NEW DELHI: Ranveer Singhโs portrayal of Alauddin Khilji in Sanjay Leela Bhansaliโs 2018 film โPadmaavatโ was widely praised, but the actor revealed that getting into the characterโs dark mindset had a profound effect on him.
He mentioned locking himself up in his Goregaon house and isolating himself to prepare for the role, which led to significant mental strain.
However, some actors have criticised Ranveerโs approach. Prashant Narayanan, in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, dismissed Ranveerโs claims about method acting as nonsense, stating, โWoh jhoot bol raha hai. Yeh dark spaces mein jana, yeh sab karna yeh bakwas ki baatein hai.โ
Jim Sarbh, Ranveerโs co-star in โPadmaavat,โ also seemingly mocked the idea of getting deeply entrenched in a character to the point of needing therapy. In a conversation with The Quint, he said, โThere are all those actors who are like โYou know, I was so stuck in my character that I had to get mental therapy for weeks after.โ I was like โshut up bro. You didnโt even know your lines on the day, what nonsense.โ
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In a recent interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, known for his dedication to method acting, defended Ranveer Singhโs process. Without naming the critics, Nawazuddin questioned the validity of their judgments, stating, โThe people who are calling it fake, did they bother to understand the actorโs process? Did they bother to understand how he was living his life when he was creating the character? They are simply judging him. We donโt know what a man is thinking when heโs coming up with a characterisation.โ
Nawazuddin emphasised the painful and rigorous nature of method acting, comparing it to the efforts of iconic performances like Heath Ledgerโs in โThe Dark Knight.โ He argued that such deep immersion in a character should not be dismissed casually as pretentious. โIf there was no process, then what Heath Ledger did in The Dark Knight would not be possible. That man was extremely serious about his performance and that is why he excelled in the character; thatโs how iconic characters are born,โ he said.
Nawazuddin elaborated on how actors often tap into uncomfortable and dark parts of their past to bring authenticity to their roles. He criticized those who undermine this process, saying, โThey think it is pretentious. When you dive deep into a character, it is a very painful process. This is a very irresponsible thing to say. You never know which part of his past he is tapping to get into character. You canโt take this so easily.โ
When the interviewer identified Ranveerโs critics as Prashant Narayanan and Jim Sarbh, Nawazuddin questioned their current professional standing, subtly suggesting that their lack of significant recent work might undermine their credibility in making such comments.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui concluded by asserting that it is unfair to judge an actorโs process without fully understanding it. He stressed that the dedication and pain involved in method acting should not be underestimated or dismissed, reinforcing the importance of respecting an actorโs craft and process.
Nawazuddinโs film โRautu Ka Raazโ premiered on ZEE5 on June 28, while Ranveer Singh was last seen in โRocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.โ
