How Dhurandhar Took Ranveer Singh Back To His Roots In Karachi

When Ranveer Singh debuted in Bollywood with 'Band Baaja Baaraat' fifteen years ago, his portrayal of Bittoo Sharma, a resourceful but aimless Delhi college student, was so convincing that audiences believed the actor himself hailed from West Delhi.

The reality, which surprised many, including his future wife Deepika Padukone, was that Ranveer Singh, born Ranveer Singh Bhavnani in 1985, is a Mumbai native from a Sindhi family. His parents are Anju and Jagjit Singh Bhavnani.

Singh's paternal grandparents, Sunder Singh Bhavnani and actress Chand Burke, relocated to Mumbai from Karachi, Sindh (now in Pakistan), during the Partition of 1947. Interestingly, a significant portion of the plot in Ranveer Singh's recent hit, 'Dhurandhar', unfolds in Lyari, a town located in Karachi, Pakistan.

In 'Dhurandhar', Ranveer Singh plays Jaskirat Singh Rangi, an Indian intelligence officer and a Sikh, tasked with dismantling terrorist networks in Lyari that pose a constant threat to India. Upon arriving in Lyari, he adopts the identity of Humza Ali Mazari, a Baloch man who has journeyed from Lahore to Karachi in search of work and purpose.

The narrative creates an intriguing parallel: a Bombay-born Sindhi actor portraying a Sikh character in a film set in Pakistan's Sindh province, where he disguises himself as a Baloch man from Lahore. Perhaps unintentionally, the filmmakers nod to Ranveer Singh's Sindhi background in 'Dhurandhar'.

Off-screen, Ranveer Singh is known for his bold and flamboyant fashion choices. After completing 'Dhurandhar', he surprised fans by shaving off his beard. While he now sports a more refined look, his love for bling, a trait often associated with Sindhis, remains constant.

In an episode of 'Koffee With Karan' prior to the release of 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani', Ranveer Singh openly expressed his affection for diamonds. "I wacked these (diamond studs) off my mummy. But like a good son I bought her bigger ones," he shared, prompting Karan Johar, who is also of Sindhi heritage, to remark, "Such a good Sindhi you are... Sindhis love their diamonds."

In a 2014 interview, Ranveer Singh explained his decision to drop his surname, Bhavnani. He stated that "Ranveer 'Singh' is short, crisp and can stay in your memory easily," while "Ran-veer-Singh-Bhav-nani is too long. It's not a saleable commodity."

He added 'Singh' to his name because his paternal grandfather was Sikh.

During a 2021 #AskMeAnything session on Instagram, Ranveer Singh revealed his favorite Sindhi dish: "Sindhi curry with rice and boondi and Arbi Tuk on the side."

His connection to his Sindhi roots extends to language as well, a fact acknowledged by Pakistani actor Fahad Mustafa. Ranveer Singh even honored his Sindhi heritage during his wedding to Deepika Padukone in 2018. The couple had two wedding ceremonies at Lake Como, Italy. One followed Konkani traditions to honor Deepika's heritage, and the other followed Sindhi rituals to celebrate Ranveer's roots.

Ranveer Singh embraces his Sindhi food, language, and love for diamonds, and audiences appreciated his performance in 'Dhurandhar'.