Exclusive! Ranbir Kapoor: When your day involves a lot of people and a lot of noise, a few minutes alone can feel valuable

Ranbir Kapoor has played characters who wear their hearts on their sleeves, run away from the ordinary and struggle to make sense of the world around them. From the brooding Jordan in Rockstar to the free-spirited Bunny in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, the actor has repeatedly slipped into the skin of men who are constantly negotiating with different sides of themselves. Off screen, however, life comes with its own set of demands — long shooting schedules, the pressure of getting a performance right and the responsibilities that come with being a husband and a father.In the middle of all this, finding a moment to oneself can be a luxury. For Ranbir, it need not involve an elaborate routine or a grand escape. Sometimes, it is as simple as taking a shower without having to rush through it. “After a long shoot, I like having a few minutes when nobody needs anything from me. I’m not particular about making it a ritual, but I enjoy a good fragrance and a little quiet. It helps me leave the workday behind,” he tells us.The appeal, he explains, is less about emerging from the bathroom with a sudden epiphany and more about having the space to slow down. When the day involves being surrounded by people, conversations and constant activity, a few minutes of solitude can offer a welcome breather.“When your day involves a lot of people and a lot of noise, a few minutes alone can feel valuable. I don’t come out of every shower with a big realisation. Usually, it’s much simpler than that: I’ve had a moment to slow down, and I’m ready to give my attention to whatever comes next,” he says.While Ranbir doesn't recall a specific instance of a shower helping him crack a difficult scene, he believes that taking a break from work can help him return to it with a fresh perspective. “I can’t think of a particular scene that I solved by taking a shower! But I do think it helps to get a little distance from the work when you’ve been at it for hours. A short break can clear your head, and sometimes you return to a scene with a different perspective,” he says.It is also an idea that connects with his latest entrepreneurial venture, Flux Theory, a personal-care brand he has co-founded. While the brand's premise revolves around the different versions of ourselves that emerge in different situations, Ranbir says the thinking behind it was to make an everyday activity feel more personal. “I think it’s one of the biggest yet one of the most boring categories. Personal care and shower specifically has been largely about functional products. We really wanted to make it a personal and engaging moment for everyone. Also, the idea behind Flux Theory was really interesting — it’s the belief that you get to play different versions of you. Something which I have done quite a lot in my acting career,” he says.The brand's five archetypes — Sage, Sport, Lover, Dreamer and Rebel — might seem like an extension of the many personalities an actor gets to explore on screen. Can a small everyday ritual influence which version of oneself comes to the fore? Ranbir thinks it can, albeit in a more understated way. “Small rituals can definitely affect how you feel. I wouldn’t say a shower turns you into a completely different person, but it can give you a pause between one part of your day and the next. Sometimes that little shift is enough,” he says.A cold shower, particularly after a long day, gets his vote, while music is unlikely to make it to his bathroom routine. “Usually silence. That’s my quiet time,” he says. And perhaps that is the point. In a life where he is constantly switching between film sets, public appearances and family time, those few minutes offer him something uncomplicated: a chance to switch off before stepping back into the world.Rapid Fire: Ranbir in the Bathroom1. Hot shower or cold shower?Cold shower, especially after a long day.2. Singing in the shower or complete silence?Usually silence. That’s my quiet time.3. One song that deserves to be on your shower playlist?Nowadays Barbad from Saiyaara4. If you could step out of the shower as any one of your iconic film characters, who would it be?Jordan from Rockstar. He’d make a much more dramatic entrance than I would.Get the latest Bollywood & Entertainment News, and more. Download the TOI app.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!