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Rajkummar Rao, currently riding high on the success of ‘Stree 2,’ recently reflected on his humble beginnings in Bollywood, sharing a surprising detail about his debut film, ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha.’ Despite now being one of the industry’s most sought-after actors, Rao earned only Rs 11,000 for his first big-screen role.
In an interview with Raj Shamani, Rao revealed that after moving to Mumbai, he struggled for over a year to find acting opportunities.His big break came when he learned of an audition for Dibakar Banerjee’s 2010 film, ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha.’ Rao described how he tracked down the film’s casting director, Atul Mongia, and persistently sent him photos until he was finally called for an audition.
Recalling the audition process, Rao mentioned he wore unconventional clothes based on the character’s description, only to be asked if he had anything else to wear. Despite this minor setback, his audition impressed the filmmakers, and he received a callback, albeit with a condition: he needed to lose weight from his face. Determined to secure the role, Rao worked diligently, shedding the necessary pounds within a week. After several rounds of auditions, he was finally cast in the film.
Reflecting on the meager earnings from his debut, Rao admitted that it wasn’t about the money for him at that point; he was more focused on proving his talent and getting a foothold in the industry. “Of course, it didn’t fetch me any money. I got Rs 11,000 for the first film. But it was not for the money, work was important,” he stated.
Today, Rajkummar Rao is a celebrated actor with numerous achievements to his name, and his recently released ‘Stree 2’ is minting good box office numbers.
In an interview with Raj Shamani, Rao revealed that after moving to Mumbai, he struggled for over a year to find acting opportunities.His big break came when he learned of an audition for Dibakar Banerjee’s 2010 film, ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha.’ Rao described how he tracked down the film’s casting director, Atul Mongia, and persistently sent him photos until he was finally called for an audition.
Recalling the audition process, Rao mentioned he wore unconventional clothes based on the character’s description, only to be asked if he had anything else to wear. Despite this minor setback, his audition impressed the filmmakers, and he received a callback, albeit with a condition: he needed to lose weight from his face. Determined to secure the role, Rao worked diligently, shedding the necessary pounds within a week. After several rounds of auditions, he was finally cast in the film.
Reflecting on the meager earnings from his debut, Rao admitted that it wasn’t about the money for him at that point; he was more focused on proving his talent and getting a foothold in the industry. “Of course, it didn’t fetch me any money. I got Rs 11,000 for the first film. But it was not for the money, work was important,” he stated.
Today, Rajkummar Rao is a celebrated actor with numerous achievements to his name, and his recently released ‘Stree 2’ is minting good box office numbers.
