Ranganathan plays one of the mice that transforms into a footman in the movie, which also features musical numbers. As someone who hadn’t fully appreciated the challenges of singing in a musical, Ranganathan found himself in a sticky situation when he had to record his vocals.
On his first day in the music studio, Ranganathan, who had never auditioned for the role, met the director and American executives. The director, Kay Cannon, kindly suggested he warm up his voice, but Ranganathan, in his usual self-assured manner, declined, thinking he was operating at peak capacity.
However, as he stepped into the recording booth, reality hit him hard. The musical director sang the song, handed it over to Ranganathan, and as the music played, he attempted to nail the vocals. Little did he know, his performance was far from perfect. After each take, his headphones would be muted, leading to serious panic conversations behind the scenes.
The recording session turned into a humbling experience for Ranganathan, who ended up redoing it about 20 to 25 times. With his comedic background and affinity for hip-hop and rap, Ranganathan’s normal singing voice isn’t exactly conventional, making the task even more challenging.
Jonathan Ross teasingly asked Ranganathan if he could hear a bit of his singing voice in action, but Ranganathan wasn’t having it, refusing to showcase his less-than-stellar vocals. Despite Ross’ persistence, Ranganathan insisted his singing abilities were beyond redemption, playfully suggesting Ross take the lead instead.
As the conversation continued, Ranganathan couldn’t resist breaking into song momentarily, providing a small glimpse into his unique singing style. However, he quickly exclaimed that he couldn’t continue, admitting his head movements seemed too stereotypical.
One can’t help but feel sympathetic toward Ranganathan as he shared this embarrassing moment from the studio. It’s bad enough recording a subpar performance, but even worse knowing the final product will be played alongside the talented Camila Cabello, who takes on the role of Cinderella and delivers a stunning vocal performance.
This entertaining episode of “The Jonathan Ross Show” offers a humorous behind-the-scenes look at Ranganathan’s musical mishap during the filming of “Cinderella.” While it may not have been his shining moment, it certainly adds to the charm and hilarity that Ranganathan brings to his comedic endeavors.
So, next time you find yourself singing along to your favorite musical, spare a thought for Romesh Ranganathan, who learned the hard way just how challenging it can be to hit all the right notes.
