Ranveer Singh says he used to think ‘mujhe sab pata hai’ but Sanjay Leela Bhansali broke him down

Actor Ranveer Singh has worked with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali in three films – Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat – all of which were received well critically and did good business at the box office. As the director’s latest venture Gangubai Kathiawadi released on Friday, Ranveer revealed Bhansali’s role in shaping up his career. (Also read: Ranveer fanboys over NBA star in video, fans say ‘he’s a kid in candy store’)

In a statement issued to mark the director’s 59th birthday on Thursday, Ranveer spoke about Bhansali’s influence on his acting skills. “Mr. Bhansali is somebody who has shaped me as an artiste more than any other creative collaborator in my entire life. I used to approach acting a certain way – I used to think ‘mujhe sab pata hai, I know everything’ but Mr Bhansali stripped down my constructs. He broke me down and he made me into ash, so that I could rise from the ashes, be reborn as the artiste that I’ve grown into today. I’m indebted to him lifelong for that,” he said.

Some of Ranveer’s best performances have come under Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s direction, particularly his portrayal of Alauddin Khilji in the historical period piece Padmaavat, which many regard as his career-best. Talking about the various characters he played in Bhansali films, Ranveer says, “He really expanded my bandwidth as an artist, my range and overhauled my understanding of the craft of acting. I’m grateful to him for everything that he has contributed towards shaping my craft. As a director, he has these wild ideas about what to do in a scene, about the characters and about the choices.”

Ranveer will be seen in two releases this year, starting with Yash Raj Films’ Jayeshbhai Jordaar, and followed by Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus. In addition, he is also shooting for Karan Johar’s directorial Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. The film also stars Alia Bhatt, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi.