By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, Sep 27 (IANS) Do we see a pattern here? What’s it with Ranbir Kapoor playing the spurned lover over and over again?

He started his career with “Saawariya” where he worshipped the ground that Sonam Kapoor walked on. She had eyes only for Salman.

Then in “Bachna Ae Haseenon”, Deepika Padukone said a flat no to Ranbir’r proposal. And now in “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” Ranbir again wooes the girl with his one-sided attentions, almost playing Katrina Kaif’s faithful poodle hanging around her unconditionally.

Raj Kumar Santoshi, who returns to comedy after 15 years, says he wanted Ranbir to play the unrequited lover-boy with a difference.

“‘Ajab Prem…is a film about unrequited love. I didn’t want Ranbir to play the loser in love as a tragic hero. Chaplin and Ranbir’s grandfather Raj Kapoor excelled in playing tragic losers in love,” Santoshi maintained

Hasn’t Ranbir already done the role of an unrequited lover in “Saawariya”?

Santoshi agreed: “Yes. But not in this zany and upbeat way. Though Ranbir’s character loses out in love, he doesn’t lose heart for even a second. He remains blindly devoted and besotted right till the end while Katrina just keeps taking him for granted.”