Appearing on the long-form talk series The Soft Record on the Kindle Cast podcast, the 57-year-old actor argued that the timeless mystery and demigod aura once commanded by legends like Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, and Suchitra Sen have been diluted by modern celebrities broadcasting every minutia of their private lives on social media. In the contemporary generation, Roy identified Ranbir Kapoor as the sole exception holding onto the classical ethos of superstardom, dubbing him the "last true-blue superstar."
"Everyone Knows What Toothbrush You Use": The Lost Mystery of Stars
Reflecting on his three-decade career across television, streaming, and films, Roy dissected why modern movie stars struggle to evoke the collective craze seen during the golden and post-liberalization eras of Hindi cinema:
The Erasure of the Enigma: “Probably even Shah Rukh is very visible. He is the last of the Mohicans. The heady days, the superstardom days of Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan are gone now because everyone knows what toothbrush you're using, what brand of toothpaste you like, where you are flying off to, everywhere. There used to be this look, that look, the enigma of a star, of an icon to a certain extent.”
The Suchitra Sen Example: Roy recalled standing outside legendary Bengali icon Suchitra Sen's balcony as a young man just to catch a fleeting one-second glimpse: “She stepped out for a second onto the balcony and I looked over—and I was completely blown away. That's the mystery of a star. Why was she such an enduring star? Because nobody really knew what she was doing.”
Why Ranbir Kapoor Stands Apart: Discipline Over Algorithmic Churn
When asked whether any star in the current ecosystem still retains that elusive, larger-than-life fascination, Roy singled out the Animal and Brahmāstra actor:
Zero Public Persona: “If you ask me, I think the last true blue superstar will be Ranbir Kapoor. His social media presence is very minimal, at least publicly. He once claimed his private account is mainly used to ‘stalk other people,’ which I find really cute. Otherwise, when you see him, it's really rare to get a glimpse of Ranbir.”
Craft Over PR Campaigns: Roy underscored that Kapoor’s reluctance to engage in manufactured reel trends, airport PR spottings, or influencer collaborations channels audience curiosity back to where it belongs—the theatrical ticket counter: “He's extremely disciplined and a fantastic actor, as we all know. So, I think, in my opinion, he will be, or already is, a superstar who will probably last.”
"Authenticity Itself Has Become a Performance"
Touching upon the psychological trap of modern celebrity culture, Roy was blunt about how social media has commodified personal lives:
The Illusion of Connection: Roy questioned the forced demand for stars to bare their souls on camera, calling the current wave of "relatability" inherently disingenuous: “Authenticity itself has become a performance. Honestly, there's no real authenticity anymore. An actor’s job is to entertain you. I don’t want to tell you how I really feel, so don’t expect that from me. I’ll just show you what you want to see.”
Trade Verdict:
Rohit Roy’s remarks articulate an open secret within Bollywood trade circles. At a time when over-saturation and 24/7 digital accessibility have reduced many A-listers to standard content creators, Ranbir Kapoor’s strict refusal to launch a public social media profile maintains old-school theatrical mystique. With massive canvas tentpoles like Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love & War on the horizon, Kapoor’s selective visibility continues to make his screen appearances a genuine theatrical event rather than an everyday algorithmic timeline encounter.
