"Thank
God,
no
one
says
any
more
than
my
debut
was
financed
by
my
father.
That
to
me
is
my
biggest
victory," says
Ranveer
Singh.
Ranveer
Singh
is
spoilt
for
choices.
"I
think
after
Band
Baaja
Baraat,
I
need
to
do
completely
contrasting
character.
Someone
who
is
not
loud,
opinionated
and
unsophisticated."
The
suffering
of
waiting
is
over
for
this
debutant
who
came
in
from
the
outside.
"Not
since
Akshay
Kumar
and
John
Abraham
has
there
been
a
male
lead
from
outside
the
industry
getting
such
positive
reactions.
I
just
hope
my
example
encourages
talent
from
outside.
Because
right
now
the
perception
is
outsiders
don't
stand
a
chance.
I
had
no
reference
like
mine
to
give
me
hope
when
I
was
going
through
my
struggle
period."
One
call
from
Yash
Raj
changed
Ranveer's
life.
"It
was
completely
out
of
the
blue
from
the
casting
director
Shanu
Sharma.
I
remember
I
was
out
on
date
when
Shanu
kept
calling.
I
avoided
her
calls
for
as
long
as
I
could
because
I
had
other
things
on
my
mind
at
that
moment.
Imagine
if
I
had
not
taken
the
call
from
Yash
Raj
for
a
fling
that
lasted
exactly
ten
days!
Anyway,
the
next
day
I
was
at
Yash
Raj
doing
two
scenes.
I
got
called
back
in
three
days.
Later
Adi
Sir
(Chopra)
told
he
had
made
up
his
mind
immediately..."
Ranveer
is
pleased
he
didn't
get
a
conventional
romantic
debut.
"The
story
in
Band
Baaja
Baraat
is
terrific.
And
my
character
Bittu
was
so
much
fun
for
me
to
play
because
he's
so
far
removed
from
my
own
world.
It
was
more
than
I
could
ever
ask
for.
I
was
more
than
happy
to
be
a
simple
character
in
a
simple
story.
Not
too
many
newcomers
can
dream
of
a
break
like
Band
Baaja
Baraat,
certainly
not
someone
unconnected
with
the
film
industry."
Catty
elements
within
the
industry
had
spread
the
rumour
that
his
father,
a
prosperous
business
man,
had
financed
the
film.
Confesses
the
young
polite
actor,
"Yes
that
hurt
on
several
levels.
Such
ugly
rumours
took
away
from
my
pleasure
at
being
the
first
solo-hero
to
be
launched
by
Yash
Raj.
Ya…it
was
upsetting.
My
father
and
my
family's
pride
that
I
had
made
it
on
my
own
got
blunted
when
it
was
said
that
they
financed
my
debut
film.
It
was
like
taking
away
from
my
little
achievement.
I
was
upset
more
for
my
parents
than
myself.
I
was
also
upset
for
Yash
Raj.
Did
they
need
my
father's
money
to
make
a
film?
The
entire
film
industry
knows
Yash
Raj
doesn't
need
to
do
all
this.
It's
absurd.
They
don't
need
anyone's
money
to
make
films.
Certainly
not
my
father's."
Ranveer
maintains
he
is
"very
good
friends" with
co-star
Anushka
Sharma,
though
they
bickered
non-stop
like
their
characters
in
Band
Baaja
Baraat.
"She
and
I
are
very
good
friends.
How
can
I
change
that
truth
just
because
it
sounds
cliched?
Neither
of
us
is
bothered
with
what
people
say."
Says
Ranveer,
"We
came
from
two
different
schools
of
film
making.
I'm
a
trained
actor.
She
never
attended
any
acting
school.
As
a
model
she
had
faced
the
camera
before
acting
and
had
already
done
two
films
before
Band
Baaja
Baraat.
She
is
a
one-take
actor.
I
believe
in
lots
of
rehearsals.
And
that
was
very
annoying
for
Anushka
because
her
first
take
was
the
best.
We
had
to
reach
a
middle
ground
before
we
could
get
along.
In
hindsight
I
feel
I
was
rehearsing
more
than
necessary
because
it
was
my
first
film.
I
learnt
from
her
to
be
spontaneous.
But
the
fact
that
we
had
to
be
at
loggerheads
on
screen
was
certainly
helped
by
our
constant
friction
in
the
sets
about
our
approach
to
acting."
Ranveer
hopes
every
newcomer
gets
a
supportive
co-star
like
Anushka
or
else
he
is
"screwed".
As
for
the
rumours
about
Ranveer
and
Anushka,
the
promising
newcomer
says,
"I
was
too
much
into
my
work
to
even
think
about
those
rumours.
I
just
wanted
to
perform
well.
That
was
my
only
concern.
I've
never
been
in
a
serious
relationship
so
far.
And
now
my
career
has
just
started."
He
sighs
and
says,
"It
feels
cool.
I
had
told
my
father
a
long
time
ago
that
I'd
be
an
actor.
My
dream
has
come
true.
But
my
family
is
not
used
to
the
gossip
and
rumours." And
to
think
Ranveer
thought
of
changing
his
name
because
there
was
already
a
Ranbir
around.
"I
am
glad
I
didn't.
This
is
my
name.
This
is
my
destiny.
I'm
just
so
happy."
He's
signed
for
three
films
with
Yash
Raj.
"But
it
is
non-exclusive.
I
was
waiting
for
my
first
release
and
so
was
the
industry.
Now
they
know
I
wasn't
signed
because
my
father
paid
for
my
dream.
Adi
too
has
plans
for
me
though
I
don't
know
what
they
are.
He
loves
playing
poker
with
people."
Story first published: Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 14:34 [IST]