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Birthday Special: 30 Reasons Why We Love Ranbir Kapoor

Barely five years old in Bollywood, Ranbir Kapoor is already viewed as the best in the business. And, fortunately, it's not an overstatement.

He always had the advantage of an illustrious lineage -- great grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor, grandfather Raj Kapoor, father Rishi Kapoor, mom Neetu Singh, granduncles -- Shammi and Shashi Kapoor, cousins Karisma and Kareena but it's never been about his name.

His talent spoke for him right from that disastrous first film Saawariya to his latest Barfi! despite its controversial submission into the Oscars race.

So far he's attracted the right kind of projects and chosen wisely treating his viewers to consecutive fine efforts and a promise of equally enticing future projects.

The Kapoor scion turns 30 today. Here's celebrating the on-the-brink superstar and his well-deserved success with a list of 30 things we love about him.

1. He's undeniably good looking. Being the offspring of two very good looking people – Rishi & Neetu -- helps. So naturally, he's got some pretty genes working in his favour.

2. The talented Kapoor

Being a Kapoor is always a good thing in Bollywood. It's not just beauty but Ranbir's also inherited the talent of his enormously gifted family.

3. The self-effacing, modest star

Everybody digs a modest guy.

Even more so when the world is going gaga over him and he makes self-effacing comments like, 'There is nothing sexy about me. I have a long nose, big cheeks, long face, broad forehead and my legs are too thin. So I am anything but sexy.'

4. The Aamir Khan of his generation

He's not the new Aamir Khan without reason.

While it took the Lagaan star some really bad films to embrace his one-film-a-time policy, Ranbir has understood the value of playing choosy and picking the right roles quite early on in his career.

5. Sense of humour

You can have all the charisma in the world but it's no good if you're humourless.

Luckily, Ranbir is not. From mocking himself (and others) on award shows to wisecracking about his lousy percentage in school, RK is a lot of fun.

6. The (leading) ladies' man

And looks like all the ladies love him too.

The Bachna Ae Haseeno star is linked with every single co-star he works with, from Sonam Kapoor to Katrina Kaif to Nargis Fakhri.

7. Mamma's boy

Brushing all the female attention aside, it's sweet how he reserves all the adoration for the first woman in his life -- his mom.

Often dubbed a 'Mamma's boy,' Ranbir is that rare guy who's actually proud to be one.

8. Dedicated actor

What a dedicated actor.

To get the nuances of a role right, Ranbir doesn't merely rely on his instincts but prefers to put in 100 percent commitment, be it by growing a beard to play an authentic Sikh boy in Rocket Singh: Salesmen of the Year or learning guitar to look convincing in and as Rockstar.

9. Staying classy

It's quite classy how he continues to be on good terms with ex-girlfriend Deepika Padukone (with whom he's also working on Ayan Mukerji's Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani) and saying nice things like, 'Apart from working together, I've also been in a relationship with her and her growth as a human being has been amazing.

I've always maintained that she is a beautiful person. Apart from being physically attractive, she is beautiful from within.'

10. His royal hotness

He's hot!

Right from the moment he dropped his towel on big screen to baring his torso for movies and photo spreads, RK's lean, mean physique has made him every teenage girl's favourite poster boy.

11. Onscreen romance king

Nothing better than romancing Ranbir on reel it seems.

While his Wake Up Sid co-star Konkona Sen Sharma says he's 'chivalrous and a delight to work with' his love interest in Barfi! -- Ileana D'Cruz finds him 'extremely charming on and off screen.'

12. Aging gracefully

While most guys look silly when they play old, RK, if those Tata Docomo commercials are any proof, makes quite a goofy Dadaji.

13. Consistently great on-screen kisser

He's locked lips with some of the hottest babes of Bollywood -- Deepika Padukone, Minissha Lamba, Bipasha Basu, Ileana D'Cruz and Priyanka Chopra.

Bottom-line: consistently great on-screen kisser. (Sorry Hashmi!)

