Exclusive! Bhumi Pednekar was busy: Rajkummar Rao opens up on finally working with her in Badhaai Do

With yet another interesting subject, Rajkummar Rao is back on the big screen. For the first time, the actor will be seen playing a homosexual character and a cop in the Harshvardhan Kulkarni directorial, Badhaai Do. Moreover, he will be working with Bhumi Pednekar for the first time. With the concept of lavender marriage, the talented duo has brought a unique concept to the screen.

Ahead of the release of Badhaai Do on February 11, we caught up with Rajkummar for an exclusive interview, where the actor spoke at length about finally working with Bhumi, playing a queer cop, and the prejudicial mindset of people about films on LGBTQIA subjects.

Edited excerpts are below:

Recently, I spoke to Harshvardhan Kulkarni (director), and he said only you could have pulled off this character with the physical humour you can do. Did you also feel that this role was just tailor-made for you?

I don't know if it's tailor-made for me. But I know that he was pretty sure that he wanted me to play Shardul. I'm so happy now and I'm so glad. I thank my stars that I got to be a part of this film because I was supposed to do another film on the same subject, which was also dealing with the LGBTQIA community. But that did not work out and now this has happened. I'm so happy that I'm a part of Badhaai Do and got a chance to meet Harshvardhan Sir. And now I'm his friend for life.

You have been a part of the industry for a long time, and so has Bhumi. But it took so long for you to come together for the first time. Why is that so? Were you both offered any scripts before?

She was very busy. Whenever I would say, "Let's do this film together," she would say, "I'm very busy." I think she finally got some time off and said, "Acha thik hai, tere saath kar leti hoon main film." (laughs)

What is it that made you say yes to this character, especially playing a homosexual person who is in uniform, which is not something you see often in Hindi movies? Was that an initial concern or a cause of excitement?

When I read the script, I saw this character as being gay as one part of his life, not his only identity. I like the fact that he is this complex guy who thinks he's a macho man. He still has those unfulfilled dreams. He's got so much pressure from the family and he's a cop. He's not happy with what he's doing and wants some changes in his personal space as well as where he works. So there's so much more happening to him. It's not only about you knowing that he's gay. I just love the fact that there's so much more to him and the relationship that he shares with Sumi, which is Bhumi's character and the family. It's great. The character is so wonderfully etched out. It just gave me so much freedom to perform.

As an actor, does the location of the story matter to you?

Oh, exactly. I think the geography of the film is very important to it. Harsh chose Dehradun, and every 70 kilometres of the place looks different. You get to see mountains, you get to see rivers, and suddenly you are in a town area. Suddenly, it feels like a small town, which is still developing. Dehradun has a lot more to offer. It depends on the character and where it belongs because that decides your language or the place that you live in; so many things depend on that.

Is there any trait or characteristic of your character that you'd like to imbibe in real life?

No, it doesn't happen with every film. Very rarely do you take something. But I'm way more awake now, and way more aware of the problems that the people in the LGBTQIA community must be going through. There are some beautiful scenes in the film that talk about that. So I'm way more aware now than I was earlier.

When movies on these subjects come out, some prejudicial minds create opinions even before the film's release. What do you have to say about that?

Exactly, I think they should wait and watch the film before passing any judgment. It's easy to pass judgment, but if you actually wait a little bit and watch the film, and then say what you feel like saying, and if it makes sense, we will take it very seriously. All of us involved in the film are very sensitive and very sensible people.

How was the whole process of enacting those scenes as the film talks about lavender marriage, which is a new concept on celluloid?

One thing that we were very clear about is that we don't want to do anything superficial. Anything that is conventional, or the way that we've been showing people from the community in a certain way in so many of our films. We wanted to normalise things, and we wanted to break stereotypes. The credit goes to Harshvardhan, Akshat, and Suman. The way they have written it, both Bhumi and I just had to surrender to what was written and what was there.

How do you switch off from these characters while moving on from one project to another?

Eventually, I have to, of course. It's not like I finish one tonight and tomorrow morning, I'm on another set. I don't do that. I take some days off. Also, I try to bring in some change physically, whenever it's possible for my characters. Eventually, you have to. You can't be stuck with that character forever.

Does that even help you in making decisions about your forthcoming projects?

That's a very conscious choice that I'm making now. I want to play characters and I want to be a part of films that excite me as an actor. One that challenges me because it gives me something new to explore and the opportunity to work with really exciting filmmakers whom I respect and admire a lot.

You've portrayed different kinds of characters, belonging to different milieus. Is there something on your bucket list that you think you've not done yet and would like to portray, like being an action star?

A couple of people have been telling me that you should do an out-and-out action film. Maybe I will.

Do you think people will be spoilt for choice with multiple releases coming on OTT and in theatres simultaneously?

If a film is good, it will find its audience. Because it's a good film, we're very hopeful that people will come and watch it and that there will be strong word of mouth. After lockdown, especially now that things are getting better, people want to go out and watch films in theatres, enjoy that popcorn, sit with their friends and families, and laugh out loud together. That's a very fulfilling experience.