As Chhichhore nears Rs 150-crore mark despite a slow start, Sushant Singh Rajput on how his choices are driven by merit
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 1, 2019)

It may have arrived amidst minimal buzz but Chhichhore has maintained its steady pace at the box office. Leading man Sushant Singh Rajput explains that the college caper nearing the Rs 150-crore mark proves that a well-told story will always strike a chord with viewers. "It has been almost a month since the film released, and it continues to find the audience. This is a rare occurrence these days since so many movies have released in the interim. With Chhichhore, the footfalls increased gradually, and that is a sign of a good film."

Of late, the actor has been enjoying a good run at the marquee — if Kedarnath (2018) was a commercial success, his turn as a Chambal dacoit in Sonchiriya earlier this year had critics nodding in approval. On his part, Rajput states he cannot afford to have a myopic view of success. "I can't segregate success on the basis of critical and commercial acclaim. I view it as a validation of my choices. I have been fortunate to play a variety of characters — some of them found success, others didn't. But that doesn't bother me. I can't let one weekend of a film decide my future."

In Bollywood, a spate of successful outings by an actor is often accompanied by a fee hike. "I don't negotiate. They pay me quite well," he grins, before adding that a fat paycheque has rarely motivated him to take on a project. "Since Kai Po Che [his debut film], there hasn't been a single film that I have done for any reason other than a good script."