Birthday boy Rajkummar Rao's meteoric rise in Bollywood has been inspiring and commendable. The prolific actor, who made an unconventional debut with Dibakar Banerjee's, Love Sex Aur Dhokha, is one of the finest actors of Hindi cinema, today. Even among many young talents in the anthology, Rajkummar held his own and made an impact enough to win over filmmakers known for their distinctly offbeat cinema. An emerging talent then, Rajkummar found his niche with films such as Ragini MMS, Shaitan, Gangs Of Wasseypur - Part 2, Talaash and Kai Po Che.
On the actor's 35th birthday, here's a look at what made Rajkummar a star.
Soon after garnering attention for his impeccable performances, the powerhouse performer essayed a full-fledged title role in Hansal Mehta's Shahid that left film critics raving on about his prodigious act as a lawyer. His hard-hitting performance won him National Film Award for Best Actor, after which some of the biggest names of Indian filmmaking industry made a note of his talent.
In 2014, Rajkummar impressed as the conservative Indian suitor, Vijay in Vikas Bahl's Queen. From then on with his varied films, Rajkummar proved his mettle as an actor first, and then his versatility. From his performances in Hansal Mehta's Aligarh and Vikramaditya Motwane's Trapped, the rising star established that he was the only actor of his generation who could get into the characters' skin effortlessly. After having positioned himself as a method actor with immersive roles, Rajkummar surprised viewers and industry insiders by foraying into mainstream films such as Bareilly Ki Barfi. However, every now and then Rajkummar revisited his niche, much to the delight of film buffs.
Marking a milestone in his career, came Amit V. Masurkar's Newton (India's official entry to Oscars), which went on to win accolades all over the world. Rajkummar scaled new heights of stardom with the film and bagged the prestigious, Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Performance By An Actor. Throughout 2018 and 2019, the committed actor had been juggling an assorted slate of films including Omerta, Fanne Khan, Stree, Love Sonia, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga and his latest, JudgeMentall Hai Kya. Rajkummar has sunk his teeth in as many genres as possible, oscillating from the commercial and content-driven cinema.
One of his most loved films Stree, which completes one year of release, is perhaps a fine example of his versatility. The film showcases the fact that he could bring out two toughest emotions - fear and laughter - in the audience simultaneously and with such ease. Interestingly, the film remains as one of the most-watched and loved film by the audience.
He's probably the only actor to have nurtured an experimental streak with his choice of films and a winning streak with awards. Some of his recent awards in the year 2019 include ‘Rule Breaker of the Year’ at GQ Style and Culture Awards and ‘Performer of the Year’ at Filmfare Middle East. With his filmography spanning over a decade, Rajkummar has proved to be one of the most profitable and bankable actors of Indian cinema. The powerhouse performer has an eye for the right scripts and interesting characters that have culminated into an envious and unbeatable track record at the Box Office.
(Source: PeepingMoon)
