Ranveer Singh
Ranveer Singh Jugjeet Singh Bhavnani[1] (born 6 July 1985) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi-language films.[2][3] He made his acting debut in the 2010 romantic comedy Band Baaja Baaraat, earning the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his performance.[4] Singh has received five Filmfare Awards in total, including three for Best Actor—for his portrayals in the historical drama Bajirao Mastani (2015), the musical crime film Gully Boy (2019), and the sports drama 83 (2021).[5] Known for his energetic acting style and eclectic fashion choices, he married actress Deepika Padukone in a private ceremony in Italy on 14 November 2018.[6] His career has included commercial successes alongside critically acclaimed roles, though he has faced legal scrutiny over participation in the controversial 2015 AIB Knockout roast event.
Early life
Family background and upbringing
Ranveer Singh Bhavnani was born on 6 July 1985 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, into a Sindhi Hindu family.[7][8] His parents are Jagjit Singh Bhavnani, a businessman involved in film distribution and other ventures, and Anju Bhavnani.[9][10] The family's paternal grandparents, Sunder Singh Bhavnani and Chand Burke, had migrated to Mumbai from Karachi in Sindh (present-day Pakistan) during the partition era, establishing roots in the city's commercial landscape.[8] He has an elder sister, Ritika Bhavnani, and grew up in a household emphasizing entrepreneurial self-reliance, influenced by his father's business activities.[11][12] Singh's early years were spent in Mumbai, where the family maintained a modest but stable environment amid financial constraints common to many immigrant-descended households.[13] His parents reportedly saved diligently for family vacations, prioritizing experiential enrichment over material excess, which Jagjit shielded from the children to foster resilience.[13] From a young age, Singh displayed an affinity for performance, participating in school plays and mimicking characters, traits nurtured in a supportive home that encouraged artistic expression alongside practical ambitions.[14][15] This cultural milieu, blending Sindhi trading heritage with Bollywood proximity through familial business ties, shaped his formative interests without formal industry immersion at the time.[9]Education and early career aspirations
Singh completed his schooling at Learners' Academy in Mumbai.[16] He subsequently enrolled at H.R. College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai, where he pursued undergraduate studies in commerce, though academic challenges marked his performance, as he later described himself as a "complete failure in studies."[17] [18] Following his time at H.R. College, Singh briefly attended Indiana University Bloomington in the United States, intending to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree, but he ultimately dropped out after a short stint to prioritize creative pursuits.[19] [20] His exposure to American college life included stage performances, such as entertaining peers just before turning 20, which fueled his interest in performance arts.[21] Post-education, Singh's early ambitions centered on entering the entertainment industry, inspired by Bollywood films and live theater, though initial hurdles like repeated audition rejections redirected him toward advertising.[22] He began as a copywriter at Ogilvy & Mather, working on campaigns for brands including Pond's, and interned at JWT, honing writing skills that he credited for building resilience amid unfulfilled acting dreams.[23] [24] This phase of persistence in creative advertising provided practical experience and financial stability, bridging his academic background to eventual modeling assignments before film opportunities emerged.[25]Career
Modeling, television, and film debut (2008–2010)
Prior to his film debut, Singh returned to Mumbai in 2007 after completing his undergraduate studies in the United States and took up employment as a copywriter at advertising agencies including Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) and J. Walter Thompson, where he contributed to campaigns for brands such as Ponds.[23] Unlike many aspiring actors, he did not pursue modeling gigs, focusing instead on gaining industry exposure through writing and creative roles.[26] Aspiring to act, Singh faced repeated rejections during auditions, enduring what he described as "harsh lessons, disappointments, humiliation, and rejection," yet persisted due to his passion and self-belief.