Interview with Ranbir Kapoor and Shamit on Rocket Singh

'I was a 35 per cent with grace marks student'
Ranbir talks about being Rocket Singh

As an actor do you think you need to sell your talent?

Ranbir: Not at all. One thing I will never indulge in is PR. I truly believe that PR is the death of an actor. Look at Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand. They went on and on for 25 years, just on the basis of their work. And fans did not get tired of seeing them because they weren't all over the place. In the end, it's about the films you do. Not about what you do in your personal life, which awards you bag or which NGO you support.

What's with your Sardar look in the film?
Ranbir: Honestly this is not a film on Sardars, so it's not the USP. It's a character you and me can identify with. The look is not an item inthe film . It's about a young boy, fresh out college, who is just starting in the professional world. That time in a person's life when he has to battle with the corporate work force and make his mark.

Actors often complain of the beard and make-up when playing a Sardar…
Ranbir: I had no problems, as my mom is a Sikh. So that background helped me in my character. Shimit was very clear that I had to look like a real Sardar as opposed to being Ranbir Kapoor with a fake beard. So we paid extra attention on getting the look right.

What were the reactions from people close to you?
Ranbir: My Mom loved it. My nani (maternal grandmom, who passed away recently) too, was very thrilled seeing on me as a Sardar. It's great because for the first time I had changed my look for any film. And now I have understood how important it is. The right look takes care of 20 per cent of your performance.

The promos have you talking about grace marks and flunking college. Any personal experiences?

Ranbir: Oh absolutely. It was just the same with me. I too was a 35 per cent with grace marks student in some of my papers.

Obviously your first name can't be Rocket in the film. So what's the relevance of the title and the paper plane theme?

Ranbir: My name is Harpreet Singh Bedi in the movie. The 'paper plane rockets' are a marketing tool to create curiosity and excitement. We believe that marketing a movie is about making the audience curious and leading them to the theatres.

But given that you had two back-to-back hits this year, why is the promotion so low key? Are you happy with the limited publicity?

Ranbir: I am very glad it's happening this way. Any other way of promoting the movie wouldn't have been fair. Ours is not a lavish film with exaggerated action and make believe song sequences. So we aren't going to cheat people by artificially over packaging the movie. Such a story needs to be handled with care. No flashy cuts needed here.

Meanwhile we are joined in by director Shimit Amin, who displays a silent air of confidence around his film.

With no offense to Ranbir's huge box-office draw - after making a landmark film with Shah Rukh Khan it would have been an obvious choice to make another SRK film. Why didn't you take forward the Chak De! India association?

Shimit: We would love to work with Shah Rukh Khan all the time. And I am sure he would have done Rocket Singh Salesman of the Year very well. But it wouldn't have a right. This movie demands Ranbir.

The used car salesman is a prototype Hollywood character. Since you have stayed in America, did any of those 'smooth talking' elements influence you?

Shimit: It was basically Jaideep Sahni's concoction about the salesman culture of India. It's completely unique and has a milieu of it its own. I think this is true for the entire Indian middle class, which throws up so many exciting situations to refer upon.

Encounter cop, Hockey coach and now salesman. Do you pick a profession first and then the script?

Shimit: No, nothing of that sort. It's basically about finding the right script that excites you. And believe me it is very hard to find a story that appeals to you to the extent that you go ahead making a film.

 This one's for both of you. A salesman is usually an unwanted entity who calls or rings the bell at the most inappropriate hours. Did you'll judge the mindset of a pesky salesman and the way you'll would respond to one?

Shimit: This bit is touched upon in the story. But it's not the only thing in the film.

Ranbir: Obviously we all tend to get a bit irritated when you are in the middle of 100 things and you get a sales call. But after doing this film I have begun to respect the skills of a salesman, a lot more. And next time onwards I think all of us should take a minute and hear the person out with a cool head. He is after all doing his job.

Finally Ranbir, how is the association with Yash Raj Films. You seem to be becoming a new favourite here.

Ranbir: This is family. My mom and dad have done so many films with them. And now I am doing some interesting work here. The banner's biggest strength is its working environment. Despite being such a huge name, they don't behave like or perceive themselves as some hotshot corporate entity. Yash Raj Films has the personal touch.

(Buzz 18)