Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; March 13, 2014)

Ranbir Kapoor is currently in Sri Lanka shooting Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet. He plays a boxer in the film for which Ranbir needs to maintain his physique. We have learnt that Ranbir has taken his own cook who carries his home-made food in a dabba everyday to the set. Talking to us about shooting in Sri Lanka, Ranbir said, “It’s been a perfect schedule here, cut off from Mumbai, shooting through the nights in a no man’s land. I am on a very inspired set, which is run by women, which is lovely. It’s actually a very clever thing that Anurag has done by hiring women both as his assistant directors as well as in production as women are hard-working, feel more and give more to their work. Sri Lanka, for me now, for all times, will be reminiscent of Bombay Velvet. I love the food here, but since I play a boxer in the film I need to maintain a certain physique, so my cook with me makes me normal desi khaana. The food here is spicy, but I do take my cheat breaks.” 
--------------------------------
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 13, 2014)

 Ranbir Kapoor walks into the spectacular set of Bombay Velvet in Sri Lanka wearing a red cap, white vest and blue denims, a jaunty cigarette hanging off his lips. The actor’s transformation into Johnny Balraj, the ambitious street fighter who goes on to rule the Bombay of the ’50s, is complete.

 The makeover has not been an easy one though as Ranbir is juggling the buff avatar of Bombay Velvet with Jagga Jasoos where he plays a lanky teenager. To keep up with these physical demands, the actor carted his personal chef and trainer for the Lanka schedule.

 “I have to look like a toughie in Bombay Velvet, so I had to bulk up for the role. And then when I shoot for Anurag's (Basu) Jagga Jasoos I have to metamorphose into an 18-year-old wiry boy. I’ve been working out everyday, first to gain muscle and then to lose it all for a lean frame,” says Ranbir.

 The actor ranks the physical transformation as the easy bit of the preparation. The extreme makeovers, a la Farhan Akhtar in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club, does not impress him. “I don’t think it is a big deal, the emotional investment is the tougher part. Growing your hair or a beard or losing weight is easy,” the actor shrugs.

 Prodded by his trainer Ranbir would hit the gym religiously every day but soon got bored of the regime. So he invited director Anurag Kashyap to join him. The rotund director is now sporting a trimmer frame, thanks to these exercise sessions.

 Working out with Anurag was a perk for Ranbir too who says that he accepted Bombay Velvet just so that he could collaborate with the director. “I think his treatment of the story is unprecedented in scale and there is a lot to exploring in the character I play,” says the actor.

 His last release Besharam, opened to bad collections and worse reviews, ending his successful two-year run, but no regrets. “I took the biggest risk with Saawariya. Besharam failed and it was disappointing but I have been taught not to take failure to my heart and success to my head. This time there is more pressure on Anurag as it is his magnum opus,” he laughs. “But Bombay Velvet is my most romantic film, it’s my Titanic or Gone With The Wind,” the actor signs off.