When the Spotlight Turns Cold: How Anil Kapoor Helped Ranbir Kapoor Bounce Back From “Shamshera”

After the failure of Shamshera, Anil Kapoor counseled Ranbir to shrug off critics — and soon his next film Animal turned into one of his biggest triumphs.

Life in Bollywood means learning to survive both peaks and plunges. Even the most celebrated actors aren’t immune to failure — and Ranbir Kapoor experienced that when Shamshera collapsed at the box office. Recently, his Animal co-star Anil Kapoor revealed how he supported Ranbir during that low phase and offered him valuable advice on handling flops with grace.

Speaking at the FICCI Frames event, Anil talked about how constant scrutiny is part of the industry. “There will always be noise,” he said. “People will talk, people will write — it’s crucial to block that out.” The veteran actor admitted it took him over 45 years to truly learn that lesson. Early in his career, even he was affected by negative comments and criticism.

Recalling a moment from the Animal set, Anil shared that Ranbir had arrived visibly dejected after Shamshera’s failure. “He said, ‘Sab mujhe dekh rahe hain… Itni badi flop di hai maine,’” (“Everyone is watching me… I’ve given such a big flop.”) Anil comforted him, replying, “Ek acha shot dete hain — kal tak bhul jaayega,” (“Let’s deliver a good shot — by tomorrow it will be forgotten.”)

During a photoshoot that followed, Anil reminded Ranbir not to internalize the setback. “Don’t take it to heart,” he told him. “You just think people are staring or judging you for a flop. But success and failure aren’t in your hands. Once you accept what happened and focus on honest work, everything else fades away.” The next day, Anil said, the energy shifted — Ranbir was back on his feet, discussing scenes and collaborating enthusiastically.

While Shamshera managed to earn only around ₹40 crore in India, it was quickly followed by Animal, which became one of Ranbir’s biggest hits, raking in over ₹550 crore domestically and about ₹915 crore worldwide. Anil’s simple yet powerful advice — to move forward and trust the process — clearly resonated. And as Ranbir’s massive comeback proved, sometimes one good shot really is all it takes to turn things around.