page_title: Ranbir Kapoor
section_title: Critical acclaim (2011–2013)
hierarchical_section_title: Ranbir Kapoor / Career / Critical acclaim (2011–2013)
caption_attribution_description: English: Ranbir Kapoor at the launch of 'Barfi!' promo
context_page_description: Ranbir Kapoor is an Indian film actor. He is one of the highest-paid actors of Hindi cinema and has featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2012. Kapoor is the recipient of several awards, including six Filmfare Awards.
  The son of actors Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, and the grandson of actor-director Raj Kapoor, Kapoor pursued filmmaking and method acting at the School of Visual Arts and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, respectively. He subsequently assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the film Black and made his acting debut with Bhansali's tragic romance Saawariya, a critical and commercial failure. Kapoor rose to prominence in 2009 with his performances in the coming-of-age film Wake Up Sid, the romantic comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, and the drama Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year. His most widely seen film in this period came with the political drama Raajneeti.
  The romantic drama Rockstar, in which he played a troubled musician, and the comedy-drama Barfi!, in which he played a cheerful deaf-and-mute man, earned Kapoor two consecutive Best Actor awards at Filmfare.
context_section_description: Following an item number in the children's film Chillar Party (2011), Kapoor took on the role of Janardhan "Jordan" Jakhar in Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar, a drama that follows the journey of an aspiring musician from a humble background to international stardom. In preparation for the role, Kapoor lived with a Jat family in Pitam Pura and studied their mannerisms. He additionally learned to play the guitar and practiced extensively at A.R. Rahman's (the film's music composer) music studio. As part of the film's promotional activity, Kapoor performed at a live concert in Mumbai. Film critics were polarised on their view of the film, but were unanimous in their praise for Kapoor; Aniruddha Guha of Daily News and Analysis was particularly impressed with the film and thought that Kapoor's portrayal was one of "Hindi cinema’s most accomplished performances by a lead actor". For the role, Kapoor won both the Best Actor and Best Actor (Critics) trophies at the 57th Filmfare Awards ceremony, along with Best Actor awards at Screen and IIFA. With a gross revenue of ₹1.07 billion (US$15 million), Rockstar was one of the top-grossing Hindi films of the year.
  The 2012 romantic comedy Barfi! was Kapoor's first release to earn over ₹1 billion (US$14 million) at the domestic box office. Directed by Anurag Basu, the film (set in the 1970s) tells the story of its titular protagonist (a deaf and mute man, played by Kapoor) who falls in love with a woman who is already engaged (played by Ileana D'Cruz) and later, an autistic girl (played by Priyanka Chopra). In preparation, Kapoor observed the work of actors Roberto Benigni, Charlie Chaplin, and his grandfather. Barfi! received praise from the critics, and the performances of the three lead actors were acclaimed. Ronnie Scheib of Variety praised Kapoor for successfully channeling Chaplin in "tone and affect", and Raja Sen of Rediff.com wrote that "he does very strongly indeed with this Chaplin-tribute role, bestowing his character with heart every step of the way". The film was submitted as India's official entry for the 85th Academy Awards, and was screened at the Marrakech and Busan International Film Festivals. Kapoor won second consecutive Best Actor awards at the Filmfare, Screen, and IIFA Award ceremonies.
  Kapoor achieved further success in 2013 when he reunited with director Ayan Mukerji for the romantic comedy Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani co-starring Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin, and Aditya Roy Kapoor. He was cast as Kabir "Bunny" Thapar, a commitment-phobic photographer, a character Kapoor found to be an extension of himself. His pairing with Padukone, after their highly publicised break-up, led to hype surrounding the film's release. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time with earnings of ₹2.95 billion (US$41 million), proving to be Kapoor's third consecutive commercial success in three years and earned him another Best Actor nomination at Filmfare. Film critics found the film to be "riddled with clichés", but praised both Kapoor and Padukone, with Daily News and Analysis' Tushar Joshi labelling their on-screen chemistry as "unsurpassable". Kapoor's second release of 2013 was the action-comedy film Besharam in which he played a petty thief, alongside Pallavi Sharda and his parents. The film met with an overwhelming negative reception and emerged as a failure; Sudhish Kamath of The Hindu described it as "Kapoor's hall of shame".
caption: Kapoor at a promotional event for Barfi! in 2012
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