Looking at Ranbir Kapoor, who has lost oodles of weight, it’s difficult to believe that the actor is a foodie. But he explains that his next film, Brahmastra, requires him to appear lean. As a result, he is staying away from wheat and rice. Otherwise, the Kapoor scion gorges on Junglee Mutton and Paaya, whenever the khandaan gets together. “You can tell from the sizes of my family members that we love to eat,” smiles Ranbir.
His earliest memory is of his grandmother preparing macaroni and cheese when he was a kid. “Certain food memories stay with you and when you have the dish again, it takes you back to that happy place,” he recalls fondly. The star confesses that he is a huge fan of Bhajiya Pav. “I like it more than Vada Pav. In fact, I have grown up on Cheese Dosa — I would love eating from the roadside Chinese food stalls.
Another favourite snack is Dabeli, everything that all of us Mumbaikars connect with,” he says. Each time he has street food, he has a chilled glass of Pepsi. “I’m not saying that because I’m endorsing it, but because that’s what I grew up on and believe in,” he tells us earnestly.
Quiz him if he has given up street food owing to his profession, which demands a strict diet and he replies sheepishly, “I do have it, I can’t sacrifice it! But yes, I can’t eat as often as I used to in school or in college. There’s a Vada Pavwala outside Film City. Whenever I shoot there, I make it a point to have a mix of Bhajiya Pav and Vada Pav, which I love.”
As Ranbir is so fond of food, has he tried to learn cooking? “When I was a student abroad, I used to make eggs. I would start making an omelette, but it would end up as scrambled egg or bhurji! Theek toh hota nahi tha, but that is something I can cook,” he says candidly before smiling and adding, “I don’t have the talent that is required to cook, but I have the talent to appreciate food.”
The 35-year-old star also states that it’s relevant to have a solid friend circle in your life. “It’s very important, especially in my profession because they keep you grounded, make you humane, and give you a reality check,” he says. Are all his pals from the industry? “My only close friend from the industry is probably Ayan Mukerji. Apart from him, all of them are from my school days,” he reveals.
Ask him what he does to unwind, and the Brahmastra actor says that he either goes for a drive, watches a movie or plays football with friends. “That’s all you need, when friends are together,” he concludes.
