Saurabh Shukla is indeed a remarkable artist who has consistently made an impact across various genres in cinema over the years. Apart from his talent as an actor, he has also established himself as a respected screenwriter and director. Interestingly, Saurabh recently mentioned that he once experienced a period where he lost interest in acting, mainly because of the unfulfilling roles he was being offered. He revealed that Ranbir Kapoor played an important role in helping him regain his enthusiasm. The two collaborated on director Anurag Basu’s film, Barfi! (2012).
During a conversation with ANI, he shared, “I met Ranbir in Barfi. I was going through a low phase when Anurag Basu offered me the film. By then, I had become so frustrated. People used to say, ‘Saurabh, you’re such a good actor,’ but when roles came, they were always cameos. I mean, you’d have a day of shooting… and in that one day, what could you do? How much of a role would you have, and how much of your acting could you show?”
Mentioning that he wasn’t earning much due to the same, he shared, “I was really struggling. So, I started telling people that ‘I don’t act; I’m not an actor. I’m a writer, and I’ve made films.’ When Anurag offered me this film, my first words were, ‘Anurag, call me only if you have something for me that’s worth doing. Otherwise, don’t call me at all.’ I’m so lucky that he didn’t take it the wrong way. He said, ‘Sir, if I didn’t have something for you, why would I call you?’ He gave me that film, which was wonderful.”
Saurabh Shukla mentioned that he met Ranbir Kapoor during a period when acting in films felt somewhat routine for him, and he said that Ranbir Kapoor played a crucial role in reigniting his enthusiasm for the craft. He said, “He was so charming, young, full of talks and dreams and everything. I really enjoyed just sitting with him… He was not just educated. So, you can discuss anything with him. Also, there’s a sense of innocence in the youth. As we grow older, we gain a bit of head weight. But he was very young. I really enjoyed sitting with him and talking. There was mutual respect. While acting, he would do something, and I would get something from that. So, my interest came back in acting, and I restarted thinking about it like, ‘yes, acting is a great joy,’ and since then I have been acting.” Saurabh concluded by saying that Ranbir does not seem to be burdened by the expectations that might come with being a member of one of Bollywood’s most prominent families.
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