RAJKUMAR RAO spoke to GANITA about being an honest artiste
Rajkumar Rao, sporting the latest “I am the thinking-cool, bespectacled, bearded, lounge guy” look, underplayed his national award status as an actor. But he tried to convince us he had not done it for effect. He genuinely doesn’t wear his pride on his sleeves. Simply because there isn’t any.
“I feel happy when I get awards but when I know that I haven’t done a good job and I shouldn’t be getting appreciation for a film, it is foolish to wear tags. As an artiste, you should be true to your film. You should know that they all know or will know,” he confessed on the sidelines of the Jagran Film Fest.
He still doesn’t know the definition of a hero. “I wanted to be an actor, so I trained myself in the craft and am getting work which I enjoy. I do films which my heart says yes to. I have to fall in love with the creative team and the character. I don’t analyse whether that character is driving the plot in the conventional sense or not,” he said.
His latest claims to fame, Shahid and Aligarh, both biographical representations, were delicate as he had to interpret the characters realistically and responsibly. “You’re answerable to lot of people. When I did Shahid, the real life crusader was unfortunately not around. But his family and relatives are there. For Shahid’s mother, I was playing her son. Of course, I don’t want to pressure myself as an actor but these two films taught me that there would be comparisons with the real personalities and I tried to know as much about them to interpret them honestly. They took a lot out of me but I also grew as an actor.”
Playing the role of a journalist Deepu in Aligarh made Rajkumar aware of the seriousness of the media on the other side of the lens. “I realised the media plays an important part in every aspect of the nation and society. It’s a very responsible job. I feel very happy when I see so many responsible and sensitive journalists talking about important issues and offering their varied points of view. As an audience, as a reader I just go by what I read. I make my own perception of whatever I read. But they have distilled all opinions in the most balanced format understandable to all. Being a journalist is a very responsible job indeed.”
Having realised the widespread appeal of the media, Rajkumar, however, isn’t comfortable with the pitfalls of overexposure and film promotional tours and strategies. “It’s too much. It takes a toll on your mental and physical health. I find it even more challenging than shooting. I think one should work hard on the film instead. The content and the trailer are what should matter. That’s what people like and appreciate eventually.” However, with the pressure of weekend sales, he just goes with the flow of things.
Asked about censorship and backlash that movies face from CBFC, he strongly advocated maturity. “It has been 100 years since we’re making films. We need to come out of our inhibitions and look at a larger perspective. look at international cinema, the kind of subjects they are dealing with and the evolution of their creative freedom. Here, we shoot a scene and immediately start conjecturing about its fate. ‘Oh! What’s the pointIJ Probably it might be cut by censors.’ Even if it is relevant. Trust me, it impedes the spirit. I see no harm in talking openly about important issues that impact society at large. I don’t know why some people in CBFC think that we need to tone down things and assume the audience has no mind of its own. They should just certify the film and let the audience decide. Anyway everything is available on the internet. So what can we containIJ” he asks.
His next project is a black comedy titled Newton. But he continues to get offers of biopics, especially those of sports personalities. “I have been getting a lot of messages probably because of my beard. Fans are saying me and Virat have started looking similar and I should definitely do his biopic whenever it is made. But honestly, as an actor, I want to do the biopic of Major Dhyanchand.” This actor believes in the workshop of the human mind.