Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh Bhavnani was born on July 6, 1985, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Jagjit Singh Bhavnani and Anju Bhavnani. From a young age, Singh was drawn to acting, participating in school plays and debates. While attending H.R. College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai, he temporarily shifted his focus to creative writing, feeling that a career in acting was unrealistic. He later pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications from Indiana University Bloomington, graduating in 2008, where he re-engaged with acting by taking classes and minoring in theatre. After returning to Mumbai in 2007, Singh initially worked as a copywriter for advertising agencies such as O&M and J. Walter Thompson, and even served as an assistant director before deciding to fully commit to acting.

His persistence led to a breakthrough in 2010 when he auditioned for Yash Raj Films’ romantic comedy, ‘Band Baaja Baaraat.’ Impressing producer Aditya Chopra and director Maneesh Sharma, he secured the lead role opposite Anushka Sharma as Bittoo Sharma, a typical Delhi youth. To prepare, he immersed himself among students at Delhi University. Despite initial skepticism from trade journalists, the film became a sleeper hit, and Singh’s portrayal garnered critical acclaim, earning him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. This success laid the foundation for his career, launching him into the Hindi film industry.

Since his debut, Singh has demonstrated notable career progression and versatility across various roles. He gained accolades for his performance as a melancholic thief in ‘Lootera’ (2013) and further solidified his standing with collaborations with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, including ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’ (2013) and ‘Bajirao Mastani’ (2015), which earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. He received widespread critical acclaim for his portrayal of Sultan Alauddin Khalji in ‘Padmaavat’ (2018), which became his highest-grossing film and earned him the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. His role as an aspiring rapper in ‘Gully Boy’ (2019) and as Kapil Dev in the sports film ’83’ (2021) further cemented his acting prowess, earning him additional Filmfare Awards for Best Actor. He is married to his frequent co-star Deepika Padukone, and they have one child.