Ranbir Kapoor Finds A New Girlfriend! | Ranbir Kapoor Romancing Shahzahan Padamsee

Ranbir Kapoor Finds A New Girlfriend!
Ranbir Kapoor Romancing Shahzahan  Padamsee

Before you split your eyes wide open, let us clear the air Ranbir Kapoor is still single after his much publicised split with Deepika Padukone. The Kapoor scion had found himself a new girlfriend on-screen though. Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year which releases today will see him opposite debutante Shazahn Padamsee. The sizzling model is no new to the showbiz world being the daughter of singer Sharon Prabhakar and theatre personality Alyque Padamsee.

The charming 21 year old Shazahn has featured in a few ads before carving her way into the Shamit Amin directed movie. Shazahn was very shy as a teenager always had the dream of becoming an actress. Ranbir Ranbir and Shazahn are said to have bonded well during the shooting of Rocket Singh and with Ranbir's new found 'single and ready to mingle status' on-screen love might pave the way for something more!

Shazahn Padamsee Speak Out

Shazahn Padamsee Speak Out
Shahzahn Padamsee Speak Out

"Rocket Singh will make a huge difference to my ongoing career. It's a huge step for me and I'll only be doing films now. Films are what I'm concentrating on. This Friday will tell the story", says the confident Shazahn Padamsee. The road is just laid for the newbie to walk in the Bollywood domain. Here's another good-looking bit of fluff stealing another prime role but more importantly, through a combination of the usual luck and, above all, hard work and persistence, she's carved herself into a fine actress. For some, she came out of nowhere, for some she was a sudden revelation and off into the hands of Yash Raj Films. Now that's discovery.

Two years of auditions
"I've been auditioning for almost two to two and a half years now. So everybody thinks that Bollywood was going to be very easy for me. Also the fact that I'm Alyque Padamsee's daughter and Sharon Prabhakar's daughter, and hence I'll get in, were some of the insights thrown in. But you know what, no matter who your father or mother is, it all boils down to how you prepare and perform in your auditions. How you look and how close you are to the character that the director is looking for matters. If these three things fall in place, you are bound to get your dream role."

Casting for Rocket Singh

"Shimit Amin was very clear in what type of character he wanted and I'd describe him as a very realistic filmmaker. He wanted a very natural audition and I tried to give him what he wanted, thus getting the role. But it took a while for Shimit to decide that I'll be cast in Rocket Singh. That time really kills you. It was the toughest time of my life. It's like standing on the edge of the cliff. Either you're there or you'll fall off. But not only for Rocket Singh, for all the films I've auditioned for, its been a tough journey. Sometimes you are confirmed ninety nine percent for a certain project and the night after you're just dropped for some strange reason."

Aditya Chopra

"Adi Chopra is a lovely person and I respect him too much because it's a big thing for me to be working with a production house like Yash Raj Films. Everyone in my family is so proud of me. It's a big thing for us, especially from my father's side of the family. For them, I've dived straight into the pool of Bollywood. Everyone is really happy for me."

Competitive world

"In the world of competition, there is room for everyone and I'm coming in as a young actress. In Bollywood, the youngsters' bracket is still open. Unlike in Hollywood, where there are more than thirty five young actors. I just hope people appreciate us lot. From today's lot, the ones who are really promising are Imran Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone. I really like the way Deepika has gone about her career. She has also done a lot of adverts, commercials, fashion, etc. I hope to be a part of this bandwagon."

Not to be seen on the posters

"Adi Chopra and Shimit Amin are the ones who decide how the film is going to be promoted. I am very happy with what we've made. I am a part of the film; I have done my job and am very confident. I have just left myself in their hands. They are the ones who know what kind of a film it is and what kind of target audience it has. Why should I be concerned whether I am on the posters or not. It's their look out. Yash Raj Films have been the oldest production house in Bollywood and they know what they're doing."

Ranbir Kapoor - As A Person

"As a person, I have a lot of respect for Ranbir. He has just turned twenty seven and it's so good to see someone so young coming up so fast. He is becoming tomorrow's superstar. When you meet him, he is so down to earth and it's so nice for me because I come from a theatre background and suddenly getting thrown in films is a different game. Ranbir was there always. He has no ego issues at all. He will be seen chatting with the spot boys, hugging people, giving hi-five's, etc. I met him for the first time just a couple of days before the film shoot started."

