Rajkumar Hirani Reveals Ranbir Kapoor Worked on Sanju Without an Entourage

As debates over actors’ expensive entourages continue in Bollywood, filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has revealed.

That Ranbir Kapoor is a rare exception. Recalling their collaboration on Sanju, the director said the actor worked without a manager or entourage and preferred communicating directly with everyone on set.

‘I never even knew who his manager was’

Speaking to Zoom, Hirani said he has largely been fortunate with the stars he has worked with, adding that he has never faced entourage-related issues with actors such as Arshad Warsi, Sanjay Dutt, Aamir Khan or Ranbir Kapoor.

Sharing his experience of directing Ranbir in the 2018 blockbuster Sanju, Hirani revealed that he completed the entire film without ever interacting with the actor’s manager.

“I managed the entire film without even knowing who his manager was. There was no manager. He would personally reach out to everyone. Every assistant had his contact number, and if he needed anything, he would message them directly,” Hirani said.

The filmmaker added that while he often hears stories about actors travelling with large teams, he has been fortunate not to encounter such situations himself.

Similar praise from Animal co-star

Hirani isn’t the only one to speak about Ranbir’s simple approach on film sets. Earlier, Animal actor Srinath Maganti shared a similar experience during an appearance on the Sodhi Chebutha podcast.

According to Srinath, Ranbir would arrive on set without an entourage but always ensured there were plenty of snacks available for everyone. He recalled initially hesitating to take food after being told it belonged to the actor, before Ranbir overheard the conversation and encouraged him to eat, joking affectionately with him.

The anecdote further reinforced Ranbir’s reputation as one of Bollywood’s more approachable stars despite his superstar status.

Ranbir gears up for Ramayana

On the work front, Ranbir Kapoor is preparing for one of the biggest projects of his career with Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra.

The mythological epic features Ranbir as Lord Rama alongside Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman.

Planned as a two-part franchise, the first instalment is slated for a Diwali 2026 release, while the second part is expected to arrive during Diwali 2027. Reportedly mounted on a massive budget, Ramayana has already emerged as one of the most anticipated Indian films of the year.