Actor Rajkummar Rao’s name strikes in the mind instantly when one searches for versatility in Bollywood in over a decade. Quite popular for his roles in content-driven films like Newton, Trapped or very recently Srikanth, Rajkummar aced the screens with his performances in Bareilly Ki Barfi, Stree, Ludo with equal ease and comfort. Stree 2, a horror comedy where he co-stars with Shraddha Kapoor, is winning hearts and making money. Souvik Ghosh catches up with the actor during the Kolkata promotion
Q. Humour, horror and social satire have been integral elements of this film. How were those elements balanced in Stree 2? How challenging is it to make sequels because we often see them underperforming?
A. Absolutely. Sequels can definitely be very challenging. We took six years to come back with Stree 2 because we were waiting for the right story and screenplay. We never wanted to just make another part for the heck of it. A lot of people come up with a sequel to encash on the success of the first part. Amar (Amar Kaushik), our director, and writer Niren (Niren Bhatt) were constantly thinking about the idea for the sequel.
What I love about Stree 2 is that it’s a true-blue sequel, which exactly starts from where the first part had ended. So the world is similar and of course the fun has increased manifold. The horror element and social satire have also been incorporated. I hope the audience enjoys the sequel even more than the first part.
Q. You are known for your craft. What is your process on a set which is full of fun?
A. There has been a lot of fun on the sets of Stree 2 because our director Amar loves fun in his own life. He makes sure that there is no hierarchy on the set and everybody is focussing on just making the scene work and taking it way above what is written on the paper. We tend to improvise a lot and have a lot of fun amongst each other with our lines.
Of course we are very disciplined and serious actors so we remain focussed on the set between action and cut. We are full of concentration in front of the camera in between a scene. But otherwise, offscreen, there is just a lot of fun because we work as a family. It’s been a long association of six-seven years now. We know each other very well. We dance, sing, eat, play together and that’s what translates onscreen for all the audience to enjoy.
Q. How do you see change in the audience’s reception towards your earlier films like Newton, Trapped as compared to your recent work, Srikanth?
A. I have been very lucky to receive an abundance of love from the audience because of the kind of films I have been part of. The credit goes to my makers, producers and writers. There is a lot of gratitude because I am still a nobody. I didn’t know anyone when I came to Mumbai with a dream to be an actor. The kind of encouragement and support I have got have been truly humbling for me. The kind of love Newton, Trapped or Srikanth received shows a huge section of the audience is keen to watch these beautiful stories. So we cannot stop making such stories. I feel so happy when films like 12th Fail, Srikanth, Laapata Ladies work because it gives a lot of hope to the makers who are trying to tell content-driven, beautiful stories.
It’s equally encouraging for me when people accept me for films like Bareilly Ki Barfi, Stree, Ludo, Badhaai Do because I never want to box myself in one slot. I don’t want to be remembered as an actor for a particular type of role. It’s my job as an actor to play a variety of roles and surprise myself as well as the audience whenever I can.
Q. How do you see the change in the landscape of comedy films in recent times?
A. It has certainly changed. I have been a big fan of Irrfan-sir (late Irrfan Khan). I was blown away when I saw him pushing his boundaries to do comedy in Anurag Basu’s Life in a… Metro. It was a new kind of comedy which I saw. There’s so much to learn from him forever. He has left such a great legacy behind to learn something or the other from his work. Comedy is changing for the kind of scripts which have been written. I would like to mention Akshay-sir (Akshay Kumar) for the kind of performances he has delivered in films like Hera Pheri, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. I think these actors have kind of changed the platform for comedies.
Q. What have been your biggest lessons in all these years in films?
A. What I have learnt very early in my career was the importance of listening to the heart, which will always guide one towards the right path. I don’t believe in following the herd mentality because something, which works for someone else, doesn’t mean it will work for me as well. One has to find his/her own path and journey and be at it with full sincerity and honesty. (TWF)
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