Birthday special: The incredible seamlessness of Rajkummar Rao

The actor nails all his parts, even in relatively less engaging films. He’s one performer that has to be utilised very carefully and cautiously, and then witness the explosion that follows on celluloid

Rajkummar Rao’s ability was observed right when the nation saw him for the first time in Dibakar Banerjee’s ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha.’ Three stories were interconnected via characters and cameras, filming their conflicts and chaos and building a unique cinematic experience. Here, Rao was enamoured by a sales girl and wished to film their intimate moment. He succeeded, both in his desire and debut.

In a role that doesn’t get enough applause and attention, he was remarkably restrained in Reema Kagti’s noir-thriller ‘Talaash- The Answer Lies Within’. Rao was a police officer along with Aamir Khan. In the hands of another filmmaker attacking the narrative in a more mainstream manner, this could have been reduced to a sidekick or a cohort, but Kagti gives ample room for this man to leave an impression. In his best moment, he casually (and awkwardly) informs Khan he’ll come later when he sees him fighting with his wife. The audience is amused at his awkwardness, anyone would be. That’s why he’s a special actor.

Hansal Mehta and Rajkummar Rao seems to be a match made in heaven. Their first film came out in 2013, a film called ‘Shahid’, based on real and brutal incidents. A man who was once behind bars is now a lawyer who stands for justice. The actor’s naïveté seems intentional that blends with the rawness of his role. He barely raises his voice in the court, and operates emotionally. He won the National Award for his performance, and this happened just three years after his debut. Wow Rao!

Also read: Sanya Malhotra: Manifested a film with Raj by wanting it for long

In Vikramaditya Motwane’s ‘Trapped’, Rao was on his own. As the title suggests, he was trapped inside an apartment with nowhere to escape. Such stories have been described as survival dramas. The direction and the acting have to lead the audiences to feel as claustrophobic and suffocated as the protagonist. Motwane films some discomforting visuals of madness and despair that work in favour of the story. Rao throws a television set from the window to get the watchman’s attention, even sets a portion of the apartment on fire but nothing works. As hunger looms large, he resorts to eating a mouse. When he finally makes the big escape, the first one to breathe is the viewer. This was riveting filmmaking and acting at its bravest.

Talking of brave, there’s one more film called ‘Omertà’, once again with Hansal Mehta and once again on a true story, and once again a bone chilling subject. Here, Rao played the terrorist Ahmed Omar Sheikh. He was known for kidnapping western tourists and murdering the Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Playing such hideous characters need physical and psychological resemblance. For whatever limited photographs of the said person is available on the internet, Rao got the look right. But how to replicate the psyche of someone who hasn’t been known to people? Mehta and Rao take the challenge and make a film on a real life personality that doesn’t whitewash his sins. There are no fictional flashbacks, no misrepresentation of facts.

After such emotionally traumatic and tragic roles, every actor and his audience, need a breather. This breather came in the form of ‘Stree.’ This is a film that led to the rise and rise of what we call as the genre of horror-comedy. Unlike the other horrors that make you laugh for all the wrong reasons, Amar Kaushik’s ‘Stree’ did things correctly. Based on a folklore, it was the story of a woman’s incomplete love and unfulfilled desire. She kidnaps men to complete her search of true love. Trapped in this madness were Rao and his two friends who loiter around aimlessly. Written by Raj and DK, ‘Stree’ was burning with inventiveness and sharpness. It showed there’s more to Rao than just his intense roles, the man can raise uproarious laughs just as easily. 

Special mentions: 'Bareilly Ki Barfi', 'Aligarh', 'Newton'

Also Read: Rajkummar Rao: Want filmography I can be proud of after 50 years

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