As Ranbir Kapoor reveals he doesn't like getting wet, netizens ask: ‘Nahata hai ki nahi fir?'

Indian Express

a day ago

We've all got pet peeves — getting sand between the toes, leaving the toilet seat up, different foods mixing on the plate — some particularly annoying habits leave us bothered beyond reason. Ranbir Kapoor is no different, and in a recent interview, he shared that he absolutely hates getting wet.
'There are so many films I have rejected because there were underwater scenes, or there were a lot of scenes in the rain. I just don't like getting wet. I don't know why or what's wrong. Even if I wash my hair, I have to immediately dry it,' the Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar actor told Mashable India.
Speculations ran amok, with netizens trying to guess the reasoning behind Kapoor's pet peeve. From 'Nahata hai ki nahi fir?' to 'Could be because he is bald and if he goes in the water it will expose his baldness', witty barbs crowded the comment section of the Instagram post.
Curious, we reached out to an expert to try to understand the science behind this behaviour:
Sakshi Bahmani, a natural language processing (NLP) Expert, told indianexpress.com that while it might seem quirky or even irrational, Ranbir Kapoor's aversion to being wet isn't just a random dislike—it could be a deeply wired sensory or psychological boundary. Let's unpack that:
1. His body might just be wired differently – Some people have heightened sensory processing sensitivity—their nervous system reacts more strongly to certain physical sensations. Wet clothes clinging to the skin, water trickling down the body—what others may dismiss as mildly annoying, their brain processes as deeply uncomfortable. For Ranbir, the experience of being wet might trigger a visceral 'nope' before logic even enters the picture.
2. Early conditioning can leave lasting traces – Sometimes, we carry aversions shaped by moments we barely remember. Maybe it was a fall in the shower, a scolding after getting soaked, or just an early discomfort in water that never entirely left. Over time, these micro-moments form a subconscious script: 'Wet equals unsafe or wrong.'
3. It could be about control, not just comfort – Being wet often means being out of control—dripping, sticky, cold, unpredictable. On a film set, that discomfort gets prolonged, repeated, and amplified. For someone who values bodily autonomy or stability, this loss of control can feel like a forced surrender. And some people simply don't tolerate that well.
'Only if it's causing distress or limiting life,' said Brahmani. According to her, there are ways to gradually rewire the response—exposure therapy, sensory retraining, cognitive reframing. But here's the thing: not every discomfort is a disorder. 'If it's not disrupting relationships or career (and clearly, Ranbir's doing just fine), then maybe it doesn't need to be solved. Just respected. Its almost like his body says 'no thanks.' And he's not fighting it. That's not dysfunction—it's self-awareness,' she said.