Rajkummar Rao: ‘I Don’t See Myself as a Representative of the Film Industry’

Marking 15 years in cinema, Rajkummar Rao reflects on his career with a sense of gratitude and quiet detachment from the limelight. The National Award-winning actor, who began his journey with Dibakar Banerjee’s Love Sex Aur Dhokha in 2010, has delivered memorable performances in acclaimed films such as Aligarh, Shahid, Newton, and Stree.

Despite his long list of successes, Rao insists he doesn’t try to represent the film industry or seek lessons from it. “I’m very happy with my journey. There isn’t anything in particular that I’ve ‘learnt’ from the industry,” he says. “I’m a private person. I go to work, I do my job, I love it, and then I come home to be Raj. I live quietly and peacefully. I don’t consider myself a spokesperson for the industry.”

Rao, who recently announced that he and his wife Patralekhaa are expecting their first child, credits his focus on work for keeping him grounded. “Keep your head down, keep working, and keep pushing yourself. That’s what people will remember you for when you’re gone. Everything else is just noise,” he says.

The 40-year-old actor recently surprised audiences by taking on an intense action role in Maalik, a gritty entertainer in line with the current wave of hyper-violent action films. However, Rao dismisses the idea that action is a “new” cinematic trend. “Action has always been part of Hindi cinema,” he explains. “From Manmohan Desai’s Amar Akbar Anthony to Yash Chopra’s Deewaar, action has been around for decades. The key is always the same — it must be a good film. Genre doesn’t matter as much as the story.”

As he steps into his next decade in cinema, Rajkummar Rao continues to value simplicity, privacy, and the art of storytelling over industry politics or trends.