Ranbir Kapoor recently took the stage at the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa for a discussion celebrating the work of Raj Kapoor. “He was this big man with blue eyes,” the actor said as he began reminiscing about his grandfather. Ranbir confessed that it was only after he began understanding cinema that he fully grasped Raj Kapoor’s contribution to Indian cinema.

Sharing that 10 of Raj Kapoor’s films are being restored, Ranbir said that some of them will be screened at a film festival next month. “Raj Kapoor was Raj Kapoor because he didn’t follow any model. I think that if you want to carry any legacy forward, you have to approach it in a very individualistic way,” he told the audience.

When asked which of Raj Kapoor’s films he would like to remake as a director, Ranbir said, “I would have directed every film in a different way, but all of them would have been atrocious. I don’t believe in remakes; I think every film is made to the best of its capabilities and should not be touched, especially Raj Kapoor’s. But I would love to have a take on Shree 420 – it is my favourite film.”

In response to a question, Ranbir said, “Honestly, I want to say this – I’m a bigger fan of Raj Kapoor as a director than as an actor.” Raj Kapoor, the filmmaker, always explored different themes at different stages of his life.

Talking about his oeuvre, Ranbir shared, “If you look at his early films, Awara was based on casteism, in Shree 420, he spoke about greed.” Ranbir spoke about how in the later years of his career, Raj Kapoor made powerful films grounded in Indian moral values, tackling societal issues in a commercial and really entertaining way.

“Raj Kapoor had the courage to make a film with newcomers – a 50-year-old man making a film (Bobby) for the youth. It means that he really kept up with the times. He wasn’t stuck in a cocoon. He was not high up in an ivory tower. He was constantly in touch with the common man, the masses, and the kind of stories people would like to see,” Ranbir said.

The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), National Film Archives of India (NFAI), and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) and Kunal Kapoor have started restoring 10 films of Raj Kapoor. Ranbir said, “We are going to organize the Raj Kapoor Film Festival from December 13 to 15 all over India. We will show the restored version of 10 of Raj Kapoor’s films.”

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Actor Ranbir Kapoor’s films Sanju (2018) and, more recently, Animal (2023), have been at the end of fierce criticism for glorifying violence and toxic masculinity. Addressing the same on Sunday, the actor shared his take on the widespread debate at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.

Prompted by an attendee, who asked him about “responsible storytelling” in context with Animal and Sanju, the actor responded, “I completely agree with your opinion. As an actor, it is our responsibility to bring movies which bring a positive change to the society.”

However, the 42-year-old maintained that doing diverse roles is important to him. “Having said that, I’m an actor, it’s very important that I also dabble in different genres and characters, and play varied roles. But what you are saying is absolutely correct. We have to be more responsible towards the kind of films we make.”

Earlier this year, in Nikhil Kamath’s podcast People by WTF, Ranbir had responded to the criticism that Animal had received, stating, “Social media played havoc. They needed something to talk about, so they really went to town claiming it was a misogynistic film.”

On a separate note, Ranbir also touched upon his dream of creating a biopic on his grandfather, late filmmaker-actor Raj Kapoor’s life, calling it a “challenging yet worthwhile endeavour.” Revealing his take on a biopic, the actor said at the event, “A biopic is not just about celebrating someone’s success but honestly portraying their struggles, relationships and low points. I’ve spoken to (filmmaker) Sanjay Leela Bhansali about it, but it’s a tough project. I’m not sure if my family would agree to show that side of his life.” htc

Speaking at IFFI, Ranbir disclosed that his wife, actor Alia Bhatt didn’t know about the legendary playback singer, musician and actor Kishore Kumar. “The first time I met Alia, she asked me, ‘Who is Kishore Kumar?’ [But] it’s just the circle of life. People forget [old artistes] and then new artistes come in. So, I think it’s very important to remember our roots.”

The video, which has now gone viral, has been dubbed as ‘Ranbir’s revenge’ by social media users, as a response to Bhatt’s earlier interview where she had claimed that Ranbir asked her to “wipe off” her lipstick. One social media user shared, “He took the revenge for ‘wipe it off’”, while another said, “Are these two in a competition: who can embarrass the other more... (sic).”