Image Credit: T-Series — Official Trailer/Poster via YouTube
Ranbir Kapoor has just given fans something to talk about beyond the box office. In a new interview that came out today, 7 November 2026, the 44-year-old star revealed that he has started writing a script for his first film as a director — and that the Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut could happen within the next two to three years. The remark that grabbed every headline was his suggestion that this could be his “last decade as an actor”, as he slowly plans a pivot towards direction.
Before anyone panics, though, the actor also made it clear that he is not walking away from acting anytime soon. Three massive sequels come first, and his next film as an actor is already dated. Here are the five most exciting details from what he said, and what they mean for his career.
1. Ranbir Kapoor Has Already Started Writing His First Script
The biggest news from the interview is also the simplest: the Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut is no longer just a dream he mentions in passing. Ranbir told BBC Asian Network, in a joint video interview with his Ramayana co-star Sai Pallavi, that he began writing a script a couple of months ago. Speaking honestly about how hard he finds the process, he said, “I just started writing a script a couple of months back, and it’s so hard to create. I have so much respect for writers and creators. ‘How do you create?’ It’s exciting because I truly believe that after a musician, if there’s somebody who feels a creative high, it’s the director.”
That comparison says a lot about how Ranbir sees the job. He described the actor’s high as “very superficial” next to the director’s experience of bringing a whole story to life. “An actor’s high is very superficial but the director, when he directs a movie, however good or bad, the opportunity to tell a story and get all these people together to tell your story, it’s just a beautiful experience and I hope I can do it,” he said. It is the clearest statement yet that the Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut is something he is actively working towards, not a vague someday plan.
2. The Film He Wants to Make Is a Feel-Good Family Drama
Ranbir has not settled on a genre for his first film as a director, but he gave a strong hint about the kind of story that pulls him in. When asked what sort of movie he would like to make, he pointed towards slice-of-life stories and films that leave audiences feeling warm. “I can’t define the genre but I’ll tell you all my favourite films… and I hope it comes in that bracket like Life is Beautiful, It’s a Wonderful Life, Rajkumar Hirani movies. I would say like a feel-good family drama,” he said.
That is an interesting choice for a star known for intense, larger-than-life roles. Life is Beautiful and It’s a Wonderful Life are both stories about ordinary people finding hope in impossible situations, and Rajkumar Hirani’s films are famous for mixing humour with heart. If the Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut follows that pattern, fans should expect something emotional and human rather than a star-driven spectacle. It also fits what Ranbir said about writing: he is drawn to stories first, and to scale second.
3. Three Big Sequels Come Before the Ranbir Kapoor Directorial Debut
Nobody should expect the director’s chair immediately. Ranbir was clear about the order of things: he wants to finish the three big franchise films already on his plate before he gets behind the camera. “I really want to get these films done (Brahmastra 2, Animal 2 and Ramayana Part 2), and really get on floors with my directorial debut within 2 or 3 years, I hope,” he said.
That list is a blockbuster in itself. Brahmastra 2 continues Ayan Mukerji’s Astraverse, Animal 2 — titled Animal Park — continues Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s violent saga, and Ramayana Part 2 follows the epic that is currently rewriting box office records. The order matters too. By finishing these sequels first, Ranbir keeps his commitments to the directors and studios who have built their biggest films around him, and he gives himself time to finish writing a script he is happy with. The Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut, in other words, is planned, not rushed.
4. He Works Only 100 to 125 Days a Year — And That Leaves Time to Write
One question that came up in the interview was practical: with so many huge films lined up, how does Ranbir find the time to write at all? His answer was refreshingly honest about how he manages his calendar. “I work only 100-125 days a year; I have a lot of time to write stories. I’ve never ever been so busy, never ever been so committed. I’ve always had one film out, and then I would start working on the other film,” he said.
That schedule explains a lot. Unlike stars who shoot through the year, Ranbir keeps his shooting days limited, which leaves long stretches for reading, thinking and now writing. It is also why the “last decade” comment needs context. He followed it with a question to himself — “will I get to play these parts?” — suggesting he is thinking about the kinds of roles he still wants to play while he can, rather than announcing any kind of farewell. The Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut is a second act he is preparing for, not an exit from the first one.
5. “Last Decade as an Actor” Does Not Mean Quitting
The phrase that travelled fastest on social media today was “last decade as an actor”, and it is easy to misread. Ranbir’s full quote makes the meaning clear: “But, I guess, it’s my last decade as an actor; will I get to play these parts? I do want to kind of pivot towards direction. I don’t want to direct myself for sure.”
