Rajkummar Rao (previously known as Raj Kumar Yadav) is an Indian film actor known for his work in the Indian Hindi film industry or ‘Bollywood’. Rao made his silver screen debut with the 2010 film ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha’ which was an experimental anthology film shot entirely on a digicam and gained prominence for his work in the film ‘Shahid’ which won him a national film award as well as a Filmfare Critics Award for best actor. Rao is known for his method acting and is touted as one of the most versatile actors of the current generation.
Rao has since appeared in several critically acclaimed films which have also been deemed commercially successful. He received rave reviews for his work in films like ‘Ragini MMS’, ‘Shaitaan’, ‘Kai Po Che!’, ‘City Lights’ and ‘Aligarh’ and played a pivotal role in the 2014 multiple award winning romantic-comedy ‘Queen’ starring Kangana Ranaut. Rao is touted as one of the most bankable actors of his generation and is set to appear in 12 different movies in Hindi and Bengali languages between 2017-2018.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Rao was born as Raj Kumar Yadav on 31 August 1984 in Gurgaon, Ahriwal, Haryana, India to his parents who are of Yadava ethnicity, one of the most prominent racial group in the north of India. He was also raised in the same city along with his sibling, a brother. Not much is known about Rao’s family life.
Rao attended the Blue Bells Model School in Gurgaon from where he completed his matriculation and later moved to University of Delhi’s Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College from where he graduated with a Bacherlor’s Degree in Arts. Rao pursued a career in Theatre around the same time, attending Shri Ram Centre and Kshitij Repertory in Delhi. He later moved to Pune to attend the Film and Television Institute of India, graduated in 2008 and shifted base to Mumbai to embark upon a film career.
Rajkummar Rao – Childhood Pictures
Career Rise
Rao made his silver screen debut with Dibaker Banerjee’s 2012 film ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha’ which was an experimental anthology film completely shot on a digicam, a first of its kind film in India. His next role was in Ekta Kapoor’s horror drama ‘Ragini MMS’ in which he portayed a negative role. Both the movies proved successful with Rao winning applause from critics. Rao appeared in several films in supporting roles in 2012 including ‘Talaash’, ‘Chittagong’ and ‘Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2’ for which he visited Wasseypur to learn the local accent to portray Shamshed Alam.
Rao’s portrayed Govind in the 2013 film ‘Kai Po Che!’ which earned him critical and commercial success. He next appeared in the biopic ‘Shahid’ portraying Shahid Azmi, a human rights activist and slain lawyer which won him a National Film Award and a Filmfare Critics Best Actor Award. Rao continued to give commercially successful films and receiving critical acclaim for his work in films like ‘Queen’ and ‘City of Lights’ in 2014. He also appeared in ‘Dolly Ki Doli’, and ‘Hamari Adhuri Kahani’ in 2015. Rao’s 2016 film ‘Aligarh’ earned him a best supporting actor nomination at Filmfare awards and received critical acclaim. His recent films include ‘Trapped’, and ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’.
Personal Life
Rao is reportedly in a relationship with Indian actress and his co-star in the film City Lights, Anwita Paul, known by her screen name Patralekha. The couple first met in 2010 on the sets of ‘Love S&x Aur Dhokha’ and started dating in 2012 while filming ‘City Lights’.
A method actor, Rao is said to have survived on a diet of carrots and coffee to nail his undernourished look in the film ‘Trapped’. He considers Amitabh Bachchan and Daniel Day-Lewis as his cinematic inspirations.
Net Worth
Rao has an estimated net worth of approximately $6 Million.
Rajkummar Rao – Awards
He has won a National Film Award for Shahid (2014), three Filmfare Awards which include Best Actor (Critics) award for Shahid (2013) and Trapped (2017) and Best Supporting Actor for Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017). He also received the Asia Pacific Award for Newton (2017)
Rajkummar Rao – Upcoming Movies
He plays the role of a terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Shaikh in the movie ‘ Omerta’, directed by Hansal Mehta.
There is ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha toh Aisa Laga’ where he is paired opposite Sonam Kapoor.
The other movies include Fanney Khan (an official remake of Everybody’s Famous), Love You Sonia and a pan-Hollywood movie called ‘5 Weddings’.
