno. It was a largely commercial film and he was paired with his ladylove of that time (Deepika Padukone). The film created buzz for their pairing rather than the film itself. Afterall two of the best debutantes of the year before were coming together. The film did average business and was Ranbir's first tryst with box office success.
But it was 2009 which changed the game the actor. He chose two very unorthodox films in the form of Wake Up Sid and Rocket Singh, and one very commercial orthodox comedy – Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani. WUS and Rocket Singh reaffirmed his acting pedigree and everybody was taken aback by his stellar performances. With Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani, a star was born. He found his footing amongst the mass audiences with this Super Hit film of his. He showed that he can convincingly saddle the worlds of comedy and intensity.
His next release was the multi starrer Prakash Jha film Raajneeti. Even amongst the heavyweights of the Industry, Ranbir managed to make a mark. He got into the skin of his character and made his acting look effortless. The film almost managed to cross the 100cr mark. His next release was Anjaani Anjaani, where he was paired withPriyanka Chopra for the first time. The music was a hit, but the film sadly sank at the box office. The failure of such a commercial film probably made Ranbir take up his next two films. And the two films' directors, of course.
Ranbir escaped from the scene to prepare for his role as a Rockstar in the film titled, well, Rockstar. He oozed the chaos in the mind of a troubled superstar effortlessly with his mannerisms. He practically lived the life of Janardhan Jakhar / Jordon. He received his first ever Filmfare Best Actor award even though the film wasn't a clean hit. But his next, Barfi, was a much bigger success both critically and commercially. Playing the deaf and dumb Murphy/Barfi, he charmed his way into the hearts of almost everyone who watched the film. Inspired scenes notwithstanding, the film became India's selection for the Oscars. He won his second Filmfare Best Actor award for Barfi.
Now he is back with, perhaps, his most important film yet. He has created a niche for himself as the nation's favourite actor from his generation. Now he is going head-to-head with the bigwigs of the Industry having booked the lucrative post-IPL date for himself. He is the darling of the urban youth (his numerous linkups have definitely helped) but now he is aiming for the audience which lands in the heartlands of India. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani(YJHD) is a multiplex film, yes, but this is the least multiplex-y film he has been involved with since 2000. If YJHD does well, it will help him gain a firmer footing amongst the small town audiences. His next release Besharam, a complete massy entertainer, will make his stand even stronger. He has charmed the elite, he has charmed the middle class youth of India, only the rural and small town audiences remain.
But what makes him stand out, and what makes him such a role model for his contemporaries is his choice of scripts. Even after delivering a massive hit in Barfi, he did not choose a run-of-the-mill film. He chose to work on an edgy film like Bombay Velvet with Anurag Kashyap instead. He clearly likes to mix and match. If he succeeds with his commercial films, and if that helps films like Bombay Velvet, it will not only help his own reputation but that of Bollywood's. It'd not be crazy to say that Ranbir's success will help improve Bollywood too.
Quick look at the box office collections of Ranbir Kapoor films.
- Saawariya (Flop) – 23.8 crores
- Bachna Ae Haseeno (Above Average) – 36.35 crores
- Wake up Sid (Above Average) – 28.8 crores
- Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (Superhit) – 62.94 crores
- Rocket Singh Salesman of the Year (Below average) – 20.22 crores
- Rajneeti (Blockbuster) – 92.93 crores
- Anjaana Anjaani (Average) – 40.3 crores
- Rockstar (Semi-Hit) – 67.63 crores
- Barfi (Super hit) – 106.27 crores
Indian Idol 15
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