Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar is known for his expertise in food. But he made his acting debut in the 2022 web series Modern Love Mumbai. This didn’t turn out to be a one-off affair in playing fictional characters as he was seen in an important role in the recently released The Buckingham Murders, which was directed by Hansal Mehta and starred Kareena Kapoor Khan in the lead. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Brar got candid on his acting stint, experience of shooting the film and, of course, food.
EXCLUSIVE: Ranveer Brar on theatrical run of The Buckingham Murders, “I am glad we went to the theatres and it ran for 3-4 weeks, we are now waiting for its OTT release”
How has the response been for your big screen debut in The Buckingham Murders?
It has been very gratifying, to, sort of, put it in one word. The first thought about ‘Ranveer ne acting kari’ was covered when we did the Amazon Show (Modern Love Mumbai). So, I knew that part is over. Now, people were not going to get excited because Ranveer is acting. Now, the only reason they will get excited is if we are able to do justice to the whole scenario. So, this time the threshold of expectations was different. Because of that, somewhere I also used to get stressed.
But it’s amazing how people have taken it, both the performance and the decision to take such a role. There could have been comments like, ‘grey character hai, kya zaroorat hai?’ in a black and white world. But the response has been amazing. This is an example of how you take risks in life and not, sort of, be happy with what you have. So, there has been a positive narrative of this.
The story you acted in Modern Love Mumbai was also directed by Hansal Mehta. Was that the reason why you were considered for The Buckingham Murders?
I don’t know what was the reason. He always used to keep telling me ‘Ranveer, tere andar ek Irrfan chhupa hua hai, teri aankhon mein depth hai’. I told him you are saying just about anything. Where’s Irrfan, where’s Ranveer! Ranveer is the guy who cooks machhli for Irrfan; he is not the guy who can ever be Irrfan. So that, for me, turned out to be very motivating and also pressurising. For the first time in Modern Love, he took an audition of the scene where the character’s ammi says how they were initially not accepting (towards homosexuals).
He took my audition thrice. After the first one, he sent a message across through someone saying that I should tone down. After the third one, he only called me and said, ‘Cooking nahin kar raha hai tu, kum kar’. Then onwards, for this film he didn’t even take an audition. He said he saw whatever he wanted to see and he was sure I would do justice. So, I think he has that eye for understanding a human being and being able to figure out a person’s range (as an actor).
You had been in front of the camera numerous times for your food shows and food reality shows. So, did this help you in your performance or did you feel playing a fictional character is a different ball game altogether?
It was both easy and difficult. It was easy because you don’t get intimidated by the surroundings. You do a Master Chef, where there is a crew of 300 people and 26 multi cameras. So you are able to compose yourself better. So, I was able to compose myself a couple of seconds before the action because the surroundings didn’t affect me. The difficult part was that over there (food shows) I am Ranveer. And it’s not a difficult task to bring Ranveer out is not difficult. So that part was difficult; to remember that once they say ‘action’, I don’t have to be Ranveer, I have to be Daljeet Kohli or Rajveer.
Your character in The Buckingham Murders had to show different emotions, including sadness and anger. How much did Hansal Mehta help you in this?
(laughs) I kept messaging Hansal sir, asking when can we meet (for preparations). He kept postponing. I was not even a part of the script reading with the crew. The next day was my shoot. I messaged him, ‘Sir mile???’ with three question marks. He said he is busy making Alu Gobi. I told him I will make for him. I went to his room and said I will make and told him, ‘Karna kya hai? We haven’t met. You have been on shoot and you just said Ranveer ko bula lo, kar lega’. And people around him were frightening me saying things like, ‘Arre Kareena ke saath scene hai’. Mukesh Chhabra, who is a good friend, said, ‘Paaji, you have a scene with Kareena. We need to rehearse. Come over to the office’. I told him (Hansal) it is being made such a big deal and you are saying we will meet directly tomorrow.