Rocket Singh - Film

"I cannot reveal too much about Rocket Singh but all I can say is that it's a great film. Shimit has put his heart and soul into this film and so has Adi Chopra. Rocket Singh is going to be a great film because it is very very different. The advantage is that this film hasn't got any genre. That's the reason it'll work."

Favourite Yash Raj Film

"My favourite Yash Raj film is Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge. I've seen it too many times. I think the Indian Government should come out with a stamp of the film. It's still running and it's crazy."

Alyque Padamsee - Father

"My father is very very protective about me. But at the same time he is someone who is extremely open minded too. So I've got a very nicely balanced father. I can do what I want and not be scared about him. I can talk to him about anything like two friends who are talking. I never hide anything from my parents. He has my best interest at heart. He will always call me up to find out what's happening. He helps me out in rehearsing scenes. He will call me up and come over from the town to the suburbs only to rehearse the scene with me. Not to forget, his Hindi is atrocious. He will always make me understand what the emotion is rather than understand the language."

Sharon Prabhakar - Mother

"I call my mother my 'momager'. She is my mom and manager combined. I love her to bits because she has literally given up everything to make sure that I come on the top. She will not rest till she sees me climb the ladder of success and I guess the time has come. Of course, she does keep herself busy by doing plays. But she is a super mom and she is just a darling."

More About Shazhan Padamsee

Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year : Movie Review

Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year : Movie Review

Movie Review: Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year


Director: Shimit Amin
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Gauhar Khan, Manish Chaudhary,Shahzahn Padamsee
Rating: ****

Rocket Singh is quite relatable in recent times. Half the day one gets uncalled-for calls from salesmen wanting to sell us products from the world. And in the other half almost every employee in any organization dreams of starting his own company like his workplace. Rocket Singh combines these common-man conflicts to come up with a compelling narrative.

Harpreet Singh Bedi (Ranbir Kapoor) has always been a below average student and post graduation he desires to be a salesman. He joins as a trainee in a company that sells computers but goofs up in an early deal that invites him abuse by bosses and ridicule by colleagues. Relegated to his desk, Harpreet is restricted from going on field and realizes that his ideologies are not in sync with the so-called professionals of today. Soon he thinks of a way to get even with his boss Puri (Manish Chaudhary) and starts his own secret sales and service agency while continuing to work in his existing company.

Though not designed likewise, Rocket Singh kinda starts where Wake Up Sid ends. The protagonist has just completed his graduation, has gained a sense of responsibility and is all raring to go in life. Ranbir Kapoor graduates both in terms of his character and as an actor.

When the film is in the hands of a smart writer and skilful director, it can never go wrong. Rocket Singh has the correct combo of writer Jaideep Sahni and director Shimit Amin who team again to come up with another winner after Chak De India. Jaideep Sahni works towards sketching every character to real-life precision. And though these characters are extremely ambitious in pulling off clandestine commerce right under the eye of their boss, Sahni doesn’t make the screenplay look larger-than-life at any point.

The trademark elements of Sahni’s scripting style can be sensed in the writing of Rocket Singh as well. On the lines of the team-building of Chak De India, Harpreet puts together a team for his undercover company. And like the ethical conning in Khosla Ka Ghosla, this team also tricks its competitor company, where interestingly they are employed. The detailing towards establishing the protagonist’s changing conflicts comes out convincingly in the screenplay. The dialogues are wonderfully effective with a witty punch in every line and a non-preachy management mantra in another.

While any sales person or an average office executive can effortlessly identify with the setting of the film, director Shimit Amin doesn’t restrict the audience till them. He works more towards the human angle giving the film a universal appeal, while retaining its office authenticity. Harpreet’s field induction scene is smart and sassy. The pre-interval scene where boss Puri mocks and degrades Harpreet for his mess up is poignant. Like in Chak De India, Shimit thankfully refrains from the regular Bollywood tendency to liberally work out a parallel romance track. There is a love story which is kept short-n-sweet and is briskly defined through a transition song.

