Ranveer Singh impressed us all with his fierce look as Sultan Alauddin Khilji in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much awaited historical drama Padmavati. Though we’ve seen Ranveer play a warrior in Bhansali’s last period film Bajirao Mastani, but there’s something about Khilji that made the actor get out of his comfort zone before he could get into the skin of his character.
Voluntary House Arrest
According to reports, Bandra boy Ranveer Singh had moved into an apartment close to Film City (Goregaon East), nearer to where the film was being shot. That saved him a ton of travel time of course, but it also gave him the alone time he needed to prepare for his role.
Khilji is known to be one of the most powerful and ruthless rulers of all time. We hear that Ranveer had limited himself to meeting and interacting only with Bhansali, his assistant, his personal trainer and a few key members of the film’s crew, in his effort to immerse himself in Khilji’s psyche .
I put myself under house arrest for almost a month while I was readying myself to play Alauddin Khilji. I don’t wish to reveal the exact details of my preparation [for the role] as it is something that’s extremely personal. But what I can say is that the entire journey has been a discovery of sorts that involved lots of exploration. It has been extremely rewarding and gratifying.Ranveer Singh, Actor
Turned Into a History Buff
According to insiders, Ranveer took his first villainous role ever as the unmerciful conqueror that Khilji was, rather seriously. He kept himself busy with a number of books written about history’s tyrants, to really understand why Khilji did what he did. Ranveer has left no stone unturned in nailing Khilji’s state of mind and mannerisms.
Breaking Body for Khilji
Besides the emotional makeup of his demanding character, Ranveer also worked hard on getting his look right. While for Bajirao Mastani he sculpted a leaner look, his challenge now was to beef up into a hulk. And what did it take for that to happen? Well, Ranveer dedicated three hours to the gym on a daily basis, sometimes working out even past midnight.
The Ittar Effect
Guess what helped Ranveer bring all that prep in front of the camera? It was a rare ittar from Turkey, that was a gift from a friend. The incense helped him transform into his character we hear. But somewhere along the way, he lost that precious bottle on set. So for his remaining schedule, Ranveer had to remind himself of its powerful fragrance to bring out the Khilji in him.
Going by Ranveer’s dedication for Padmavati, looks like the actor has another smash hit coming his way.
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