Ranveer Singh's performance in director Aditya Dhar's film Dhurandhar is winning widespread praise, but the road to this moment was anything but easy. Long before he became one of the most bankable names in Hindi cinema, Ranveer took up odd jobs simply to cover his everyday expenses while he was still studying. During his college years he worked part-time and even took up copywriting for advertising agencies, but through all of it, he held on to just one dream, becoming an actor in Bollywood. Through sheer hard work, he not only carved out his own identity in the film industry but is today counted among Hindi cinema's most successful and best-loved actors.
Born into a Sindhi family in Mumbai
Ranveer Singh was born on July 6, 1985, into a Sindhi family in Mumbai. He showed a deep interest in films and acting from a very young age. Even in school, he actively took part in plays and debate competitions, an early habit that later made him comfortable performing in front of an audience. He eventually moved to the United States for higher studies, enrolling at Indiana University Bloomington, where he studied telecommunications and theatre. That grounding in theatre would go on to become the foundation of his acting career.
Working part-time jobs through his college years
Life during his college years in the US was fairly ordinary and full of struggle. Living away from home, Ranveer had to take up part-time work just to manage his day-to-day expenses. It was during this period that he also began doing theatre and picked up the finer points of acting, which gradually built his confidence and pushed him closer to the dream he was chasing.
He quit a copywriting job to chase auditions
After finishing his studies and returning to India, Ranveer did not walk straight into the film industry. Instead, he first tried his hand at advertising. He worked as a copywriter for well-known advertising agencies, where his job ranged from coming up with creative ideas to writing the copy itself. That experience proved valuable, sharpening his thinking and giving him a feel for storytelling. But his real dream had always been to become an actor, so one day he walked away from the job and started auditioning for films instead.
Band Baaja Baaraat became his big break
After a long struggle and numerous auditions, Ranveer finally landed the lead role in Yash Raj Films' Band Baaja Baaraat in 2010, a moment that turned out to be the biggest turning point of his career. Playing Bittu Sharma, a young man from Delhi, he won over audiences with a performance that felt effortless and full of energy. The role also earned him a Filmfare Award, cementing his arrival in Bollywood.
Proving himself, film after film
Once Band Baaja Baaraat succeeded, Ranveer never looked back. He went on to star in a string of big and remarkably varied films, including Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, Lootera, Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Gully Boy and Simba. In every single one, he reinvented himself for a new kind of character, repeatedly proving that he was far from a one-note performer.
Awards and a fan base that spans the globe
Over the course of his career, Ranveer Singh has won numerous awards, with the Filmfare Awards standing out as the most prominent among them. He is counted today among India's most talked-about and highest-earning actors. His popularity isn't confined to India either; he commands a sizeable fan following abroad as well. For someone who once worked part-time jobs and wrote ad copy just to get by, Ranveer Singh's journey to stardom has become something of an example for today's young strivers.
