Riding the new cinema wave with RAJKUMMAR RAO

If it’s a conversation about the changing face of the Indian mainstream, Rao is at the helm. The decade gone by has seen him do some strong work that speaks for itself. Rao breaks down his process, and delves deep into what goes into the making of new-age cinema.

- Samreen Tungekar

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10 years ago, there was an FTII graduate, an aspiringactor, who played the role of a store supervisor inDibakar Banerjee’s Love, Sex Aur Dhokha, and went a tad unnoticed. A decade later, the same actor, with a string of successes and a National Award, nonetheless, is one of the most sought after faces of Bollywood. His filmography has only become meatier, whether it’s supporting roles in path-breaking films like Gangs of Wasseypur 2, or playing the lead in Citylights, a film that made even the most passive film lovers sit up and take notice. The Shahid Azmi of Shahid became the 'badass babua' of Bareilly Ki Barfi, and his fan base applauded just as hard at the versatility. Critics and audience alike, everyone seems to know why they’re watching a film when Rao is in it.

There’s a trust Rao's choices of roles and his performances have gained, and you’d only expect him to be more aware of the stardom that comes with being “indie gone mainstream”. But you’ll be surprised, for he doesn’t seem to acknowledge that so much when he walks around on the set of this shoot with ease, or when he nonchalantly answers a lot of my complicated questions with an earnest “I just want to act” tone.