The actors in bollywood have been given tags for so long; some are called stars, while some are called just actors. However things have changed in last year. The pandemic put the entertainment industry on hold for such a long time that the whole star culture seems to have been disrupted. Even now when shoots have resumed in bits and pieces most of the films are opting for OTT releases and box office is no longer a parameter.
The distinction between ‘actors’ and ‘stars’ therefore has disappeared. Rajkummar Rao who has been gathering a lot of praise for his skills in acting had two direct to OTT releases last year — Ludo and Chhalaang. He was also a part of the Oscar-nominated web film, The White Tiger that released earlier this year.
When asked these tags mean to him he said, “Stars, I don’t know… but I know for a fact that our superstars will always be there. They’ve been here for so many decades and the love and adulation they’ve seen, I don’t think our generation will ever experience that. I love them, too,” he continues, “But, the way our cinema has seen this gradual shift, for me, the script is the real star. I’m just happy with the fact that we’re investing a lot of time in writing.”
Since content has become the new king does he feels that the era of stars is over? “I guess these tags can come and go overnight, but to sustain them is the most difficult task. Our audience decides who they want to call a star or not,” he answered.
Talking particularly about himself and his journey in Bollywood, he adds, “In my case, I always wanted to be an actor and that’s why I got formal training in acting as I wanted to come prepared before coming to Mumbai. I’m here for a marathon and not a sprint. I just want to keep acting and playing different exciting characters all my life, rest everything is a by-product.”
Talking about his upcoming projects Rao has wrapped up the shoot for his upcoming film Badhaai Do. “It’s actually not a sequel, we’re taking the [Badhaai Ho] franchise forward. It’s a beautiful story and one of the most amazing teams I’ve worked with. I can’t wait for everyone to watch our beautiful film,” he concludes.
