PEOPLE LIKE UNDERDOG STORIES IN LIFE AND CINEMA:RAJKUMMAR RAO

The actor, who plays an unmotivated PT teacher finally rising to the challenge in the upcoming movie, believes people like to see characters that they can root for or relate to.

Aspirations, big or small, are important, says actor Rajkummar Rao and as someone who has excelled in playing the everyday man in cinema, he is confident that his latest film “Chhalaang” will resonate with people.

The actor, who plays an unmotivated PT teacher finally rising to the challenge in the upcoming movie, believes people like to see characters that they can root for or relate to.

“People like underdog stories. People want to root for underdogs in life as well as in films, especially in films. They relate to these characters and feel that in a way he or she is one of us,”

“At times, there are very small things that you want to achieve and when you do that, you realise there is a bigger goal. But those small aspirations are also important,” he added.

The Haryana-set film, written by Luv Ranjan and directed by Rao’s frequent collaborator Hansal Mehta, is the actor’s sixth project with the director.

While their earlier films ‘Shahid’, ‘Citylights’, ‘Aligarh’ and ‘Omerta’ were serious stories, ‘Chhalaang’ is a lighthearted comedy.

“It is always fun working with Hansal sir and this time it is a lighthearted film so we were not tired. Otherwise, it gets mentally taxing sometimes. We had so much fun on this one but it was not like we were not honest to the story. That’s what we always do. It is just that it is a different world this time,” he said.

Rao’s filmography also boasts of films set in small towns, including critical and commercial successes like “Newton”, “Stree” and “Bareilly Ki Barfi”.

Asked about the abundance of small-town stories in Hindi cinema today, the 35-year-old actor said it was not necessarily a bad thing.