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Saurabh Shukla and Ranbir Kapoor worked together in director Anurag Basu's Barfi. (Credit: IMDb)
Saurabh Shukla is one of those rare artistes who has managed to leave a strong impression on various facets of cinema over the years. Besides being a talented actor, he has also earned a name for himself as a screenwriter and director. However, Saurabh recently shared that there was a time when he completely lost interest in acting, largely due to the insignificant roles he had been receiving. Actor Ranbir Kapoor, he said, played a crucial role in steering him back onto track. The two worked together in director Anurag Basu’s Barfi! (2012).
“I met Ranbir in Barfi. I was going through a low phase when Anurag Basu offered me the film,” he shared during a conversation with news agency ANI, adding, “By then, I had become so frustrated. People used to say, ‘Saurabh, you’re such a good actor,’ but when roles came, they were always cameos. I mean, you’d have a day of shooting… and in that one day, what could you do? How much of a role would you have, and how much of your acting could you show?”
Mentioning that he wasn’t earning much as a result, Saurabh continued, “I was really struggling. So, I started telling people that ‘I don’t act; I’m not an actor. I’m a writer, and I’ve made films.’ When Anurag offered me this film, my first words were, ‘Anurag, call me only if you have something for me that’s worth doing. Otherwise, don’t call me at all.’ I’m so lucky that he didn’t take it the wrong way. He said, ‘Sir, if I didn’t have something for you, why would I call you?’ He gave me that film, which was wonderful.”
Ranbir Kapoor and Saurabh Shukla in a still from Barfi! (Photo: Sony Music India/YouTube)
Pointing out that he met Ranbir Kapoor at a time when acting in movies had become quite mechanical for him, Saurabh Shukla said he played a significant role in bringing back his passion for acting. He said, “He was so charming, young, full of talks and dreams and everything. I really enjoyed just sitting with him… He was not just educated. So, you can discuss anything with him. Also, there’s a sense of innocence in the youth. As we grow older, we gain a bit of head weight. But he was very young. I really enjoyed sitting with him and talking. There was mutual respect. While acting, he would do something, and I would get something from that. So my interest came back in acting, and I restarted thinking about it like, ‘yes, acting is a great joy,’ and since then I have been acting.” Saurabh also affirmed that Ranbir doesn’t carry the baggage of hailing from one of the biggest families in Bollywood.
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