Is There A Role Rajkummar Rao Can't Play?

Directors are lining up with scripts, producers are shocked at his box office success rate, critics can’t stop gushing about him and the media can’t stop talking about Rajkummar Rao. The hero of 2017 is gearing up for an even bigger 2018 – has Rao suddenly become the dark horse, all set for Bollywood domination?

- Arnesh Ghose

I would like to begin with some statistics. Rajkummar Rao debuted in 2010 with Dibakar Banerjee’s Love, Sex Aur Dhokha, an experimental indie film that received love and hate in equal measure. Varun Dhawan, the current ruling young gun in Bollywood, debuted in 2012 in Karan Johar’s bubblegum-y magnum opus, Student Of The Year. Since then, Rao has starred in 19 films, picked up a National Award and had a film be the country’s official entry to the Oscars. Dhawan has starred in only 9 films, and he recently won the Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Badrinath Ki Dulhania. The win-win was the fact that Rajkummar Rao could not be ignored. Zee had to create a category for the man, and he received the Impactful Actor of the Year Award. Rao was a bit confused. “So this award is for Newton, I guess? Or for Trapped, Bareilly ki Barfi? It's for everything I've done this year?” he asked the hosts, during his acceptance speech.

“It was a very genuine reaction. I didn’t know what I was getting it for. You have to give a speech and I didn’t know whom to thank!” Rao and I catch up for a chat that has been long overdue, since our cover shoot. He is a polite, unassuming looking man, with kind eyes and a warm smile. He is not ripped, wears understated clothes that are tastefully en vogue and has a “bro” vibe in the way he pulls you into a hug with every extended handshake. He works like a maniac, though — after chasing him from shoots to advertising commitments, we finally found the time to catch up on a Saturday morning, between a press meet and his flight for a vacation.