 "EXCLUSIVE Interview! Rajkummar Rao on ‘Srikanth’: ‘Could relate to his background because he…’| Not Just Bollywood")
It isn’t easy to get into the skin of the character of Srikanth Bolla. Rajkummar Rao is doing a biopic on Srikanth Bolla, the man who was rejected from top Indian institutes because he was blind. Later Srikanth went to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) to study business management science. Playing a blind man was not an easy job for him.
In an interview with Firstpost’s Lachmi Deb Roy on a hot, sultry May afternoon, Rajkummar Rao talks about his film Srikanth , his journey in the entertainment industry and more.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
Did you meet Srikanth Bolla?
I had to meet Srikanth because I am portraying his life on screen. So, I wanted to study his mannerisms. As an actor it was my responsibility and job to take anything I can from him and portray it on screen. So, I spent hours with him, talking about his life and experiences, trying to understand his body language and facial movements. Because before meeting him, I didn’t have any references otherwise. I also visited blind schools to get a taste of how visually impaired people behave.
Srikant Bolla’s journey is very impressive, but how much do you resonate with him?
I could definitely resonate with his perseverance, with his grit and his working nature. I wouldn’t say exactly, but I could somehow relate with his background because he too comes from a very humble background. And in my life also there were a lot of hardships when it came to money and having a big dream in life and to actually achieve that dream was something I could relate to.
Apart from that, he being visually challenged made it way tougher for him as compared to that of mine. When I met him, I realised how optimistic he is. He is full of confidence and full of life. A really witty guy and he is so self-sufficient despite being blind.
How much of a responsibility is it to make a biopic?
Certainly there is a huge responsibility when you do cinema in someone’s personal life. There are people who know him. They will come and judge it and will know how close you are to the character. Apart from that you are portraying someone else’s character and putting it on screen for millions to watch. And he being visually impaired made it really tough for me. I have never done something like this before. I thought it would be exciting and challenging for sure.
What do you have to say about cinema changing and with no concept of hero-heroine and most importantly with the taste of the audiences changing?
Cinema goes through a change every 15 to 20 years. The language will change; new filmmakers are coming in which is indeed a welcome change. I am happy that there is a huge section of the audience who are willing to watch films like Srikanth and Laapataa Ladies and appreciate unique stories. The audience too wants to resonate with the character and get inspired by them.
What’s next?
After Srikanth, I have Mr. & Mrs. Mahi with Janhvi Kapoor in it.
WATCH the trailer of Srikanth here
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