Nearly two decades after their debut film, new details emerge about how Sanjay Leela Bhansali prepared Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor for stardom, treating them as apprentices rather than privileged star kids.
When Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor launched their acting careers with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s romantic drama Saawariya in 2007, few knew about the rigorous preparation that preceded their debut. Despite being children of Bollywood royalty—Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor respectively—both actors chose an unconventional path to stardom.
From Film Student to Bhansali’s Office
Ranbir’s journey to Bollywood began unexpectedly. While studying visual arts abroad, he watched Bhansali’s 2002 epic Devdas and became captivated by the filmmaker’s work. The lavish adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit, left such an impression that Ranbir decided to learn from Bhansali directly.
After returning to India following his graduation, Ranbir arrived at Bhansali’s office with a resume, hoping to work as an Assistant Director. The filmmaker’s response surprised him: “But you’re an actor. You should be an actor.” However, Ranbir insisted on gaining foundational filmmaking experience first, wanting to understand cinema from the ground up.
Sonam’s Transformation Journey
Sonam Kapoor’s path to becoming Bhansali’s heroine began with the director’s vision for a face reminiscent of classic Bollywood beauties like Rekha and Madhubala. When Bhansali first told Sonam she would be his leading lady, she weighed 86 kilograms—a detail she now recalls with humor.
The director remained committed to his casting decision, stating he would have chosen her regardless of her weight. Over the following two and a half years, while working as an assistant on Black, Sonam gradually transformed herself. The change happened so gradually that Bhansali didn’t immediately notice, seeing her daily on set.
The Black Experience
Both actors served as Assistant Directors on Bhansali’s 2005 film Black, which the filmmaker described as invaluable training. During this period, they learned his working style, creative preferences, and temperament. Bhansali believed this immersion allowed them to understand his artistic vision completely.
The director distinguished between his view of their potential: “I knew the moment I saw them that they were stars. They had the possibility of being moulded into great stars. Actors, I wouldn’t say, but stars I would.”
No Special Treatment for Star Kids
Salman Khan, who reunited with Bhansali for Saawariya eight years after their hit film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, observed the director’s approach firsthand. Despite their famous lineages, Bhansali treated Ranbir and Sonam as regular assistants, with no preferential treatment.
Before filming began, both underwent two months of intensive acting training. This democratic approach extended throughout production, with Bhansali maintaining professional standards regardless of family background.
Rani Mukerji, who also returned to work with Bhansali in a supporting role as the sex worker Gulab, noted her familiarity with both debutants from their time together on Black. The collaborative environment created a sense of continuity between the director’s projects.
Eighteen years later, both Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor have established themselves as significant figures in Hindi cinema, with their unconventional preparation under Bhansali’s mentorship setting the foundation for their careers.
