Rajkummar Rao
recently shared opened up about the challenges he faced in his early days in the industry. He revealed that he was replaced in a few films because ‘
big actors
‘ expressed their interest in the roles he was initially cast for.
Expressed his surprise at this aspect of the industry, Rajkummar told India Today, “Initially, I was replaced from a couple of films because some other big actors wanted to do it.
I was like, ‘Wow, this also happens here.'”
The actor also opened up about facing prejudice from industry members who viewed him through a narrow lens due to his background. Hailing from Gurgaon and having studied at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, Rajkummar recounted how his small-town origins sometimes led to skepticism about his potential as a lead hero.
“Apart from being replaced, a lot of people would often see me in a certain way because I came from a small town. They would even question how I could be a lead actor in a film,” Rajkummar shared.
Jyothika: I was meant to go to the south perhaps, marry the right man, do the right films
Despite these challenges, Rajkummar acknowledged the support and faith shown by certain individuals who believed in his talent irrespective of his background. “But there were also people who would say, ‘Oh, you come from a small town, you are an outsider, but we will make you a lead actor,'” he added.
Rajkummar’s rise in Bollywood began with his impactful performance in Dibakar Banerjee’s 2010 film Love Sex Aur Dhokha.With films like
Hansal Mehta
’s
Shahid
,
Rajkummar
showcased his acting prowess, which earned him critical acclaim and a National Award.
On the work front, Rajkummar will be seen playing the visually impaired industrialist
Srikanth
Bolla in his upcoming film Srikanth. He has concluded production of Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video alongside
Triptii Dimri
.