14. Dancing god

Can he dance, you ask?

Just watch him groove like fantastic elastic in Chillar Party's Tai Tai Phish to know how well.

15. Being secure

It's always refreshing to see a secure face in this wobbly, backbiting industry.

Whether he's openly bonding with Imran Khan to refute any suggestions of a friction or praising his seniors to the skies, this is one self-assured celebrity.

16. Ambitions galore

For all his calm, composed ways, the man's super ambitious.

Here's his wish-list, 'I see Aamir Khan on the TIME magazine cover and I say, 'I want that'.

I see A.R Rahman on the Oscar stage and I say, 'I too want to be on that stage'. I dream about these things. I see the craze for Salman Khan, the respect for Amitabh Bachchan, the love for Shah Rukh Khan.

'I just don't want what one actor has. I want what every actor has.'

17. Prince Charming

Charm is the middle name of most Kapoors.

Ranbir is no different.

Whether he's winning over the Bigg Boss inmates by telling them just how big a fan his mom is of the reality show or promoting his movie through affection interactions with thrilled youngsters of a college, RK Jr sure knows how to make a good impression.

18. The realist

Unlike other actors who develop airs after a single hit, Ranbir steers clear from the delusion-syndrome.

He's willing to call a flop a flop and openly admits he's yet to get where the Khans are in terms of box-office stature.

Here's hoping he always stays this grounded.

 

19. The clotheshorse

His boyish looks and chiselled physique makes him any designer's dream.

From grungy to sophisticated, ethnic to urban casuals, is there any look one of Bollywood's best-dressed actors can't carry in style?

20. Impressive resume

Look at his filmography.

There's no hint of compromise or desperation.

Ranbir has worked on 10 films in five years and each one distinctly different from another. Clearly, this is an art not business.

21. Candid shots

Okay so he's no Mallika Sherawat when it comes to making a sensational copy.

But Ranbir presented a refreshingly candid side to him in an interview to GQ magazine in 2009 when he admitted losing his virginity at 15.

22. Pacifist hottie

The man's a pacifist.

No wonder we've yet to see him in an all out action movie.

He once said that he's never hit anyone nor been hit. Such a welcome from our fiery current numero unos of Bollywood, right?

23. His age-defying looks

It's not just women but even men are happy to not look their age in films.

And Ranbir hardly looks 30. Just three years ago he played a rather believable college kid in Karan Johar's coming-of-age drama, Wake Up Sid.

24. Directors' dream

Actors like Ranbir are every director's dream.

His gift to understand a script from a filmmaker's point of view and develop a special chemistry with everyone he works under -- Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Basu, Ayan Mukerji, Rajkumar Santoshi has turned him into one of the most sought-after names.

25. Birthday boy

He shares his birthday with famous artists like Lata Mangeshkar, Bridgette Bardot and Naomi Watts.

26. The minimalist

Even the best of actors rely on dialogues and histrionics to produce an effective performance.

But Ranbir is pure gold when silent too.

He doesn't utter a single word in Barfi! (if you discount a lone Brrrfeee) and still his performance is no less brilliant.

27. Hit with the Khandaan

Little surprise he's the pride of everyone in the Kapoor Khandaan.

While his family and relatives naturally praise him to the skies, even his previously estranged cousin sisters -- Karisma and Kareena Kapoor have nothing but kind things to say about their kid brother.

28. Memorable tributes

Tributes are not everyone's cup of tea.

But Ranbir pays them in style. His homage to Raj Kapoor in Saawariya and Charlie Chaplin in Barfi! are a case in point.

 

29. Building his own brand

It's easy to get branded in this industry.

Action hero/Loverboy/King of comedy/Art-house but it's incredible how the star of Rockstar, Rocket Singh and Raajneeti has no fixed image.

Yet, anyway.

 

30. Critics' favourite

Here's the icing: he never gets any bad reviews.

His films may or may not work but remarkable Ranbir, even in the most appalling tripe like Anjaana Anjaani, comes out as a winner.

Cheers to him!