Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 13, 2020)

Like others, showbiz has been among the most adversely hit sectors amid the pandemic and everything in the film industry stopped in its tracks when the Coronavirus lockdown came into force in March. For Rajkummar Rao though, the pause mode was already on, when the nationwide shutdown was declared.

“I last shot for The White Tiger, two-three months before the lockdown started. So, in essence, I haven’t shot for anything since December 2019. Also, because I had worked non-stop for two-three years, I thought lockdown would be a good break. But I never thought it to be so long,” the actor says with a laugh.

But now, the Stree (2018) actor is yearning to face the camera again. “Acting is like oxygen to me, so I just can’t wait to resume work. I really hope everyone gets back to work soon,” says Rao.

Excited to have completed a decade in Bollywood since his debut film, Love Sex Aur Dhokha in 2010, Rao, 36, feels that if one knows their job well, audiences and filmmakers will take notice. “The way Hindi cinema, and the overall industry functions, has changed a lot now. If you’re really good at what you do, you will flourish,” he adds.

Among Rao’s upcoming slate of films will be a remake of 1975 cult classic Chupke Chupke that starred Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra. “I am so excited about starting work on it. Like everyone else, I’m a huge fan of the original film and I know it’ll always be the original. That’s why there is no question of us even trying to compete with it,” says the actor, who will reprise Dharmendra’s part in the reloaded version.

“We want to pay the best-possible tribute to the film and Hrishi-da (director Hrishikesh Mukherjee), in the most entertaining manner,” he says.

The Omerta (2018) actor, however, believes that box office verdict can decide a lot of things in an actor’s career, “but I can’t only think about that while working”.

For Rao, there’s no difference in the way he approaches his parts. “Like serious films, fun films, too, require a certain amount of mental as well as emotional prep. But once that bit is sorted, on sets, you can have a lot of fun with your scenes. As an actor, you should just be sincere with your material,” he concludes.