I am different from others: Rajkummar Rao

The star of serious films like Omerta, Aligarh and Newton, Rajkummar Rao is just days away from the release of his upcoming horror-comedy Stree.

“Stree is a new experience for me. I’ve been doing mostly serious films although Bareilly Ki Barfi and Fanney Khan had a lot of laughs,” says the actor.

So what exactly does the horror-comedy entail? “Stree is just a bit spooky but has lots of laughter,” says Raj, adding, “This is director Amar Kaushik’s first feature. And the film is produced by Raj and D.K. who directed one of my favourite horror-comedies, Go Goa Gone.” Meanwhile, Shraddha Kapoor, who’s his co-star in Stree is simultaneously promoting another film, Batti Gul Meter Chalu, which has made it a wee bit confusing for the audience. 

“Yes, it can get a little distracting,” admits Rajkummar, adding, “That’s why I introduce myself to every journalist at every media event. I don’t want to be confused with any other actor.” Raj says that he is at a great place in his career. “I am doing the work that I want without any restrictions. It’s a whole new world for me. In Stree, we were constantly improvising, trying out new ways of expressing ourselves. This is the most exciting time to be an actor,” he says.

Rajkummar also has a role in Tabrez Noorani’s Love Soniya, which releases next week. “It’s a cameo, but the film has an important message to convey. Sometimes, just being part of a film is more important than how many scenes an actor has,” he says. And let’s not forget the two films with Kangana Ranaut.

“There is Prakash Kovelamudi’s Mental Hai Kya and Anurag Basu’s Imli where Kangana and I are together again. It’s always inspiring to work with co-stars who are as keen about their work as me,” he says.