Over the years, Rajkummar Rao has been seen consistently delivering power-packed performances in content-driven, thought-provoking cinema. Not one to get trapped by stereotypes, he left the audiences impressed and moved by his performance in Junglee Pictures’ Badhaai Do. The film, which revolved around the story of a couple in a lavender marriage, was screened at the 13th Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, which concluded this week.

Speaking to Bombay Times about it, the actor said, “Festivals like Kashish are much needed today. I am glad that there are more and more films being made on the LGBTQIA+ community, because we need more voices and more awareness. There are many like Shardul (his character in Badhaai Do), who are scared to come out because of the circumstances they face, societal and family pressure. I think the way that Suman (Adhikary), Akshat (Ghildial) and Harsh (Harshavardhan Kulkarni) wrote the story it was perfect. Everything was there in the script, and so I just had to be sincere towards my character. ”

Rajkummar is known for pulling off, not just thoda hatke, but characters that are seldom seen in cinema. When we asked him, what was the toughest part of playing Shardul from Badhaai Do, he said, “I like playing characters that are a little complicated, and when there is an underlying layer to those characters. I like challenging myself as an actor and keep pushing my boundaries with different characters. I am still learning and still trying to grow with it. I still get very nervous before every film and that is absolutely true! It excites me to play these parts, which can challenge me because sometimes there is no arc, and there is nothing happening inside the character’s head and heart. For me, the internal journey of a character is more exciting than its physical appearance. Also, for me, this film was slightly tough because I had to build a certain kind of physique for it. Getting that kind of physique was not easy. Harsh had told me that since Shardul wanted to be a bodybuilder, you have to be in a certain shape.”

Gay characters have rarely been portrayed in Hindi films realistically and with sensitivity, but Badhaai Do’s Shardul was every bit real and believable. “Sometimes, people have preconceived notions that why is a straight guy playing a gay character. I am glad that people from the community who saw it, loved it. I have met so many people who saw the film and told me that nobody could have played it better than Bhumi (Pednekar) and me. And they thanked me that we made a film like Badhaai Do,” he shared.

Last November, the 37-year-old tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Patralekhaa. “I just feel very happy and complete now,” he told us when asked about life after his wedding. “Nothing really has changed for Patralekhaa and me. It has been 11 years that we have been together. It’s a beautiful feeling to be married. She is a very honest critic of my films. And Badhaai Do is her favourite film of mine. When we saw it together for the first time during the edit, she came out crying and couldn’t stop. She found it tough to control her emotions. That was the time she told me that it was her favourite film of mine,” he added.

Success and fame have come to Rajkummar gradually and after a lot of sweat and toil. As he moves ahead, he doesn’t let himself lose focus or forget the reason why he stepped into showbiz. “I think I have just started, and I still have a long journey ahead. I feel that first and foremost, one has to be an actor, and that was why when I was growing up, I always wanted to be an actor… I never thought about becoming a star. That’s how my journey started I began learning acting through theatre, I went to film school, and then I came to Mumbai and started doing films that I believed in. After that, things happened organically. I was never really chasing fame; I was just doing films that I really wanted to do,” he explained.

The success of Badhaai Do has been thrilling for the entire team of the film. Rajkummar said, “When I saw the movie, I was happy and proud of the kind of response I was getting for the film after the release. Then we saw the kind of business it did at the box office. We were elated. We all make films so that people go and watch them, and when you get so much love for that film, I think that is a victory for any artiste... that you get respect, credibility and your producers make money as well. I think that is the best combination for any film. To date, people are watching Badhaai Do. We get so many personal messages where people share their experiences and tell us how this film has given them the strength to come out to their families. I think that our film is doing a great job. It is still trending.”

Talking about the ongoing Pride Month, the actor says, “I think every day should be a Pride Day and everyone should have the freedom to live their life the way they want to live. We all should be there to support each other and be proud of each other’s choices. Love is love. Just be who you are.”