Ranveer Singh, 32, essayed the role of Alauddin Khilji. (File)
" makers may be celebrating '50 glorious days' of the film in theatres, which has made over Rs 300 crores, but Ranveer Singh still seems to be affected by the controversy as the actor says it was "infuriating" for him to see his director Sanjay Leela Bhansali go through the "assault".
The 32-year-old actor, who essayed the role of Alauddin Khilji in the magnum opus, said the drama surrounding the film and its release "left him full of rage", but the makers had categorically told him not react.
"It was a very frustrating process because none of this was in my control. It was hugely infuriating. It had left me full of rage and wanting to act out. Wanting to say and wanting to do something about what I was seeing which I thought was absolutely wrong.
"But I couldn't do anything. Moreover, I was asked not to do anything... I wasn't leading the line to fight back. It was the producers and my producer-director. I had to respect what they asked me categorically to do which is 'you please stay out of it. You don't say anything. Anything you say will get picked up. This matter is going to get worse... Please control your emotions.'" Ranveer Singh said.
The actor was in conversation with Rajeev Masand at News18 Rising India Summit.
Ranveer Singh said the kind of protest the film faced was "bizarre" and he found it appalling.
"I was like 'I can't believe that this is 2018. This is so blatant that it's bizarre'. It borders on fascism. I found it appalling. Initially I was shocked which turned into rage because when the first incident happened on the sets and the assault on Mr Bhansali...when I saw visuals of that I was out of control.
"... I was supposed to be on sets that day. I was going to fly in from Hyderabad and that was supposed to be my first day. So for me to see those visuals of violence it was so infuriating... you can't do that to somebody I love," he said.
The actor said the delay the film faced took a toll on him as he had to sit and wait for the project to get finished.
"I would be sitting at home for months committed to one film. Just sitting, not shooting and not knowing whether this film will get completed. The largest chunk of my work in the film was shot towards the very end. And it was very taxing because a costume drama can be a very heavy process," he added .