I'm not a typical star kid: YRF's new hero Armaan Ralhan gets talking!

Aditya Chopra has introduced another fresh face in his YRF gang. Armaan Ralhan belongs to a heavyweight filmy legion of sorts. His grandfather OP Ralhan was a well-known yesteryear director-producer. The newbie played a supporting role as Vaani Kapoor’s fiancé in Befikre, but he made his presence felt. In a candid chat, he talks about his interests, likes, dislikes and films. Read on..

You are the first male debutant to be launched in a film directed by Aditya Chopra. You must be thrilled... 

I am extremely happy. It’s actually a one up for me. So I can brag to Ranveer that you had to work in six-eight films before you got an Adi Chopra film. But I got it in my first film. Honestly, I didn’t even put him in my dream directors’ list because it seemed so far-fetched. I have this list at home with whom I would love to work with...I won’t share the names as I am superstitious. After Befikre happened to me, I had to go and write his name on my list!

How did everything fall into place?

I started auditioning with Shanoo (Sharma). One day, she called me and said, ‘Come dressed as a banker and I’m going to interview you today’. I did a few scenes. There was a Dil Toh Pagal Hai scene and some others too. And then finally it came to a point where she told me that there were just a last couple of rounds left before he meets me. Then I met Adi sir and he auditioned me again for a month or so including the workshop I did in the middle and that’s when I got the film.

You debuted in a film which had Ranveer in the lead. Wasn’t it a risk?

Not really. I feel, as an actor, you are better if your co-actors are good. It was never about ‘How can I be better than Ranveer?’ for me. I just wanted to play my part with as much honesty as I could. And on the set all you want to do is make your director happy.  I don’t have such insecurities. I’m not being arrogant, but when I approach a scene on the set, in my head, I don’t think about lead and not lead. I just think about my role and do it the best way possible.

So the screen time also doesn’t matter to you?

No. Of course, in an ideal world, I would have liked to start with Adi Chopra directing me in a lead film. But if you ask me, would I give Befikre up for another film as a lead, I would not. I had a couple of other opportunities, which I didn’t pursue because I figured that this was the best way to start. It’s a dream to be in a YRF film and to debut in one directed by Adi sir, it can’t get better. I want to have a long career and a great filmography. I’m hoping that in my next film, I will play the lead. Maybe not. I want to do good films with good directors.

Your first film (with Sanjay Dutt) was supposed to release way before this...

Yeah,  but it got shelved.  I was actually 22 when that happened. After that, it took another three years for me to get here and it worked out well because it made me work on myself more. It was a learning experience. I’m 26 now.  You just have to be the right person for the right film. I didn’t consciously decide that at 25, I am going to do it. I was going out, auditioning and meeting people, trying to get the right film and this is what worked out.

You are from a film family. Was there added pressure to match up to their expectations?

Let me explain this. There’s this inner circle to which the star kids belong. There is another circle, too but I’m probably in the third circle which is neither that of a complete outsider nor an insider. I have never been exposed to the world of movies before and as far as legacy is concerned, my grandfather was at his time really big. But ever since I was born, he’s never made any films. Plus, he was a director and writer so people won’t draw comparisons with him. But I do feel a responsibility to take his legacy forward. I was not the typical star kid at all. There were no actors coming in and out of my house. I had never gone to a set. The first time I did was when I assisted for an ad for a day or two. I assisted on 2 States for a little bit. I don’t have associations for which I can call myself a film kid.

When did this acting bug hit you then?

My first memory was that I always wanted to do something related to films. I remember running around my nani’s house dancing to Jumma Chumma, when I was a kid. So when I was a kid, I had a handycam and I would make my mom, dad, my sister, my cook, everyone do some scenes. I would direct them and act in them too. Even when I went to boarding school and thought I want to direct a film. Then I went to New York Film Academy for direction and a friend of mine asked me to act when his actor cancelled. The short film was about this suicidal guy so obviously the head space I had to get into was completely dark and morose. And strangely, it gave me such a good high even though it was cathartic. That was the day I thought that I would not do anything else, but act.

Who is your favourite actor?

I think I have favourite performances, but not actors. From Mr Bachchan, to Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, I liked them all. I was a big Akshay Kumar fan as a kid. I remember going to a fancy dress party wearing a black bandana that was part of his Tu Cheez Badi look.

Which heroine do you want to be paired with next?

I obviously want to work with Alia (Bhatt). She’s a brilliant performer. I would love to work with Vaani in a full-fledged film now.