Ranveer Singh won hearts all over again when he surprised everyone with his portrayal of Allaudin Khilji in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat earlier this year. We have seen in him play the fun-loving and chirpy boy-next-door multiple times, but Khilji was a character that we love with all the hatred. After all the controversies and waiting for months, Ranveer's performance kept the audiences reeling in delight. But the vibrant actor would rather be himself than delve into a dark character like Khilji.

Ranveer started as Bittu in Band Baja Baarat and then changed to Varun/Nandu/Vijay for Lootera and then from another period king in Bajirao Mastani to a modern boy in Befikre. His effortless switch from one character to another is not a secret. However, knowing how deeply he was affected by Khilji, it is not surprising that he needed an escape to return to his sanity.

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The actor said, "For me, each prep process is unique. For BBB, I had infiltrated a college campus, introduced myself as Bittu Sharma and lived with students for a week without them being aware of it. For Lootera which was a period film, I did intensive workshops. For Goliyon Ki Raasleela - Ram Leela, I did a lot of prep work in Gujarat. For Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat, I lived in isolation for days."

The isolation surely came at a price, however, the actor has no qualms about it. He stated previously, "I feel the need to challenge myself and see how far I can go into a character. Alauddin was fulfilling in that sense, as there are times when I completely lost myself in the character. Yes, it’s very scary too. The struggle was very internal. I am glad Bhansali came in and tempered my vision, as I was making some very extreme choices. I was prepared to go to lengths from where I probably wouldn’t be able to come back easily. I don’t want to play such dark characters often, as it takes you to a place that is uncomfortable, at least in my process."

Right after he shot the final scene as Khilji, he dived straight into his next film. He said, "I was so physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of Padmaavat’s shoot that I was waiting to be liberated. Gully Boy was my saviour, it saved me from myself. For the upcoming, Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, I spent a lot of time with the rapper boys. This is the only way I know to work. I don’t mean the best in comparison to others, but I want to outdo my best."

If an exhausting Khilji was so good, we wonder how good the liberating Gully Boy would be.