Superstardom of Khans won't come back: Rajkummar Rao

Agencies
February 1, 2019

Mumbai, Feb 1: Rajkummar Rao may have emerged as a major box office draw at the box office but the actor does not believe he is anywhere near the superstardom that the three Khans have in Bollywood.

There is a great churning in Bollywood with content driven films outperforming and outclassing those headlined the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan.

Rajkummar, who is the considered one of the faces of this new breed of cinema, however, says it would not be right to compare his stardom with that of the Khans.

"I don't think we can compare superstars and actors like me. The kind of films Aamir sir, Shah Rukh sir and Salman sir have done are amazing. You can't say they are not good just because one of their films did not work.

"They are superstars for some reason and we all love them. I am myself a fan of the Khans. We should not compare. We are very new and we have a long way to prove ourselves. I don't think the kind of superstardom that these superstars have seen will ever come back again," Rajkummar told news agency.

The actor believes the mass hysteria and mania around their superstardom is something that all actors yearn for but it just cannot be replicated.

"I want all our films to do well at the box office. But the craze that they have seen is something I don't think is going to comeback. It is very tough. People love these actors, the way people react, shout, hug, cry... The phenomenon is huge."

The 34-year-old actor, whose filmography includes gems like "Newton", "Trapped", "Bareilly Ki Barfi" and "Stree", among others, rules himself out of the contention of being the next big Bollywood superstar.

"I am very happy doing what I am doing and if it takes me there, good. But let me tell you I am happy in this space."

The actor had five releases in 2018 but it was Amar Kaushik's "Stree" that did the wonders for Rajkummar at the box office. He also starred in critically-acclaimed films "Omerta" and "Love Sonia".

"Audience loved these stories more than anything else. Today people are more concerned about the content they are seeing. I always try to offer new things. Since my debut film 'Love Sex Aur Dhokha', I am trying to experiment and push boundaries as an actor. I am happy people are accepting that. It is a feeling of validation as these are the kind of films I was doing earlier and today they are doing great numbers."

Despite his recent success, the actor still reads all his scripts. He says yes to a project only if he feels the story is good.

"I do get a lot of scripts, I don't want to give a number, I can't brag. I get all kinds of scripts from weird to some really interesting ones as well. I have a number of films to choose from.

"I read all my scripts and I don't let other people decide. I believe an actor should invest their time in reading scripts carefully and understanding it. Also, there are filmmakers with whom I wanted to work and now I am getting the opportunity to do so."

Up next for the actor is "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga", where he reunites with Anil Kapoor and co-stars Sonam Kapoor.

About the film, Rajkummar says, "More than the role, the story was unique, so I did the film. It talks about things that are relevant in our society. I liked the role as well. It is the story that I look at first and then comes my role."

The film offers yet another take on LGBTQ issues, something which Rajkummar previously dealt with in Hansal Mehta's "Aligarh".

He believes that while "Aligarh" was a biopic on Aligarh Muslim University professor Ramachandra Siras, "Ek Ladki.." is a commercial project and an entertaining film.

"This film ('Ek Ladki..') is more about acceptance. This is a family film, relationship drama, it is about friendship, love. I believe there has to be equality, you can't judge someone based on sexual preference. It is their life and who they want as their partners, it is a normal thing," he adds.

He has an interesting blend of films up for release this year - "Mental Hai Kya" with Kangana Ranaut and "Made in China". He has also signed a film with Anurag Basu and Hansal Mehta.

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News Network
June 15,2020

Mumbai, Jun 15: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has paid a heartfelt tribute to actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Bandra residence in Mumbai on Sunday.

Taking to Twitter, the superstar recalled the 'Kai Po Che' actor's "energy, enthusiasm, and his full happy smile."

Sushant, who was a big fan of Shah Rukh, was often compared to him as both the actors made a successful transition from the small screen to Bollywood without any Godfathers.

Sharing a throwback picture along with Sushant, Khan also noted how much the late actor loved him and asserted that he will surely miss him.

"He loved me so much...I will miss him so much. His energy, enthusiasm, and his full happy smile. May Allah bless his soul and my condolences to his near and dear ones. This is extremely sad....and so shocking!!," the tweet read.

Sushant, 34, committed suicide by hanging himself on Sunday, Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Sharma confirmed. However, no suicide note has been recovered from Rajput's residence, as per the police and further investigation is underway.

As per the latest development, the body of the actor is brought to Dr RN Cooper Municipal General Hospital from his residence in Bandra.

The actor, who rose to fame with the 2008 television series 'Pavitra Rishta,' made his Bollywood debut with Abhishek Kapoor's 'Kai Po Che' in 2013.

