Making of Shamshera

’When the narration got over, I knew I had to be a part of Shamshera!’: Ranbir Kapoor reveals how the opportunity to play two characters immediately hooked him on to the action spectacle

Ranbir Kapoor is playing a larger than life hero with the action entertainer Shamshera. Ranbir, who is coming to the big screen four years after he delivered the blockbuster Sanju, wowed everyone with his incredible intensity when the trailer of the much-awaited film dropped! The trailer revealed a fiercely guarded secret that Ranbir is playing the father, Shamshera, and the son, Balli, in this revenge spectacle! This is the first time Ranbir is playing two characters in the same film and he says that as soon as the narration of Shamshera was over, he said yes to the grand cinematic vision of Karan Malhotra!

Ranbir, in a freshly dropped behind the scene video titled ‘Ranbir Kapoor as Balli and Shamshera’ that released today, says, “Shamshera is one of those films that when the narration got over, I knew for a fact that I had to be a part of the film. It’s amazing that I’m playing two characters in one film! Both are very different and unique but their heart and their head is very similar. The transition from Shamshera to Balli was very interesting for me as an actor.”

Catch the video here: 

Ranbir also reveals an interesting detail of his character Balli, the son, in Shamshera! He says, “While Shamshera is a part of a tribe, the leader of the tribe, Balli is born in the prison of Kaza!” This highlights the huge emotional conflict present in the film since Shamshera also fights for his tribe to be free. 

About his intense Shamshera look in which he is sporting some grey hair, Ranbir says, “We greyed him a bit because he was in his late 30s or early 40s. It’s the same actor who is playing both these parts but both had to look distinctively different.”

Director Karan Malhotra Malhotra is thrilled about how Ranbir, regarded as one of the best actors of our generation, has transformed as Shamshera and Balli in the action extravaganza.

He says, “Ranbir has broken all stereotypes. He has destroyed all the shackles of his past work to get that intensity, he has done a remarkable job in Shamshera! He has gone beyond my expectations!”

The story of Shamshera is set in the fictitious city of Kaza, where a warrior tribe is imprisoned, enslaved and tortured by a ruthless authoritarian general Shudh Singh. This is the story of a man who became a slave, a slave who became a leader and then a legend for his tribe. He relentlessly fights for his tribe’s freedom and dignity. His name is Shamshera.
The high-octane, adrenaline-pumping entertainer is set in the 1800s in the heartland of India. It has the big promise of a never seen before Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Shamshera in the film! Sanjay Dutt plays Ranbir’s arch-enemy in this huge casting coup and his showdown with Ranbir will be something to watch out for as they will ferociously go after each other with no mercy.

This action extravaganza has been produced by Aditya Chopra and is set to release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on July 22, 2022.