Rajkummar Rao has always been a huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan, but would he like to have a brand image like him? The Stree 2 actor recently spoke on Raj Shamani’s podcast where he was asked that big stars are usually associated with one word – Shah Rukh Khan means love – which one would he like to be associated with?
Rao responded to this by saying that he hadn’t really thought about it. He said, “But I don’t want to fall into that trap. I don’t want to be a slave to that… I am an actor. I have to be a chameleon, I have to transform myself.” Further in the podcast, Rajkummar Rao also revealed how Shah Rukh ensures that he lives up to his fans’ expectations and whether such clarity works for actors.
The host asked, “Maybe it is like that in real life as well, but maybe it is also important to be a little strategic about how you appear in public… Do you think that is for you?” Rao was quick to respond and said that acting is an art and all actors are creating something (cinema). “If it is an art, why am I turning myself into a brand? I am not a product. I am a human being who feels things and recreates those feelings. It is a very internal process,” Rajkummar said.
Also read: Did you know Stree 2 actor Rajkummar Rao was paid just this much for his debut film Love Sex Aur Dhokha? Says ‘work was important’
Rao, 39, said he doesn’t see himself as a product or a brand and would like to look at himself in the mirror as “only” an artist. “I am here to create, I am here to surprise my audience, I am here to surprise myself,” Rao said.
Rajkummar, however, also said that he doesn’t plan too much about how he will shape his choices in the future, and admitted that there is a possibility that his approach could be wrong. Even though the Shahid actor has distanced himself from Shah Rukh Khan’s rule of thumb, he has often spoken about the superstar’s words of wisdom.
In an interview with Mashable, Rajkummar recalled a ‘charming’ advice given by Shah Rukh, “Whenever you buy a house, spend a little more than what you can afford. That way, you will work harder because you will want to earn money.”
The Prince’s Bride 2 is currently in theaters near you.
Also read: ‘Shah Rukh Khan is my benchmark’, admits Urfi Javed; Follow Kar Lo Yaar star wants to enjoy it like him
