On his 42nd birthday, Ranbir Kapoor’s 5 Best Performances

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He touches an enigmatic, energetic and exclusive 42 on September 28. Now also a husband and also father to Alia Bhatt Kapoor’s and his daughter, Raha Kapoor besides being a producer, we wish Ranbir Kapoor a terrific birthday. Ranbir, the only fourth generation Kapoor actor (not actress) has proved himself to be an enduring mega-star and a phenomenal all-rounder as actor in the 22 films as leading man that he has done since Saawariya hit the screens in Diwali 2007.

His father, Rishi Kapoor, would be very receptive to praise for his son (I genuinely appreciated Ranbir’s work in Wake Up Sid! to Rishi-sir, and he granted me his own interview the very next day though he had earlier told me to wait for a while!) but also openly blunt about his son’s career approach. He rued his son’s post-Saawariya choices of some films, but maintained that the Kapoors never interfered in their sons’ or daughters’ choice of assignments.

Rishi also told me once (and this has been confirmed by his son) that his father would coerce him to “live a song” rather than merely enact it, just as Rishi would! And Ranbir was a fast learner, besides being interested in his music, just like his father and grandfather Raj Kapoor (and grand-uncle Shammi Kapoor)! If Raj and Shammi had the best names of their times—Shankar-Jaikishan—to back them, and Rishi had the maximum films and music aces with the corresponding names from his era—Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Ranbir had simply the best of his generation, Pritam, to paint his musical canvas with better and more strokes than anyone else.

Here then is a look at the best performances of Ranbir Kapoor in a glittering 17 of his 42 years on screen. And before I forget, let us remember that he assisted one of the best directors we have—Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Black—before facing the camera, besides being assistant to his father in the latter’s only directorial venture, Aa Ab Laut Chalen.’

Here then, is my pick of Ranbir’s formidable five best as an actor. And if someone wanted me to include one or both of Rocket Singh—Salesman of the Year and Rockstar, I sincerely beg to differ. And I hope Ranbir will agree!

Wake Up Sid! (2009 / Director: Ayan Mukerji / Breakeven film in some circuits)

The film rode on Ranbir Kapoor. Rising above the film’s average levels, he was simply outstanding as Sid, the lazy bum who finally ‘wakes up’. His expressions, lines and body language were perfect, while the raw edges of Saawariya and the hangdog expressions of Bachna Ae Haseeno went missing. This was Ranbir’s first real performance.

Barfi! (2012 / Anurag Basu / 100-Crore Grosser & Hit)

As the deaf mute Murphy, a golden-hearted prankster who loves to distribute fun and affection to the world, Ranbir proved a perfect foil to Priyanka Chopra’s autistic Jhilmil in a film that tugged at one’s heartstrings like few others of these actors’ movies. His expressions were—for any female fan—to die for!

Jagga Jasoos (2017 / Anurag Basu / Disaster)

Co-produced also by Ranbir Kapoor, this 2017 film remains an ahead-of-its-times musical crime drama and a masterpiece that will be recognized some day in the future. Ranbir Kapoor essayed one of the most unique characters written for a hero ever— a stammering orphan who talks in musical phrases so that he can communicate sans his handicap, who becomes a smart young man with a flair for investigation. Ranbir was so good that it would be futile to try and use normal English adjectives. Whether stammering, singing, dancing, puzzled, happy, sad or in romantic mode, Kapoor is—to just use another term in The Sound of Music—another classic musical—supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Sanju (2018 / Rajkumar Hirani / 300-croe blockbuster and super-hit)

Ranbir was given the role of Sanjay Dutt in the latter’s biopic. To be sure, the story was an antiseptic version of reality, but Ranbir gave it his all. Sanjay himself proclaimed that no one else—and not even himself!—could have enacted this title-role so perfectly! Yes, the frills were thereto help out—the hairstyle, make-up and more, but Ranbir, always a thinking (but thankfully not ‘method’!) actor, brought Sanjay Dutt to life and made it his hitherto biggest hit along with the hyped 2023 release, Animal.

Animal (2023 / Sandeep Vanga Reddy / 500-crore grossing blockbuster)

A deviant film and a wayward lead character: Ranbir’s films have frequently defined a new moral order—or the lack of it. As I stated in the film’s review last year: “To say that Ranbir towers in a role that will have his fans metaphorically eating out of their hands (though I guess some of the female species might find this screen character off-putting) is stating the very, very obvious. The Kapoor is at his effortless best, getting into the skin of his totally deviant and amoral persona as Rannvijay like no else could have probably done. The styling and prosthetic team that has given Ranbir multiple looks at various ages and in his youth has also helped this best actor among Gen-Zee carve a magnificent performance that ranks among his best-ever.”

One can only wait with baited breath now for Bhansali’s return to him with Love And War (co-starring wife Alia Bhatt again after his second co-production, Brahmastra: Part One—Shiva) and (if it materializes) Ramayan, which will have Ranbir as Lord Ram.

Ranbir Kapoor-Pritam

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

Raajneeti (One song)

Barfi!

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

Jagga Jasoos

Brahmastra: Part One—Shiva

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar

Animal (One song)