Despite a background like his, does he doubt the ability to sell himself? “The initial push is there, but after a point, everything rests on me,” he says. Is his personal stance not aggressive enough? “No, it’s not. I’m not an aggressive person. But that doesn’t make me less passionate about what I do. It doesn’t mean that somebody else can work harder than me; I work equally hard as anyone around. I am equally passionate and I do want to be the best in what I do. It’s just that I’m not very vocal about it,” he defends. Coming from an illustrious family of talented actors, who would be the actor of his choice, his mom or dad?

“As far as my mom’s concerned, I’m very shy about her films, because I love her too much and she is my most favorite person in the world. I get embarrassed to see her on screen because I don’t like anyone else judging her.

I can’t judge my mom I love her to death. And as far as my dad is concerned, I’m a great fan of his. He is one of the finest actors. He is a very passionate man, with a lot of love for the family. He is a very family person,” says the proud son.

Does he also think that his mom shouldn’t have given up acting? “When she started acting, she was very young and she needed to support her family. She was never in love with the process of acting, she never understood acting. That’s why she was very natural on screen; she did what her heart told her to. But I don’t think she was passionate about acting,” he says. She never saw this field as something professional for her?

“Exactly. So she was more than happy to, if I may say, resign. Then she got married and she got pregnant with my elder sister. And I am the happiest that she is not in films and actually at home. I can’t do without her. From cutting my nails to taking appointments for the haircuts, I depend on her for everything. These are superficial things and there are other things also, but I can’t do without her,” confesses the true mama’s boy.

What does he have to say about the trend of Kapoor girls not acting in films? Male Chauvinism reared as a tradition? “Honestly, there is a notion like that. But it’s been their personal choice, because nobody told them not to act. If my mom wants to act today, my father will not oppose,” he says.

So isn’t it like a tradition or anything? “No nothing of that sort,” says Ranbir. Had his sister Riddhima shown an interest in being in films, would he be in favor of that? “ My parents would have allowed her too.

Ranbir’s always kept a low profile. Since his debut film he’s been splashed in the media, with him attending various TV shows. Is it only because such kind of hype is required today? “Yes, it is important. People need to be aware of the fact that you exist and you are working in a film. You have to sell a film. It’s about marketing your film. It’s really heart warming that at one time people didn’t even know my name, and now, they have me covered. It’s a very nice feeling that you get. And they are talking because of your work and because of what they have seen on-screen,” he admits.

Talking about write-ups, the good, bad and ugly even before his first film has released, his personal life was providing enough fodder for the dailies. Was it for real or was it a way to cultivate a romantic image? Ranbir immediately defends himself. “No. I am not a bad boy. I’m not trying to portray that I am a womanizer. I respect women a lot.

Whatever had been written about me in the past as far as my relationships are concerned, it’s been ugly and the way that it has come across has not been good.” Would he be open enough to talk about something like that? Since he’s entered a profession of the limelight and his life will be under the spotlight all the time and with his relationships and break-ups, he will be written about.

Did he have the maturity to talk about it or would he choose to ignore it? “If it’s true, if I actually am in a relationship or I am in love with someone, I don’t think there’s anything to hide or something that I will be ashamed of. I think I will be open about it,” he opines.

A lot of ink has been expended over his liaison with newcomer Deepika Padukone. What does he have to say about that? “See the way it turned out, it was very ugly. I met her through common friends and we used to hang out together. Deepika is a very sweet person, very good. It just so happens that when you hang out together and when two people are known faces, they are written about.

Apparently, Sanjay Bhansali had promised to launch Ranbir’s friend Sikander Kher, Kirron Kher’s son, earlier with the role, which was later given to Ranbir. Did that fact screw up their relationship? “I don’t know if this role was offered to Sikander. I have also been hearing these things but I’m not really aware of it. I think Sikander is hugely talented, very forthcoming and full of life.

We hang out together and we have lot of common friends. Such things can’t spoil our relationship. And I think destiny also plays a very important part. I was supposed to play the part, which I didn’t know was offered to him because he has never told me that. But no, I don’t think our relationship is affected.”

Are most of Ranbir’s friends from the industry? “More or less. I think, all my friends are from the industry, because growing up, you tend to become friends with your parents’ contemporaries’ children. Most of my parents’ friends were from the industry and connected to the industry. I don’t have a big circle of friends but most of my friends are aspiring actors or directors.

It’s a great circuit to be in because we all discuss movies and go out together. We’re all so passionate about movies,” he says. But doesn’t that sharpen the edge of the competitive spirit as well?

“Absolutely. How ever much you deny it, if your friend is doing much better than you, it does pinch you and you want to do more than that and you want to get better than that. You don’t say you are happy to do badly. Competition allows you to work harder; it’s obviously not the kind of competition that will destroy someone. It will only make me conscious about myself and make me work hard”.

Are there any RK films with him in the offing? “Of course, we’re planning on that. That’s my top priority. I want to get the glory days back to RK. I am very keen on directing,” he reveals. Isn’t he too young for direction? Ranbir denies it flatly, “I don’t think age has anything to do with the profession you choose.”

After Sanjay, what kind of director was he looking at working with, Sanjay being one of the best directors we have?

Ranbir shrugs, “Where do you go after that? But I’m not losing hope. I hope I will work with someone who, I am not saying is better but is equally good as Sanjay Bhansali. It’s not that I have put my feet up and I am kind of chilled out about it and I feel I should retire now. No, I still have miles to go.” He points at a huge picture frame of Raj Kapoor and says, “He is my idol and I wake up to his picture everyday. There are small pictures that portray his face and show the body of work he has done, and that’s what I want myself to have.”