Salim-Sulaiman limit the soundtrack to a couple of tracks which are either employed as transition songs or played in background, thereby not interrupting the flow of the film. Vikash Anshum’s cinematography and Arindam Ghatak’s editing are just perfect. Niharika Khan dresses Ranbir Kapoor in formal pastel clothing and colourful turbans making him look like the coolest Sardar ever on Indian screen.

Rocket Singh offers Ranbir Kapoor immense range, as the character takes lead over the actor. He is perfectly poised in one of his best performances so far. The character-driven story doesn’t let Ranbir overshadow the supporting cast, each of who gets good scope. D Santosh is hilarious as the hardware service agent and gets the best repartees. Mukesh Bhatt as the office clerk is funny. Navin Kaushik as Nitin, the senior sales manager reminds of Raghu from Roadies for his cheekiness and is brilliant. Manish Chaudhary in a confident-personified act comes across as one of the most efficient negative leads in recent times. The one item-number-old Gauhar Khan surprises with an amazing natural performance and is a talent to look forward to. Shazahn Padamsee is charming but remains almost parallel to the plot and doesn’t get much scope.

A line from the film states, “Risk toh Spiderman ko bhi lena padta hai, main toh phir bhi Salesman hoon” (Even Spiderman has to take risk, I am just a Salesman). The makers have taken as much risk to sell a not-so-regular story to the audiences. And it has paid off pretty well.

Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year is one of the most rocking films of the year.

Shahzahn Padamsee Talks About Her Debute In Rocket Singh Salseman Of The Year

Shahzahn Padamsee : ‘I was in shock’

Shahzahn Padamsee talks about her debut in Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year

Q: Are you dating Ranbir Kapoor?

A: I have no idea where this sprung up from.  

How does it feel debuting in a Yash Raj film opposite Ranbir Kapoor?

It feels very nice and exciting but, at the same time, it isn’t easy. One has to go through various auditions; knock on a hundred doors and hope that at least one of them opens. So it isn’t a cakewalk. But it definitely feels great now, since I’ve finally done a film.

What was your first line of thought when the movie was offered to you?

I was extremely excited but it took time to sink in. I was in shock actually (giggles); it was quite a big thing happening to me. And you’re constantly in doubt since you never know whether or not you will get the job or will be dropped at the last minute. Luckily it didn’t happen to me. I think once I started shooting, I realised that I’m indeed a part of this movie. 

What is your character in the film? Is this your dream role to debut with?

I am not permitted as yet to say anything about the character or the part I’m playing in the film. But definitely this is a dream role to start with.

How nervous or excited were you when you gave your first shot?

I wasn’t very nervous at the shooting as I have done a lot of ads before. The camera wasn’t something new to me. And then of course it helped that everyone is very professional; Ranbir and Shimit Amin were extremely professional. It really helped me as they both are very meticulous people and they would go through each thing a couple of times.

Any preparations before starting the film?

I didn’t exactly prepare for this film but I was getting myself ready to be in the industry. I worked on my Hindi diction and also joined dance classes to improve my dance. I have also done theatre for two years and I guess that’s the best training ever.

Did you recognise Ranbir with his beard? How helpful was he as a co-star?

Honestly that was the only Ranbir I knew. I was more scandalised when I saw him without the beard! That’s the time when I didn’t really recognise him. The Ranbir I knew had a beard and was in a Sardar get-up.  As a co-star he was very helpful and I really admire him for achieving so much at such a young age. And he works really, really hard, which is very inspiring for me as well as everyone else on the sets.

Are you dating Ranbir Kapoor?

I have no idea where this sprung up from; I have never given any quote about this and I don’t want people to drag it up any more.

Did Gauhar Khan and you have a major fight about who is the lead actress?

I don’t know how these things come up. I have just shot for a day with her so I don’t really know her. So there is no question of a cat fight or anything else.

Is it true that you just have very few scenes in the film?

It’s not about the screen time you have, it’s just the impact you make in the film. Meryl Streep had just a couple of scenes in Kramer Vs Kramer and she got an Academy Award for that. People who judge the actors by their screen time in a movie are very narrow minded. It’s about the character you play and how well do you portray it, whether you have three scenes or forty.