Padmaavat helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Shahid Kapoor was a magnum opus with the storyline revolving around Allaudin Khilji, Rani Padmavati, and Maharana Ratan Singh Rawal. For the first time in this film, Ranveer played a strong negative character and his overall avatar and presentation of Khilji got a lot of attention.
During one of his interviews earlier the Dil Dhadakne Do actor said, “I found the character so loathsome, so despicable and so dark, so messed up. It was out of sheer fright and fear that I told Sanjay sir that this might take me into sort of a hole that I may not come out of.”
Revealing how he prepared for the role, Ranveer had said, “I took 21 days and locked myself up in my Goregaon house. I was completely isolated. I kind of isolated myself, marinated into the character because I can’t relate to Alaudin Khilji, I can’t relate to that level of manipulativeness, greed, and ambition. I had to tap into dark experiences but his worldview is not something I can relate to also.”
At that time all these efforts and revelations were lapped up by the media and his fans with appreciation. However, now actor Prashant Narayanan who has worked in movies like Murder 2, Shadows of Time, Bombil, Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II, and Beatrice, Via Darjeeling has said that Ranveer Singh is a liar and that he lied about getting into this dark phase.
In an interview to Sidharth Kannan, Prashant said, “Who jooth bol raha hai kyunki woh aisa koi mind-blowing actor nahin hai jahan pe ya woh aisa koi mind blowing role nahi hai ki jahan pe aapko itna karna pad raha hai. Nahi bhai. Tu apna set pe aa. Tera makeup hoiga acche se. Tu baas dil se kam kar.”
The actor added, “Yeh dark spaces mein jana, yeh saab karna yeh bakwas ki baatein hai. Kahin na kahin justify toh karna padega na kyunki itne saare karod rupayee mil rahe hai. Ki nahi nahi main pichle do mahino se serious tha. Kyun serious that? Aspatal mein tha kya?”
Even the host Sidharth said that good actors like Manoj Bajpayee just float and are at ease doing a character whereas those who are non-actors come up with different theories at the time of promotion.