When Ranbir Kapoor Met His Idol...And Was Left Sad

In a recent interview with comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB), Ranbir Kapoor spoke about finally getting the opportunity to meet his acting icon, Robert De Niro, and how he left that meeting slightly dejected.

Ranbir was promoting his new film, Jagga Jasoos, on the AIB podcast, when the hosts - Gursimran Khamba, Tanmay Bhat, Ashish Shakya and Rohan Joshi - asked him which actor he has met who made him fanboy immensely.

Ranbir told the story of how a few actors were invited to meet De Niro, on whom he modelled his performance in Bombay Velvet, at Anupam Kher’s school.

According to him, Anil Kapoor was the most excited to meet the legendary actor. “Anil uncle was pushing people. Varun (Dhawan) was coming, I was coming, and he’s kicking and all. He’s sitting like this,” said Ranbir, mimicking Anil Kapoor, “and he’s saying ‘Jaldi photo kheech (take a photo, quick).’”

But Ranbir’s experience wasn’t as inspiring as he’d hoped. “He was wondering what is happening,” Ranbir said, talking about De Niro. “He wasn’t saying anything. He didn’t give a rat’s a$$ who we were.”

“We were asking him about Taxi Driver, and we had all these intelligent questions, and all he did was look the other way,” Ranbir continued. “So my impression of Robert De Niro is not so great anymore.”