There’s something about me and the Bengalis, says Rajkummar Rao
Actor Rajkummar Rao, who won praise for his performance in the web series Bose: Dead/Alive, and is dating actor Patralekhaa — a Bengali — says that he has had a strong connect with Bengalis ever since he was in school.
“I think there is something about me and Bengalis,” he laughs before adding, “Since school, I have always been attracted towards them. My favourite teacher in school was a Bengali. I have a rakhi sister who sends me rakhi every year and she is again Bengali. Patralekhaa is also Bengali. I played Bose babu (the late Subhas Chandra Bose), and the reaction I received was wonderful. While working on it, I had to gorge on rosogollas and I was not complaining. I love Bengali sweets,” the actor says.
Rajkummar is also keen on doing Bengali films, and says that he would love to work with good friend and National Award-winning director, Aditya Vikram Sengupta. “Labour of Love (2014; directed by Sengupta) is one of my all-time favourite films. I am a fan of Aditya’s work and am looking to forward to working with him. I hope something happens soon. We both have discussed this often,” Rajkummar shares.
In fact, the actor would have made his Bengali debut in Rahul Mukherjee’s Ami Saira Bano had the film not been shelved due to lack of finances. Rao was playing a transgender character in the movie, and his looks from the film were getting a lot of appreciation. Ask the actor about the film, and he replies, “I don’t know what’s happening.”