[27] Singh's breakthrough came when he impressed Yash Raj Films head Aditya Chopra during an audition, securing the lead role of Bittoo Sharma—a brash, small-town Delhiite partnering with a fellow entrepreneur to start a wedding planning business—in the romantic comedy Band Baaja Baaraat, directed by Maneesh Sharma and co-starring Anushka Sharma.[28] The film marked his acting debut with no prior on-screen experience, positioning him as an outsider entrant in Bollywood.[28] Principal photography commenced in Delhi on February 4, 2010, with Singh completing his first scene in three takes despite initial nerves. Released theatrically on December 10, 2010, Band Baaja Baaraat achieved commercial success, grossing ₹33.3 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹15 crore, including ₹31.5 crore in India.[29] Singh's portrayal of the energetic, street-smart Bittoo earned positive initial reception for its vibrancy and authenticity, contributing to the film's acclaim as a fresh take on urban entrepreneurship and romance.[30] For this performance, he received the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut at the 56th Filmfare Awards.[31][32]Breakthrough roles and critical recognition (2011–2014)
Singh's first leading role came in the romantic comedy Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl (2011), directed by Maneesh Sharma, where he portrayed a con artist targeting wealthy women. The film, produced by Yash Raj Films, grossed ₹41.48 crore in India, marking it as a commercial success relative to its modest budget and establishing Singh as a viable lead following his debut.[33] Critics noted his energetic performance, though the film's formulaic plot limited deeper acclaim.[34] In 2013, Singh demonstrated versatility in the period drama Lootera, directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, playing a charming thief who deceives a naive aristocrat's daughter, portrayed by Sonakshi Sinha. Loosely inspired by O. Henry's short story "The Last Leaf," the film emphasized subtlety and emotional restraint in Singh's acting, earning widespread critical praise for its visuals and narrative depth despite underperforming commercially with a worldwide gross of approximately ₹49.68 crore.[35][36] Reviewers highlighted Singh's departure from high-energy roles, commending his ability to convey melancholy and nuance, which positioned the film as a cult favorite over time.[37] Later that year, Singh collaborated with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet set in contemporary Gujarat, where he played the impulsive Ram opposite Deepika Padukone's Leela. The film achieved strong box office results, grossing over ₹200 crore worldwide, driven by its lavish production and the leads' chemistry.[38][39] Singh received the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his intense, passionate portrayal, which showcased a shift toward dramatic intensity and boosted his industry profile through Bhansali's mentorship.[5] This period marked Singh's transition from comedic leads to critically recognized dramatic roles, with mixed commercial outcomes underscoring his growing reputation for range over immediate mass appeal.[40]Peak commercial success and versatility (2015–2019)
Singh's collaboration with director Zoya Akhtar in the ensemble family drama Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) marked an early foray into lighter, character-driven roles within a high-profile cast including Anil Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra, earning moderate commercial returns of approximately ₹150 crore worldwide despite positive reception for its cruise-ship setting and interpersonal dynamics.[41] Later that year, his lead performance as the historical warrior Peshwa Bajirao I in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani (2015) propelled him to greater prominence, with the film's opulent visuals and choreography contributing to its ₹356 crore worldwide gross, underscoring how Bhansali's emphasis on spectacle sustained audience interest amid narrative criticisms.[42] Singh received the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for this physically demanding role, which involved extensive training in sword fighting and horse riding to embody the character's martial prowess.[43] In 2018, Singh's portrayal of the ruthless Sultan Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat, another Bhansali period epic, achieved peak commercial dominance as one of Bollywood's highest-grossing films, collecting ₹585 crore worldwide, driven by strong domestic earnings of over ₹302 crore nett in India despite protests over historical liberties and the film's release delays.