Two things stand out. First, he is talking about a gradual pivot over years, not a retirement announcement. Second, he does not want to direct himself in his first film — he wants to direct a story with other actors in front of the camera. In a follow-up post that summed up the interview, he added, “I’m gonna pivot to direction. I have a story that I might direct in the next 2–3 years, but I might not act in it myself.”
Bollywood Hungama’s follow-up piece today also framed it as a clarification of the remark, not a goodbye. For fans, the message is simple: Ranbir Kapoor the actor is here for years yet, and Ranbir Kapoor the director is on his way.
What Is Next for Ranbir Kapoor as an Actor?
Before any of that happens, Ranbir has one of the biggest films of his career already on the calendar. His next acting project after Ramayana is Love And War, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period drama in which he stars alongside his wife Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal. The film is slated to arrive in theatres on 21 January 2027, and it will be his first collaboration with Bhansali as a director in a leading role of this scale.
That film alone keeps him firmly in front of the camera for the foreseeable future, and the three sequels he named — Brahmastra 2, Animal Park and Ramayana Part 2 — stretch his acting calendar even further. The Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut will come when those commitments are done and his script is ready, which is exactly why the two-to-three-year timeline he mentioned feels realistic rather than promotional.
Why This Announcement Came During Ramayana Week
The timing of the interview is no accident. Ranbir and Sai Pallavi were speaking to BBC Asian Network while promoting Ramayana: Part 1, Nitesh Tiwari’s mythological epic in which Ranbir plays Lord Rama opposite Sai Pallavi’s Sita and Yash’s Ravana. The film arrived in theatres on 5 November 2026 and has had a record-breaking start, collecting Rs 64.85 crore on day one and Rs 48.05 crore on day two, for a two-day India net total of Rs 112.90 crore and a worldwide gross of Rs 221.05 crore. On Saturday, day three, the film had already collected Rs 23.95 crore by 12 noon, with trade watchers expecting a Rs 70 crore day.
That success is the backdrop to everything Ranbir said. He is speaking at the peak of his box office powers, with the biggest opening of his career behind him, and he is using that moment to talk about what comes after the stardom. It is a confident move: a star at the top of his game planning his next chapter in public, rather than waiting for the roles to slow down.
What Fans Can Expect Next
For now, the wait is for two things: the script and the announcement. Ranbir has not revealed the story he is writing, the cast he has in mind, or the studio that will back it. What he has revealed is the shape of it — a feel-good family drama in the spirit of the films he loves — and the timeline, with filming hopefully beginning within two to three years. Given how carefully he plans his acting calendar, fans should not expect a rushed announcement. But the fact that he is writing already, and talking about it openly, means the Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut has moved from wishful thinking to a real project in progress.
Whether he directs a small, heartfelt drama or something bigger, the most exciting part of today’s interview is the reason he gave for wanting to direct at all. After years of playing other people’s characters, Ranbir Kapoor wants the creative high of telling his own story, with a whole team of people gathered around it. That is a debut worth waiting for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ranbir Kapoor quitting acting?
No. Ranbir Kapoor said this could be his “last decade as an actor” because he wants to gradually pivot towards direction, but he also said he wants to finish Brahmastra 2, Animal 2 and Ramayana Part 2 first, and his next film Love And War releases on 21 January 2027. It is a slow change of focus over years, not a retirement.
When will the Ranbir Kapoor directorial debut happen?
Ranbir Kapoor said he hopes to get on floors with his directorial debut within two to three years, after finishing his acting commitments. He has already started writing the script, but he has not announced a title, cast or start date yet.
What kind of film does Ranbir Kapoor want to direct?
He has not settled on a genre, but he said he is drawn to slice-of-life stories and feel-good family dramas, naming Life is Beautiful, It’s a Wonderful Life and Rajkumar Hirani’s films as the kind of movies he hopes his debut will resemble.
Will Ranbir Kapoor act in his own directorial debut?
He said he does not want to direct himself. “I don’t want to direct myself for sure,” he told BBC Asian Network, adding that he has a story he might direct in the next two to three years but might not act in it himself.
Which films will Ranbir Kapoor finish before turning director?
He named three sequels: Brahmastra 2, Animal 2 (titled Animal Park) and Ramayana Part 2. His next acting release before those is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love And War, co-starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, slated for 21 January 2027.
Where did Ranbir Kapoor make the directorial debut announcement?
He revealed it during a joint video interview with BBC Asian Network alongside his Ramayana co-star Sai Pallavi, while promoting Ramayana: Part 1, which released in theatres on 5 November 2026.
Image Credit: T-Series — Official Trailer/Poster via YouTube
