Birthday Special: 30 Reasons Why We Love Ranbir Kapoor

Barely five years old in Bollywood, Ranbir Kapoor is already viewed as the best in the business. And, fortunately, it's not an overstatement.

He always had the advantage of an illustrious lineage -- great grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor, grandfather Raj Kapoor, father Rishi Kapoor, mom Neetu Singh, granduncles -- Shammi and Shashi Kapoor, cousins Karisma and Kareena but it's never been about his name.

His talent spoke for him right from that disastrous first film Saawariya to his latest Barfi! despite its controversial submission into the Oscars race.

So far he's attracted the right kind of projects and chosen wisely treating his viewers to consecutive fine efforts and a promise of equally enticing future projects.

The Kapoor scion turns 30 today. Here's celebrating the on-the-brink superstar and his well-deserved success with a list of 30 things we love about him.

1. He's undeniably good looking. Being the offspring of two very good looking people – Rishi & Neetu -- helps. So naturally, he's got some pretty genes working in his favour.

Being a Kapoor is always a good thing in Bollywood. It's not just beauty but Ranbir's also inherited the talent of his enormously gifted family.

He's not the new Aamir Khan without reason.

While it took the Lagaan star some really bad films to embrace his one-film-a-time policy, Ranbir has understood the value of playing choosy and picking the right roles quite early on in his career.

You can have all the charisma in the world but it's no good if you're humourless.

Luckily, Ranbir is not. From mocking himself (and others) on award shows to wisecracking about his lousy percentage in school, RK is a lot of fun.

Brushing all the female attention aside, it's sweet how he reserves all the adoration for the first woman in his life -- his mom.

Often dubbed a 'Mamma's boy,' Ranbir is that rare guy who's actually proud to be one.

What a dedicated actor.

To get the nuances of a role right, Ranbir doesn't merely rely on his instincts but prefers to put in 100 percent commitment, be it by growing a beard to play an authentic Sikh boy in Rocket Singh: Salesmen of the Year or learning guitar to look convincing in and as Rockstar.

Nothing better than romancing Ranbir on reel it seems.

While his Wake Up Sid co-star Konkona Sen Sharma says he's 'chivalrous and a delight to work with' his love interest in Barfi! -- Ileana D'Cruz finds him 'extremely charming on and off screen.'

Can he dance, you ask?

Just watch him groove like fantastic elastic in Chillar Party's Tai Tai Phish to know how well.

It's always refreshing to see a secure face in this wobbly, backbiting industry.

Whether he's openly bonding with Imran Khan to refute any suggestions of a friction or praising his seniors to the skies, this is one self-assured celebrity.

For all his calm, composed ways, the man's super ambitious.

Here's his wish-list, 'I see Aamir Khan on the TIME magazine cover and I say, 'I want that'.

I see A.R Rahman on the Oscar stage and I say, 'I too want to be on that stage'. I dream about these things. I see the craze for Salman Khan, the respect for Amitabh Bachchan, the love for Shah Rukh Khan.

'I just don't want what one actor has. I want what every actor has.'

Unlike other actors who develop airs after a single hit, Ranbir steers clear from the delusion-syndrome.

He's willing to call a flop a flop and openly admits he's yet to get where the Khans are in terms of box-office stature.

Here's hoping he always stays this grounded.

His boyish looks and chiselled physique makes him any designer's dream.

From grungy to sophisticated, ethnic to urban casuals, is there any look one of Bollywood's best-dressed actors can't carry in style?

The man's a pacifist.

No wonder we've yet to see him in an all out action movie.

He once said that he's never hit anyone nor been hit. Such a welcome from our fiery current numero unos of Bollywood, right?

Tributes are not everyone's cup of tea.

But Ranbir pays them in style. His homage to Raj Kapoor in Saawariya and Charlie Chaplin in Barfi! are a case in point.

It's easy to get branded in this industry.

Action hero/Loverboy/King of comedy/Art-house but it's incredible how the star of Rockstar, Rocket Singh and Raajneeti has no fixed image.

Yet, anyway.

Here's the icing: he never gets any bad reviews.

His films may or may not work but remarkable Ranbir, even in the most appalling tripe like Anjaana Anjaani, comes out as a winner.

Cheers to him!