I regret not being able to give more to that film

My parents haven’t gifted me a bike. I can’t thank Sanjay sir enough. I regret not being able to give more to that film, though I’m very happy with what it did for my career,” he signed off in the interview. I’m grateful to Prakash Jha for giving me that film.’ But now, he’s aware that I have the bike. I was fascinated with him from the word go. It was only when I was dubbing for it that I realised this film has so much potential for me as an actor. It was a surprise, I came out of the gym and saw this shiny red Harley Davidson.”Be it gaining weight, building muscles, growing warp knitting fabric factory locks and beard, Ranbir did it all for ‘Sanju’ and not to mention portraying and feeling drug addiction, emotional breakdown over mother’s death, ordeal in jail and much more. The bottom line is that it’s inspired by his life and we had a one-track mind to achieve it.Mumbai: A lot has been said about the uncanny resemblance between Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt as the former steps into the shoes of the latter for Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Sanju. I think it did a lot of justice to me, but I didn’t do justice to the character. When he found out that Sanjay sir had gifted me one, he called him and fired him. I remember I had to hide it from Papa for a long time as he doesn’t like bikes. He gave me a Harley Davidson motorcycle for my birthday. He was shooting for Sahibaan(1993) with Papa (Rishi Kapoor). He told him, ‘Stop spoiling my son, isko tere jaisa mat bana. He treats me like a younger brother and spoils me with many gifts as well as a lot of love. I recall seeing this tall man with long hair, wearing a earring, dressed in a Pathani; I was quite mesmerised by his aura. I’ve never got such a response for any film of mine. It seems life has come a full circle with him when I got an opportunity to portray him on screen.‘Sanju’, also featuring Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala, Vicky Kaushal and Dia Mirza, releases on 29 June.

Initially, I didn’t have the confidence to play the part. He used to pick me up for a drive in his Ferrari late in the night.”He continued, “Of course, he’s very close to the family. Raju sir shot my dad’s reaction on candid camera and sent me the clip when I was shooting for 'Brahmastra' in Bulgaria.”Ranbir is one of the rare actors to have been appreciated for his acting in most of his films, even in his some flops like ‘Saawariya’ and ‘Bombay Velvet. I knew the expectations, I knew I was portraying someone who is still so relevant and a much-loved superstar. I think if I take my job lightly or don’t surrender to every role, I won’t deserve the position that I’m in today. During our growing up years, my sister, Riddhima, had Salman Khan’s poster in her cupboard while I had that of Sanjay sir’s. So, I was really thrilled to have it. The actor shared, “It was a daunting task for me. Raj Kapoor and Nargis Dutt are considered among the most loved couples in Bollywood history. It was in the middle of the night..Did he feel a sense of déjà vu that Raj Kapoor’s grandson would play Nargis Dutt’s son? “Subconsciously, the families have been close, professionally and personally. There has always been a lot of love and warmth between them. There’s a responsibility that I have as an actor.’But call it co-incidence or not, the equation between the two actors goes much beyond their physical similarities.

If I had a chance to do it again, I will give it much more.”Didn’t he stand out in the film? “The role stood out. However, when Raju sir shared the script with me, I discovered a human side to Sanjay sir. I know that’s because it’s a Rajkumar Hirani film and a Sanjay Dutt biopic.He added, “Actually, Sanjay sir gave it to me after his new building, Imperial Heights, was ready around seven years ago. It took us six to eight months to get ready. So, I have always idolised him. When I saw Papa’s response, I was very happy that I got a stamp of approval from him. Sanjay sir’s sisters always treat me as part of the family. I knew the challenges and I also knew that there is a fine line between mimicry and representing someone who is loved by so many people. It’s not the Sanjay Dutt we know. Back then, I didn’t understand the movie’s beats and nuances. I was very happy. It took us a lot of time to prep, do the prosthetic tests, acting and character rehearsals.And it was obviously no mean feat. I understand that I’m one of the few privileged people who had it easy in life, and that there are many out there who are way more talented than me.”What about the Harley Davidson then? “It’s at home.’But when asked about a performance of his he considered superficial, he replied, “I don’t take my job for granted.“The reactions have been heartwarming. I’ve a lot more admiration and respect for him now. However, when I see 'Raajneeti' (2010), I sometimes feel I should have worked harder in that film. It is one of my most prized possessions,” he told the daily.”The other common factor between the two is the lineage they come from. I was too young to make any connections of Nargisji’s and Raj Kapoor’s pairing on screen. That’s why I had to represent him with a lot of respect, dignity and heart. He hasn’t seen the film yet, but of course, I look forward to his reaction.Ranbir opened up on it in an interview to DNA, “I saw Sanjay sir for the first time in Kashmir