New Delhi: In a recent appearance on Raj Shamani’s podcast, acclaimed actor Rajkummar Rao spoke about the struggles he faced early in his career and the pivotal role his wife Patralekha played in his personal development. Rao, known for his impactful roles in films like Stree and Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana, recalled his breakthrough role in the 2010 film Love Sex Aur Dhokha.
Rao, who moved to Mumbai in February 2008, recounted her arduous journey to landing her first Bollywood film. She shared that she initially came across an advertisement for Love Sex Aur Dhokha, directed by Dibakar Banerjee, and proceeded to meet casting director Atul Mongia. Despite several attempts to land an audition, Rao finally succeeded after persistently sending her pictures and showing up for the audition.
Reflecting on his audition experience, Rao said, “I went in dressed in what I thought was the right clothes as per the instructions. They asked me, ‘What are you wearing? Do you have anything else?’ I said, ‘No.’ At that point I felt like I had made a mistake. I thought I had missed my chance.” However, he was eventually informed that he had been chosen to play the lead in Banerjee’s film, though the role paid him just ₹11,000. “It wasn’t about the money; it was about the opportunity,” Rao stressed.
In the same interview, Rao also praised his wife, actress Patralekha, for her support in improving his English skills. He admitted, “My command of English was awful. I had no self-confidence and could barely form a coherent sentence. Patralekha, consciously or unconsciously, played a crucial role in helping me overcome this challenge.”
On the work front, Rao’s most recent project is Stree 2, the sequel to the 2018 horror-comedy Stree. Directed by Amar Kaushik, the film continues the story of a ghostly courtesan seeking justice in Chanderi. The sequel features a star-studded cast including Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee, with special appearances by Akshay Kumar and Varun Dhawan.
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