One widely loved actor for his simplicity and humble nature, the actor gave hit movies to the entertainment industry, including MS Dhoni's biopic, where he played the cricketer on screen.

The star was last seen in Nitish Tiwari's 'Chhichhore,' alongside Shraddha Kapoor in 2019.

The news of the sudden demise of the actor left a bevy of his fans, and Bollywood celebrities in shock, triggering an outpouring of condolences.

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News Network
January 2,2020

New Delhi, Jan 2: Hoping her cinematic voice can help bring about lasting change in how society perceives acid attack survivors, actor Deepika Padukone says her latest film Chhapaak should ideally be so impactful that there won't be need for another story on acid violence.

After all, cinema is in itself such a powerful medium, Deepika told news agency ahead of the release of the film, which is based on the life of acid attack survivor and activist Laxmi Agarwal.

The idea behind the social drama is to invoke empathy and understanding rather than paint women who have undergone the ordeal as victims, the actor, who has also produced the film, said in a telephonic interview from Mumbai.

"Beyond the gruesomeness, the violence and all of that, there is a story of the human spirit and hope. That's why we're telling the story," she said.

Deepika, 33, said it was a story that spoke to her and she felt pride in attaching herself to the project.

Chhapaak, directed by Meghna Gulzar and featuring Vikrant Massey, is the second mainstream film to focus on the subject after 2019 Malayalam movie Uyare starring Parvathy Thiruvothu.

"I hope we won't have to constantly tell stories on acid attack survivors for us to see change. I hope with our film we begin to see that change for ourselves as a society and for acid attack survivors.

"If we don't, then we've done something wrong as a society. Cinema in itself is such a powerful medium that hopefully just through this one film we will hopefully be able to see that kind of change and impact," Deepika said.

The actor said there was not much planning behind the decision to back the film financially.

"Sometimes certain films need a little more hand holding, a little more love and support. I felt like I would be adding a little more value as a producer.

"This is a film I'm very proud of, not just from the script point of view but even in terms of the story and its message," she said.

The film, which releases on January 10, will be Deepika's first release in two years and comes after her marriage to frequent co-star Ranveer Singh.

The actor said she used the time to creatively replenish herself.

"It was about finding a film worthy of putting out there. It's not that work at my end had stopped. I was constantly looking for scripts that challenged and excited me.

"I would look at it as time for creative fertility. It's important to nurture yourself. The work that goes on behind the scenes... most often we're constantly on a film set, but whether it's meeting with writers and directors, looking for scripts... That is also part of the creative process and that's what I've been doing."

The title Chhapaak instantly evokes the image of acid being splattered, and Deepika said the director wanted a word for the film's name that could also lend itself to a song.

"I think she said 'chhapaak', which is the sound of a splash, is something that could adapt or lend itself beautifully to a song. Perhaps, it also has to do with fluidity. So on one hand, liquid is known to take different forms, a liquid such as this (acid) can change someone's life forever," she said.

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News Network
February 19,2020

New Delhi, Feb 19: Deepika Padukone on Wednesday shared her much-awaited first look from the upcoming sports-drama '83' as Romi Dev, wife of cricket stalwart Kapil Dev. The actor also penned a message expressing gratitude for the iconic role.

The 'Chhapaak' actor shared the still on Twitter along with a caption that reads, "To play a small part in a film that captures one of the most iconic moments in sporting history has been an absolute honour!83 for me is an ode to every woman who puts her husband's dream before her own..."

In the absorbing first look, Deepika is seen sharing a smile along with Ranveer Singh, she is also seen sporting short hair. The star is seen wearing a high-neck top, while Ranveer is wearing team India's official blazer.

Previously, Ranveer shared the teaser of the flick in an event, which gave a glance of the lead characters of the flick featuring Tahir Raj Bhasin as Sunil Gavaskar, Jiiva as K Srikkanth, Saqib Saleem as Mohinder Amarnath, Jatin Sarna as Yashpal Sharma, Chirag Patil as Sandeep Patil, Dinker Sharma as Kirti Azad and Nishant Dahiya as Roger Binny, Harrdy Sandhu as Madan Lal, Sahil Khattar as Syed Kirmani, Ammy Virk as Balwinder Singh Sandhu and Addinath M Kothare as Dilip Vengsarkar, Dhairya Karwa as Ravi Shashtri and R Badree as Sunil Valson along with Pankaj Tripathi as PR Man Singh.

'83' is being co-produced by Madhu Mantena, Sajid Nadiadwala, and Reliance Entertainment. Helmed by Kabir Khan, the movie is slated for release on April 10.

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