Ranbir Kapoor opens up for Raajneeti

Ranbir Kapoor has been uncharacteristically boisterous at his recent media events to promote Raajneeti. Most people close to him have noticed the radical change in his promotional strategy. Is it love, or is it something far less personal?

Gone is the serious, respectful actor speaking in clipped tones. Even while promoting a fun film like Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Ranbir was dead serious allowing only a hint of a smile once in a while. For Raajneeti, we see Ranbir bantering flirting and joking in full public view with his cast and the media. What has brought on this change in the otherwise sober almost sombre actor?

According to a very close friend of Ranbir, the intelligent young actor has taken on himself the daunting task of making Raajneeti look youth-friendly.

Says the friend, "Prakash Jha's strategy of taking the political message of Raajneeti to various educational institutions and on so-called 'serious' public platforms has Ranbir worried. He doesn't want the audience to think Raajneeti is a political drama filled with real-life political tensions. Ranbir is employing every strategy he knows to divert attention from the politics of Raajneeti."

The actor is deliberately employing the flippant fun-filled strategy at media events.

Prakash Jha doesn't deny that there's a dramatic change in Ranbir's public conduct for Raajneeti. "There's a definite attempt by Ranbir to lighten the atmosphere, to bring an element of masti into our public discussions. But Ranbir and I have not planned any strategy. He is instinctively very sharp, focused and funny. He knows which button to press to get the gathering revved up. So yes, I'd say Ranbir is deliberately lightening the atmosphere. But he isn't messing with the gravity of the discussions."

Jha is all praise for Ranbir's intuitive grasp of the present day youth's aspirations. Says the director, "In Bangalore while discussing the youth and politics, Ranbir said it's definitely preferable to have people with basic common sense rather than plain education to run our country. It brought the house down."

According to the close friend, Ranbir wants Raajneeti to be seen as an entertaining follow up to his earlier film Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani with Katrina Kaif.

Says the friend, "He knows Raajneeti is poles apart from Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. But he wants the audience to know it's a very entertaining and watch-able drama. Ranbir's strategy sometimes goes against Prakash Jha's sales-pitch. The director has been trying to focus on the political content rather than the stars. Ranbir's antics during the recent press conferences (hiding from TV cameras behind Katrina, sketching funny pics during a press conference, telling the curious media humorous anecdotes about Raajneeti) countermand the director's attempts to highlight the theme of present-day politics."

In fact Ranbir has other lighten-up-the-atmosphere plans for forthcoming media functions. He also wants Katrina get seriously flippant at Raajneeti events but she isn't biting the bait.

Says the pal, "Ranbir plans to discuss anything but politics. The point he wants to prove is, he's just playing a politician. It doesn't mean he has to have the answers to the ills of the nation. Prakash Jha has been a politician in real life. So he knows and empathizes with Indian politics. For Ranbir and Katrina playing politicians is fantasy. Just as he played a salesman in Rocket Singh Salesman Of The Year, Ranbir is playing a politician in Raajneeti."