Ranbir Kapoor’s cinema is full of irony. He says how he was often asked to create more commercial characters and films that define your typical Hindi film hero. Two of his most commercial outings, ‘Saawariya’, which was also his Bollywood debut, and ‘Besharam’, his most larger-than-life role yet, were box-office duds. What we see as niche were huge hits and the names read ‘Wake Up Sid’, ‘Rockstar’, and ‘Barfi’.

In a career that will turn 14 this year, Ranbir Kapoor has seldom abided by the set parameters, has always believed in creating cinema he’s excited by, and the end results have swung between fulfilling and frustrating. At least four of his films deserved a lot more: