Not here for fame: Rajkummar Rao

Actor Rajkummar Rao, who completes 15 years in Bollywood this year, says he wants to be remembered as someone who joined the film industry “for the right reasons”.

From playing small roles in Rann, Gangs of Wasseypur, Talaash and Kai Po Che!, Rao gradually transitioned into lead roles in critically acclaimed films such as Shahid, Aligarh, Trapped, Newton, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Badhaai Do, Stree 2 and Bhool Chuk Maaf.

“When people think of me after many years, I want them to think of me with a lot of respect — somebody who took his work seriously and who was here for the right reasons, with the right intentions and not for fame, but to contribute to our cinema,” said Rao. He added, “When a film works, you can tell. Nowadays, people assume every box office figure is fake, but that’s not true. It’s like saying every actor calls the media, which again, is not true. I’ve never done that. I speak to my producers and distributors to understand how a film has performed — they won’t lie to me. When you see theatres 70–80 per cent full, that’s how you know the film is working.”

Rao is now preparing for the release of Maalik, where he steps into the shoes of a full-fledged action hero for the first time. Directed by Pulkit of Bhakshak fame, Maalik is slated to hit cinemas on July 11.

Entertainment