Rajkummar Rao on playing a gangster in ‘Maalik’: ‘He is driven by the quest for power’

A human rights lawyer, a terrorist, a journalist, a tailor, a cricketer, a blind entrepreneur, a policeman, an honest government officer, a dishonest boyfriend, a fool in love, a braggart, a victim of a cosmic joke: Rajkummar Rao has played them all. But he hadn’t played a ruthless gangster – until Maalik.

The upcoming Hindi action drama is set in Allahabad in 1988. Rao’s character – bulked up and with a moustache and beard – declares that he’s the kind of person who earns his living through bloodshed rather than hard work.

The film’s co-writer and director, Pulkit, previously directed Rao as Subhas Chandra Bose in the series Bose: Dead/Alive (2017). Maalik’s cast includes Manushi Chhillar, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Saurabh Shukla and Anshumaan Pushkar.

Maalik is a significant shift for an actor known for delivering layered performances ever since he began appearing in Hindi films in 2010. Apart from critical acclaim and awards, the Film and Television Institute of India alum has won over the box office, especially with the horror-comedy Stree (2018) and its blockbuster sequel Stree 2 (2024).

Rao is now rolling out a few films a year, apart from the odd web series. The 40-year-old actor has also set up a production company with his wife, the actor Patralekha. Kampa Films, named after...

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