Ranbir to go mute after January 2011

The actor is trying to learn the art of saying everything without saying very much from Chaplin, for a part in his forthcoming film, Silence

The actor is trying to learn the art of saying everything without saying very much from Chaplin, for a part in his forthcoming film, Silence

For now, it's grandpa Raj Kapoor who tops actor Ranbir Kapoor's must-see filmmaker list. It's the works ofu00a0 Charlie Chaplin, considered a primaryu00a0 influence on Raj Kapoor himself, that Ranbir has been addicted to, while preparing for the part of a deaf-and-mute character in his forthcoming film, Silence.

Starting January, Ranbir has decided to stop speaking unless absolutely necessary to get into the skin of a character he is playing in Anurag Basu's film. The actor is already in a zone of minimal communication, those close to him reveal.

"He is keeping to himself. He wants to shut down all communication until he can hear the sound of silence in his head," says a friend.

Known to take pains to slip into character, earlier Ranbir learn to play the guitar for Imtiaz Ali's Rock Star.

Director Anurag Basu admits that Chaplin is a massive influence on Ranbir. "Silence will be the funniest film I've made. Althoughu00a0 Ranbir plays a physically challenged character, he is never depressed. This is a film about high spirits. I love the mix of pathos and parody in Chaplin's performances. His silent films are a reference point for Ranbir. Chaplinu00a0 could be hilarious even when he was placed in tragic situations," says Basu.

What the actor hopes to imbibe from watching Chaplin, is the art of communicating through movement in the absence of words.

"Ranbir is strivingu00a0 tou00a0 achieve the opposite of what Tusshar Kapoor did in Gol Maal. While Tusshar's character makes sure his actions speak louder than words, Ranbir wants his character to be understood without a word or overt body language... just likeu00a0 Charlie Chaplin in City Lights," says a source.

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