Mumbai:
"Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who couldn't hear the music."
A quote by Nietzsche is about the last thing I expected to hear from Ranbir Kapoor, but perhaps I did him a disservice. As I discovered in no time at all, word games are de rigueur during on-the-set adventures for a Karan Johar song. They - Karan Johar, Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma - correct each other's pronunciation, they test each other's vocabulary and they tease each other mercilessly.
The Breakup Song from
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has just hit screens, and while it seems stage-ready as the next big party anthem, it has nothing on the party that was had on set.
Ranbir Kapoor on the sets of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil rehearsing for The Breakup Song that released today
The set was inspired by silent dance parties in New York. (It's a thing. They told me.) Which explains why so many extras were wearing headphones. The premise is you show up to a place with your own music in your head. And dance with others doing the same.
More BTS disclosures: KJo was ribbed a little for wearing a patterned Dolce & Gabbana quilted jacket. We sort of understand why since it was shot in Mumbai. Yes, it was a day with torrential rain, yes, its cold on set and yes, it was a very dashing jacket which kept endless compliments coming but still: Mumbai in the heart of summer! Anushka wanted sympathy after hurting her foot and wasn't getting it from her director anyway. (see below) Perhaps because he was having an intense conversation with Ranbir. They had puppy pictures to swap, you see.
Anushka Sharma on the sets of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil's The Breakup Song
Also, the character to discuss. Ranbir swears that while his character is called Ayan, he is actually based on Karan Johar himself. He jokes that it's a "biopic" of a "frustrated 50-year-old virgin". Karan objects. He's just 44.
As for the song - it marks a shift. A break-up isn't just a maudlin, soulful ballad but a glorious shake-your-groove-thing, rock-the-party celebration? Sign. Us. Up. Especially if Ranbir is the one shaking his thing. Maybe that came out wrong, but trust me, he slays it (Or don't. Go look at the video. I already said it's out. Jeez.) He hits his mark, is tireless, and looks as though he's dancing on air. No hyperbole. Trust me. Or don't. Go look.