January 6, 2018
He debuted in the Hindi film industry with "Love Sex Aur
Dhokha" and went on to grab the limelight by delivering powerful performances.
Geared up to enthrall cinema lovers with more thought-provoking projects, actor
Rajkummar Rao says he is here for a marathon and not a rat race.
From
performing on the stage at Shri Ram Centre in Delhi to picking up the nuances of
acting at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, the
33-year-old actor started in the industry with no godfather. In a span of eight
years, he has cemented his space with his work in films like "Kai Po Che!",
"Shahid", "Aligarh", "CityLights", "Bareilly Ki Barfi" and "Newton".
Rajkummar believes the times are changing for outsiders seeking a break in
Bollywood.
"Being an outsider, I know it is not easy for an outsider to
(get a break) in the industry; but I think times are changing. Writers in this
generation are coming with some wonderful stories. Our directors too are
experimenting with their storytelling and that is the reason why actors like me
and so many of us are getting great characters to portray on screen," Rajkummar
told IANS.
"I just hope this journey continues and I keep challenging
myself. I just want to push the envelope with every film. I really do not want
to find any comfort zone. It is just a very humble beginning. I have just
started and it feels like 'Love Sex Aur Dhoka' is just released... It has been
seven years and there is a long way to go. I am here for a marathon actually,
not a rat race," added the actor on the sidelines of season 2 of Signature Start
Up 'Masterclass'.
He says there was never a Plan B for him.
"This
is the only thing I have always thought of doing since my school days. I always
wanted to be a film actor. I always chased that dream and I started by doing
theatre in Delhi. Then I went to FTII from where I landed in Mumbai in 2008,"
said Rajkummar, who says FTII gave him the confidence to face the camera.
"Somewhere, I feel that people take FTII actors seriously because we commit
two to three years of our lives to learn acting," he said.
The struggle
began when the Gurugram boy landed in Mumbai.
"For me, the first two
years in Mumbai were a bit tough. As Mumbai is an expensive city, it was not
easy for me to cope up with a lot of expenses here. But my family really
supported me."
His career has seen him work with names like Nawazuddin
Siddiqui, Richa Chadha, Huma Qureshi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Aamir Khan, Kareena
Kapoor Khan and Rani Mukerji. And starry tantrums are not something he had to
deal with.
"I think I was very lucky that I got to work with some really
wonderful actors and directors. It is team work. You cannot really work alone
here. I'm glad that whoever I worked with till date were equally passionate
about their work in acting or in making films."
Rajkummar's popularity
has also not affected his attitude. Besides his performances, people often
compliment him for his humility.
Brushing that off, he said: "I just be
myself as I am doing this (acting) for myself. I wanted to work all my life in
films, not because I wanted to prove a point to anyone. I genuinely fell in love
with acting. When there is true love, there is no other feeling. I think this is
what I breathe for every day, to act in front of the camera."
How does he
deal with failure?
"As long as people see my effort, my sincerity and
they write good things about me, I am okay with it. Because I cannot really
control whether a film works or not. I can only control my sincerity and see
that I, as an actor, give 100 per cent to whatever I am doing.
"It does
feel bad, but it's fine. You have to keep doing it and take the chance," said
Rajkummar, whose films "Love Sonia", "5 Weddings", "Omerta" and "Shimla Mirchi"
are slated to release this year.
Inspired by Hollywood actor Daniel
Day-Lewis' commitment to his work, Rajkummar, who is filming for "Fanne Khan",
does not like to follow a "herd mentality".
"There will be people always
telling you to do this or that. You have to make your own mistakes and learn
from them. There's just one life, so do what you want to do."