[44] The antagonist role sparked debates on historical accuracy, with critics noting deviations from documented accounts of Khilji's appearance and motivations, yet Singh's intense physical transformation—including prosthetic-enhanced features and weight fluctuations—garnered praise for amplifying the character's menacing presence, highlighting his willingness to prioritize performative impact over strict fidelity.[45] Transitioning to mass-appeal entertainment, Simmba (2018), a Hindi remake of the Telugu action-comedy Temper, saw Singh as a corrupt-turned-vigilante cop, grossing over ₹400 crore worldwide through Rohit Shetty's signature high-octane stunts and broad humor, which appealed to multiplex and single-screen audiences alike.[46] Culminating the period, Gully Boy (2019) demonstrated Singh's range in a contemporary urban drama inspired by Mumbai street rappers like Divine and Naezy, where he played aspiring artist Murad Ahmed, earning the National Film Award for Best Actor for capturing the socio-economic frustrations of slum youth through authentic dialect and freestyle rapping sessions.[47] The film amassed ₹240 crore worldwide, benefiting from critical acclaim for its grounded realism and viral tracks like "Apna Time Aayega," which resonated via social media without relying on extravagant production values.[48] This sequence of roles—from historical epics to action-comedies and indie-inspired narratives—evidenced Singh's market versatility, as box office data reflected sustained draw across genres, with Bhansali collaborations leveraging visual grandeur to offset scripting critiques while Gully Boy validated risks in non-traditional storytelling.Box office setbacks and attempted reinvention (2020–present)
Singh's sports biopic 83 (2021), portraying Kapil Dev in a dramatization of India's 1983 Cricket World Cup victory, underperformed commercially amid post-COVID recovery challenges, grossing approximately ₹200 crore worldwide against a reported ₹200 crore budget, marking it as a financial disappointment.[49][50] Subsequent releases compounded the setbacks: Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022), a social satire on sex-selective practices, collected just ₹3.25 crore in India, failing to recover costs.[34] Cirkus (2022), a Rohit Shetty-directed comedy, earned around ₹60 million domestically, resulting in substantial losses given its high production scale.[34][50] These back-to-back underperformers, spanning 2021–2022, prompted industry scrutiny of Singh's box office draw.[51] Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani (2023), a romantic comedy opposite Alia Bhatt, achieved moderate success with ₹153.55 crore net in India and over ₹350 crore worldwide, offering partial recovery but not matching prior peaks.[52] Singham Again (2024), reprising his Simmba cop persona in Rohit Shetty's action ensemble, received mixed critical feedback despite franchise pull, highlighting reliance on established roles amid uneven reception.[49] In response, Singh pursued reinvention through action-oriented projects emphasizing physical overhaul. He is slated for Dhurandhar (released December 5, 2025), an action film directed by Aditya Dhar under Maddock Films, which received CBFC clearance after re-examination confirming no link to Major Mohit Sharma,[53] alongside preparations for Don 3 (shooting from January 2026).[54] Further, collaborations include a zombie thriller Pralay with director Jai Mehta (filming post-Don 3) and an untitled action drama opposite Bobby Deol, requiring intensive body transformations for both actors to suit high-stakes sequences.[55][56] By 2025, Singh's net worth approximated $30 million, bolstered by endorsements such as Skoda, sustaining finances during film slumps.[57]Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Band Baaja Baaraat | Bittoo Sharma | Maneesh Sharma |
| 2011 | Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl | Ricky Bahl | Maneesh Sharma |
| 2013 | Lootera | Varun Srivastav | Vikramaditya Motwane |
| 2013 | Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela | Ram | Sanjay Leela Bhansali |
| 2014 | Gunday | Bikram | Ali Abbas Zafar |
| 2014 | Kill Dil | Dev | Shaad Ali |
| 2015 | Dil Dhadakne Do | Kabir Mehra | Zoya Akhtar |
| 2015 | Bajirao Mastani | Peshwa Bajirao I | Sanjay Leela Bhansali |
| 2016 | Befikre | Dharam | Aditya Chopra |
| 2018 | Padmaavat | Alauddin Khilji | Sanjay Leela Bhansali |
| 2018 | Simmba | Sangram Bhalerao | Rohit Shetty |
| 2019 | Gully Boy | Murad Ahmed | Zoya Akhtar |
| 2021 | '83 | Kapil Dev | Kabir Khan |
| 2022 | Jayeshbhai Jordaar | Jayeshbhai Patel | Vikas Bahl |
| 2022 | Cirkus | Roy / Joy | Rohit Shetty |
| 2023 | Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani | Rocky Randhawa | Karan Johar |
| 2024 | Singham Again | Sangram Bhalerao | Rohit Shetty |