Ranveer Singh is 'The Belle of the Ball' at DIFF

Dubai - Shot widely in Paris, 'Befikre' is a progressive, fresh interpretation of love as viewed in the 21st century.

Ranveer Singh was a smashing hit with the local and the international media at the 13th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival.
Sorry, Vaani Kapoor, if you felt ignored. But how can one not love a man, who is truly the most original whacky soul that Bollywood has ever seen? He unabashedly said that he loves dressing up. He was so excited to wear his fancy suit for the premiere screening on Thursday evening that he declared that he will be 'The Belle of the Ball' at the event. No wonder everybody loves Ranveer. The man himself tried to dissect why he is the most loved guy from the industry.
"I think it is because I love them. I have grown up on them. I have watched them, I idolise them, I look up to them, I admire them. They are my heroes. Like Salman Khan articulated in Big Boss: 'The reason this guy has made it big in the industry is because of his pure love for cinema.' Growing up all I wanted was to be one of these guys, be it Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda or the three Khans. They have had a massive influence in my life," Ranveer said while talking to City Times after the DIFF photo call on Thursday afternoon ahead of Befikre's premiere.
 
His fancy glasses caught our attention during the interview. And guess what? It was gifted to him by Akshay Kumar. "I am wearing Varoin Marwah who is a Dubai based designer. He has made this smashing electric suit which I have paired with Christian Louboutin shoes, another one of my favourite people, such a warm person. This glass is a gift from Akshay Kumar. They are my lucky shades. I went with him for his martial arts tournament. It was a packed event in Surat. I lost my favourite pair of sunglasses which are impossible to get. I spent weeks and weeks and did a lot of researching before finding them. I have no idea, how Akshay found the exact same pair. I thought they were gone for life. I was heartbroken when I lost those glasses. Right before I left for Dubai, he sent me these. That's why Akshay is a superstar. he has done the most amazing thing for me," said Ranveer. 
Meeting Samuel Jackson at DIFF opening night
Ranveer: I met Samuel Jackson last night. He is one of the finest actors in world cinema. I watched his films. I have been genuinely fascinated by his craft. The kind of things he has done - Jackie Brown was one of my favourite performances of his. Everybody loves Pulp Fiction and he gets the loudest roar every time the film is mentioned. He is a genius actor for me. He is very inspiring for young actors.
Ranveer on Befikre

I have always been carefree. Life has its ups and downs but after the release of Bajirao Mastani, I feel very liberated. With that kind of validation, comes a certain amount of liberation. It was very important for me to maintain the sanctity, integrity and the spirit of the film. Aditya Chopra has shot this film in the happiest phase of his life. I could say that about myself as well. I think that will show off on celluloid.
Have you been charting your career out or you have just been very lucky that these great directors are coming your way?
Ranveer: I have been very lucky. When Aditya Chopra launched me, I was a guy from nowhere. When Sanjay Leela Bhansali gave me Ram Leela, it was a big film for me. I have done only nine movies but I got to work with some of the finest directors from Indian cinema. For me, the director is the captain of the ship. I try to switch to different roles. After Bajirao Mastani, it's important for me to do a film like Befikre, right before going into Padmavati. 2013 was perhaps a clear example - I did Lootera which was close on the heels of Ram Leela, later on, I did Dil Dhadakne Do which was about a dysfunctional family, then Bajirao. It is very important for me to put the display of versatility. I want every filmmaker to believe that I can play any character and that I am not restricted to any genre. I want audiences to keep getting surprised. I am a lover of acting and lover of cinema. For me, it is important to be actors like Daniel Day-Lewis, Robert De Niro who have a chameleon-like quality. So, my career has been a little bit of planning and a little bit of luck.
Vaani plays a French girl in Befikre, so did she learn French for the film?
Vaani: I took up few classes in Bombay and then I went to Paris for a few workshops before the shooting of the film began. Now that I haven't been practising, I am not that fluent.