With movies like ‘Rajneeti’ and ‘Rockstar’, actor Ranbir Kapoor has proved his versatility and that he is more than just the chocolate boy romantic hero.

The actor, who has been winning accolades and awards for his intense performance in his recent hit ‘Rockstar’, has impressed Anurag Kashyap so much so that the director, who is known to make offbeat movies, has decided to sign him for his upcoming periodic drama.

The director, who had previously approached Aamir Khan with the lead role in ‘Bombay Velvet’, has now turned to Ranbir Kapoor for the same. Apparently, Ranbir Kapoor was so impressed with the script that he immediately gave his nod for the movie. He has asked the director time till October to get acquainted with the character and the script.

The movie is based on Mumbai Fables, a semi-fictional study of Bombay in the sixties by eminent historian and Professor of History at Princeton University, Gyan Prakash. The director has asked Ranbir Kapoor to read the book before starting the movie.

“Ranbir plays a hero of the masses in the 1960s. It will also be his first biographical character,” said a source to Mumbai Mirror.

It is also rumored that Anushka Sharma has been roped in as the female lead opposite Ranbir Kapoor.

Shooting of ‘Bombay Velvet’, which is a thriller based on real incidents, kicks off in October.