Every time Rajkummar Rao decides he will do only two films a year, the “greedy” actor says he cannot let go of a good script as everyone is replaceable in the industry.
Last year, Rao had as many as six releases with films including Trapped, Bareilly Ki Barfi and Newton.
The actor began 2018 with Omerta, followed by Fanney Khan, and is geared up for his third release Stree, a horror comedy directed by Amar Kaushik.
Rajkummar says he finds it impossible to refuse a good film and hence ends up doing it.
“Whenever I think I’m going to do two films a year, I get another wonderful story, like Stree, and I’m like wow! Everybody is replaceable, nobody is irreplaceable here. If I’m going to say no to it because I want to do two films a year and sit at home, someone else will,” he says.
It is not that the 33-year-old actor has not turned down a project.
“I’ve said no to some important people and they were kind and sweet to understand where I was coming from. Somehow I couldn’t see myself in those scripts. It’s important to say ‘no’ and say it rightly,” he says.
For the actor, who made his debut in 2010 with Dibakar Banerjee’s Love Sex Aur Dhoka, almost everything fell into place last year where he got a chance to perform in films of genres ranging from comedy, romance, drama to thriller.
Rao says, over the years, he has learnt that he cannot land films by “networking” or attending parties.
“There’s no formula to success. No formula that you go to filmy parties and you might get work, or do some networking. All that doesn’t matter anymore, it’s your work which speaks. I still believe that. My work has to speak.
“I can’t do networking, I can’t go to parties, I can’t just be in touch with someone because I might get work. I can’t be sending good morning messages to people. I’d rather work on my craft because I’m still not sure of my craft. I still get nervous before I start a new film. It happens every time.”
Working on the craft, Rao explains, involves him completely nosediving into the character, which includes creating back stories and learning a new language.
For Stree, also featuring Shraddha Kapoor, the actor learnt stitching and using manual sewing machines. Produced by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK and Dinesh Vijan, Stree releases on August 30 in the UAE.
