You had a Casanova tag? Deepika asks Ranbir

Deepika Padukone did a good job of pretending to be stumped when we brought up Ranbir’s image. They went on to talk about films, football scores and much more...

It’s past 10, but Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone are far from exhausted. Settled in with some sandwiches and coffee, the two spoke to us about this, that and the other and also indulged with our readers in a rapid-fire round on Twitter. Read on...

You recently admitted that you have an interest in a girl from Bosnia, but she was more taken by Imtiaz. What’s that about?

Deepika: Oh oh oh oh (making a teasing sound)
Ranbir: Yes, there’s a girl named Aalma and she is a singer, married with children. She was in Rockstar and both Imtiaz and I had a tiny crush on her. We used to chat her up. But after the end of the schedule, she gave Imtiaz a carton full of cigarettes and she gave me only one packet. So it’s a joke between us that we both tried, but she gave more bhaav to Imtiaz. God bless her!

Are you listening, Deepika?
Deepika: No no, his girlfriend has to be aware, not me. Besides, Aalma was probably playing the “less is more” game.
Ranbir: That’s not true. I have worked with Imtiaz enough to know that the amount of attention Imtiaz gets from women is at another level.
Deepika: By the way let me say this — if anyone is a flirt, it’s Imtiaz.

Ranbir, despite the dull run you’ve had at the box office, the audience loves you and the top directors are still meeting you. Is that reassuring?
Ranbir: Of course it is, but as far as the audiences are concerned there is probably a concern, that will this guy give us another good movie. I don’t take my audience for granted and I guess I will have to build them up with Tamasha and upcoming films. The opportunities that I am getting — not just from directors but actors like Deepika and others wanting to work with me is also very reassuring and gives me a lot of confidence.

There was a phase after Bombay Velvet when constant SMSes like ‘we are with you’ from the industry didn’t let you get over the debacle even if you were doing all right…

Ranbir: I wasn’t all right and it takes time to understand the situation. First you are in denial, then you are alarmed, then you understand what’s happening and then you accept it. You feel sad and move on. The whole journey of understanding and moving on takes time. But the reactions I got for Bombay Velvet jolted me more than they did during Roy or Besharam.
Deepika: I don’t understand, why is it made to seem like his loss? The only sense I am getting is that success and failure are equally responsible.

You had this Casanova tag at one point… Was it easy to handle?
 
Deepika: Really? You had a Casanova tag? Wasn’t it chocolate boy or something?  So you changed your image!
Ranbir: Casanova tag was there, but I don’t remember much. I don’t remember what happened in my life yesterday, for that matter.
Deepika: (interrupts) I’ll tell you, you lost 7-0 in the football match.
Ranbir: (laughs) Initially the media speculation used to bother me but with time you understand that all this is a part of the game and it has only added to my popularity. I played a Casanova in Bachna ae Haseeno and my relationship was very public, so all of that adds up. But it’s okay, I have gotten over it. Today I probably have a different tag. I don’t know what my tag is but I know people don’t call me Casanova anymore.
Deepika: I think you are in this transitioning stage, no?
Ranbir: I am going through a boy-man phase.

The Deepika-Imtiaz (Love Aaj Kal/Cocktail) and Imtiaz-Ranbir (Rockstar) combination has never gone wrong. Is that Tamasha’s strength?

Ranbir: I hope we don’t go wrong, as we don’t know what is going to happen. It’s a film I am really proud of. For both of us, it will be very gratifying that in our careers, Imtiaz is interested in working with us. I think it’s a barometer for success to be part of his movies.
Deepika: Imtiaz wanted us to improvise. Lots of times he wrote dialogues, but he didn’t know how they would play out. We were called in to his office to perform those scenes. There is that kind of faith and trust he has in us, as actors. He gives us the freedom to enhance the scene.