When Ranveer Singh spoke about Deepika Padukone revealing his ‘bizarre request’ on Bajirao Mastani sets

Ranveer Singh is celebrating his 38th birthday today. In an old interview, the actor was asked about a revelation made by now-wife Deepika Padukone. She had spoken about the ‘bizarre request’ Ranveer had made on the sets of their film 2015 Bajirao Mastani. Responding to her remark, Ranveer opened up about his ‘very difficult process’ to get into his character based on Bajirao I, the peshwa of the Maratha empire. Also read: When Ranveer Singh thought he saw Bajirao’s ghost on Bajirao Mastani set, called it ‘trippy experience’

What Deepika Padukone had said

Ranveer was asked in a 2015 interview about Deepika Padukone’s statement in which she had said that Ranveer wanted people to call him Bajirao on Bajirao Mastani sets. Responding to a question about if that helped him, Ranveer said it was ‘a bizarre request’, but it really helped him.

Ranveer Singh wanted to be called Bajirao on sets

The actor had told Rediff in the 2015 interview, “It’s a very difficult process to get into such a distinct character. I changed the way I looked, changed my body, my voice and accent… I would come on set, go to my make up room and take about two hours to get ready, with all the scars, eye make up, earrings, angrakhas, layers over layers… At one point, I also had a fake moustache. I would change, do exercises for my voice and body, so that I would get into my character completely before the shooting.”

He had added, “It has never taken me more than 30 minutes to get ready for my characters before. So, after spending these two hours getting ready, and after I stepped out of the room, completely in character, if the AD (assistant director) said, ‘Ranveer is walking on the set’. I would be like, ‘Mere saare kaam pe unhone paani pher diya (You have spoilt all my hard work). Why are you reminding me that I’m Ranveer, when I’ve done all this work to leave Ranveer behind and step into this distinctive characterisation? It was a bizarre request, but it really helped.”

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s films

Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s romantic drama Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela released around 10 years ago. It was their first film together. In 2015, their period film Bajirao Mastani, also directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, was released. Deepika played Mastani, Bajirao’s second wife, while Priyanka Chopra was seen as Kashibai, Bajirao’s first wife.

They featured alongside Tanvi Azmi, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi, Milind Soman, Mahesh Manjrekar and Aditya Pancholi in the romantic drama. Deepika and Ranveer’s third film directed by Sanjay, Padmaavat, which also featured Shahid Kapoor, was released in January 2018. The couple dated for six years before tying the knot in November 2018.