‘ACTING ISN’T A WRESTLING MATCH’
Rajkummar Rao talks about why an actor can’t be selfish about a scene; says actors have nothing to prove while doing a scene
Three years ago, in Queen (2014), he rode a scooter laden with heart-shaped balloons with aplomb. With the same flair, Rajkummar Rao has stolen the show again as the timid salesman-turned-rowdy in Bareilly Ki Barfi (BKB). The former movie saw the actor sharing screen space with Kangana Ranaut, and BKB also features Kriti Sanon and Ayushmann Khurrana. However, he has been the main protagonist in films such as CityLights (2014), Shahid (2012) and Trapped.
Ask Rajkummar if there is a difference between working with an ensemble cast and going solo, and he says, “You never act for yourself in a scene as there is somebody always present with you, unless it’s a film like Trapped or a courtroom drama like Shahid. I feel very fortunate that I have worked with some amazing co-actors such as Kangana, Vidya (Balan; in Hamari Adhuri Kahaani), Manoj Bajpayee (in Aligarh; 2016) and now, Kriti and Ayushmann,” says Rajkummar, adding that acting “is all about reacting when you are [in a frame] with [other] people”.
In a film like Trapped, Rajkummar says you “react to circumstances”, but one has to react to their co-actors or other character in films like BKB. He says, “It’s very important to have co-actors who feel as committed and passionate as you are. Only then can you create a good scene.”
At the same time, Rajkummar feels an actor cannot be selfish about a scene. “You can’t be like, ‘This is my scene aur main dikha dunga aur phaad dunga (I will prove that I’m the best in the scene). Kuch nahi phaadna hai (you don’t have to prove anything), acting is not about that. It’s not a wrestling or a boxing match,” he says.
It’s very important to have co-actors who feel as committed and passionate as you are. RAJKUMMAR RAO, ACTOR
Stating that an actor only deals with “pure emotions”, Rajkummar admits things change when you have a co-actor, because “you, somewhere, are dependent on them”. He says, “You can only react to whatever they do, so, if they are giving you 5%, you have to react within that parameter. You can’t be like, ‘He/she is giving me 5%, but since it’s my scene, I will react with 10%’. You will look stupid.”
But does he feel burdened when he does a solo film? “No, it’s never about responsibility. I can never be like, ‘Oh, now, I have to carry the burden of this film’. I can’t work under pressure, so I can never have these thoughts in my mind and perform. I only feel that when you have other co-actors — like I’ve had in Kai Po Che (2013) or Bareilly Ki Barfi — your performance is also dependent on them as they drive your performance. It’s very important,” he says.