“YOU CAN’T CONTROL SUCCESS”

He is currently on a roll, delivering consistent hits at the box office. But the first thing that you will notice about Rajkummar Rao, is his humility. Devoid of starry tantrums, he greets me with a warm handshake, as we settle ourselves on a comfortable couch in his fancy hotel suite, from where one can get a gorgeous panoramic view of Mumbai. Just as we’re about to begin the interview, I panic when I discover that my backup phone recorder is faulty. However, Rao keeps calm, and offers to record the interview on his phone. This is when I realise that the actor-par-excellence has not been ruffled by the vagaries of showbiz. With films like Omerta, Stree, Judgementall Hai Kya, Shahid, Newton, Trapped, Shaitan, Kai Po Che! and Queen to his credit, Rao is a game changer in the industry. Excerpts from the interview:

What was life like before you entered the film industry?

I grew up in Gurugram. I binge-watched