I made Alu Gobi, after which Hansal sir told me just one word – stillness. He said there is only one difference between me and my character, which is stillness. He said people shouldn’t predict what will you do next after seeing you. Your eyes should say that you can do just anything – you can beat up, abuse, talk or silently walk off. So, that is the only word he gave me. Apart from doing that, he didn’t have any workshop or anything. I think all of us at this age understand emotions. We have observed and gone through a curve of life. Somewhere you relate to it and project it. What I understood of the character was that there was an underlying emotion of grief for the loss of his mother. His grief is being manifested through his anger, ego, conflict, etc.
How did you find Hansal Mehta on sets in both the projects?
I have worked with other directors also now. I think the biggest advantage of Hansal sir is that he creates a space for you to perform. There is no stress on anybody’s face on the set. I think that’s important to create a space for a performer to shine. Everybody is happy on the set. There is masti and there is also work when there is work. He will speak only a few words. If you get his wavelength, you will get it in the second take.
How was your experience with Kareena Kapoor Khan? She is an actor and co-producer of the film
During the start, it was like ‘aww’. It is like, ‘Oh my God!’ I might feel I am now 35-40 years old. I am in almost every Bollywood party. You name an event, I am there. I have seen and met them. The problem is that I have never seen them perform. The first scene with her was the one where he says, ‘Nalka khul gaya hai’. For me, the initial 5-7 minutes were just ‘aww’. Her ability to be Kareena and in just a split second she composes herself. After that, those lines become so easy for her. So, her method comes to them so naturally, especially Kareena. Then you understand that she has grown up watching this since her childhood.
For me, the biggest part was how she handheld me in the beginning. When there was a close-up shot, she used to sit in front of me. She knew that I am new, so if someone else or the AD (assistant director) sits, it might not bring the desired reactions. She was always all for the film.
The Buckingham Murders was a different film. It wasn’t a typical Bollywood film. So, it didn’t earn huge at the box office. But nowadays films get a punarjanam (rebirth) after its release on OTT. How excited are you for its online premiere?
I am very excited. I feel whatever you get, you are grateful for that. I knew it was a Netflix film. I wasn’t even expecting it to be in the theatres. I am glad for the fact that we went into the theatres, and it ran for 3-4 weeks, and we made some money, and the film made the sort of news it made. That in itself is grateful. So, we are all waiting for its punarjanam. It’s a very personal film, which evokes different emotions in everyone. Women and men watch it differently. My mom watched it differently. When I took her, the scene were Prabhleen and Kareena are opposite – one who has lost and one who has let it go – that interaction shook her for two minutes. Such films which people take personally create a different energy on OTT.
Do you keep watching films regularly?
Yes, I am very much into world cinema. I think I have three or three and a half thousand titles of world cinema. Even before there was IMDB, I had my list of top 200 and top 100 films. When I was in Boston, I collected more than 800 noir films. I see them not as an actor but as an artiste understanding and appreciating art. I admire Majid Majidi a lot. I have been a fan of Turkish and Iranian cinema. They have always touched me deeply.
Earlier, we had given names like commercial cinema and art cinema. But now I think we are deriving a common sensibility of cinema. As a society we are evolving. Now there is no tier 1, 2 and 3. Recently, IMDB put out a list of top 50 Malayalam films. I realized I have seen 23 out of those. So, it’s not limiting anymore, which is great.
An interview with you would be incomplete without discussing food. Apart from Punjabi food, which other cuisine do you enjoy the most? I read in a lot of places that you are very close to Bengali food
I have been very lucky. I am a Punjabi boy, brought up in Lucknow in a Bengali neighbourhood. So, I got the best of all worlds through Lucknow, Punjab and Bengal. I haven’t eaten Punjabi food as much in my home than having Bengali food in my neighbourhood. If you grow up in a small town, you become a guy of your mohalla. So, I have lunch at someone’s place, I eat something else in another’s. I was raised in a Bengali neighbourhood eating Bengali food; dancing in the pujo and playing the dhaak. So, these are major influences in my life. Your Punjabiyat will always show because of the mahaul at your place and it’s also in your genes. But other than that, the major influences are Lucknow and Bengal.
Also Read: Kareena Kapoor Khan says, “I think The Buckingham Murders is a very brave film”
More Pages: The Buckingham Murders Box Office Collection , The Buckingham Murders Movie Review
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