In a recent interview, Ranbir faced the question that has been on many minds: were there any reservations from his family when he was offered the Sanju biopic? The families do share a considerable history. Sanjay Dutt’s mother Nargis was his grandfather Raj Kapoor’s favourite heroine. Nargis’s daughters Priya and Namrata tie rakhi to Rishi Kapoor, and consider him their brother. Ranbir’s parents and the Dutts have been neighbours at Pali Hill for years…

Ranbir shares that when his father came to know about the biopic planned on Sanju by Raju Hirani, he said, ‘Wow, that’s awesome’. He adds, “I was living with my grandmother at that time and she was always wary because I guess she does not come from a culture of biopics; she probably understands the kind of films that my grandfather made. So she was would tell me, ‘Why are you doing a biopic? You should do more commercial films with songs and dances, look like a hero.’ There were different notions,” he maintains.

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His mother, Neetu was the first person he gave the story to because he usually likes to take her opinion on it and she loved it. “She just had one slight issue with it, which she herself told Raju sir and he was so happy because it also changed the dynamic of the climax of the film. So, I think my family had different reactions to it,” he points out.

Incidentally, Ranbir had his own share of reservations initially. Apparently, when Hirani sent him a message suggesting a meeting, he had responded, ‘Sure, but I hope it is not for the Sanju biopic!’ He explains, “How do you make a biopic about an actor who is still so relevant today and was such a superstar. He’s still working in movies, he still has lots to achieve. So that was my initial hesitation but it all went away once I read the script.”

Today, knowing Dutt’s story, has broken several notions Ranbir had about Dutt. “It has deepened my love and respect for him. And today when I meet him, I see him in a different way. Not because I played him but because I now have a sense of his life.”