Ranbir wishes his father Rishi Kapoor could see him in Shamshera

Yash Raj Films' Shamshera (2022) marks the return of Ranbir Kapoor to the big screen four years after he delivered the blockbuster Sanju (2018).

This is the first time Kapoor will be seen as the quintessential Hindi action hero. The actor is happy with this larger-than-life role but feels his father, legendary actor Rishi Kapoor, who died in April 2020 of cancer, should have been alive to see him in and as Shamshera.

Ranbir revealed that his father always wanted him to play a hero who could connect with audiences across the country. “I really wish my father were alive to see this film," he said. "He has always been brutally honest in his criticism if he has liked or not liked something, especially with my work. So, it’s sad that he is not going to see it. But I am excited that I got to do a film like this and hope that somewhere up there he is looking out for me and is proud of me.”

Rishi Kapoor (1952–2020): Romantic hero who graduated into powerhouse performer

Shamshera sees Ranbir playing the role of father and son. The actor revealed that he was initially approached only to play the son. “When the film was narrated to me, it wasn’t offered to me as a double role," he said. "But when I heard the story, my immediate response to Aditya Chopra and Karan Malhotra was that let me play the father also!”

The actor said he found the challenge of playing two distinctive characters exciting “because it is such a great role, such an interesting, juicy part for an actor. I really had to convince Adi and Karan. After that Karan did a couple of look tests and that’s when he was convinced. So, it wasn’t initially offered to me, but it hooked me as an actor.”

Shamshera is Ranbir Kapoor's attempt to speak to a pan-India audience. “I definitely want to grow as an actor and a star and Shamshera is a positive step towards that," he said. "You want to make films for a larger audience. You want to tell stories that different generations can connect to and get entertained.”

Directed by Karan Malhotra, the high-octane action entertainer is set in the 1800s in the fictitious city of Kaza. Shamshera is the story of a man who became a slave and then a leader of and legend for his tribe. He fights relentlessly for his tribe's freedom and dignity. Sanjay Dutt plays his arch enemy Shuddh Singh while Vaani Kapoor plays his love interest.

Produced by YRF, the action extravaganza is set to be released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on 22 July.