Ranbir Kapoor was glad that his debut flick Saawariya flopped! Here's why

Ranbir Kapoor, who delivered the blockbuster ‘Animal’ last year, is reflecting on his career. The actor expressed gratitude for his debut movie ‘Saawariya’ turning out to be a box office disaster as it humbled him and prepared him to not take failures or success seriously, viewing them as part of his profession.

In a candid conversation with Nikhil Kamath on the podcast ‘People by WTF,’ Ranbir reminisced about his early days working with renowned Indian auteur Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB). After completing his studies abroad, Ranbir was eager to make his mark in Bollywood. “When I came back, every director or producer in the industry wanted to launch me. But, I was a big fan of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I thought, ‘Maybe he doesn’t know me.’ So, I made a resume and sat outside his office,” he said.

Ranbir shared more insights into his early career, recounting his initial encounter with Bhansali. “I waited, and although he wasn’t there initially, he saw my resume and recognized who I was. The first day we met, he said, ‘I want to make a film with you,’” Ranbir recalled.

He began working as one of Bhansali’s assistants, enduring grueling 13-14 hour shifts daily. Describing Bhansali as a hard taskmaster with a short temper, Ranbir noted, “It hardened me.”

When ‘Saawariya’ was released, it turned out to be a significant box office disaster. Reflecting on this, Ranbir said, “In hindsight, I’m glad it didn’t do well because that really prepared me for the life ahead.”

‘Saawariya,’ which also marked the debut of actress Sonam Kapoor, clashed at the box office with Farah Khan’s directorial "Om Shanti Om," starring Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan and debuting Deepika Padukone. Despite the tough competition, the experience with "Saawariya" taught Ranbir invaluable lessons about resilience and the unpredictable nature of the film industry.

On the work front, Ranbir Kapoor will next be seen in Nitesh Tiwari’s adaptation of ‘Ramayana,’based on the ancient text by sage Valmiki. He is also a part of Animal's sequel Animal Park.