It’s Rajkummar Rao’s birthday! Well, in India. It’s still the day before his birthday in the US, but I figure, close enough.
Rajkummar Rao! Launched with Sushant Singh Rajput and Amit Sadh in Kai Po Che, all three of them talented actors with a little experience and no big name. SSR was the “cute” one and immediately given a YRF contract, while Rajkummar was the protagonist and generally acknowledged as the best actor the three, but languished a little in obscurity. Anurag Kashyap used him for some things, Hansel Mehta made him his muse in Shahid and others, but no big mainstream kind of hit although those in the industry started to recognize his name. And then came Queen, that odd surprise hit, and suddenly he was a known name. A few years later, Bareilly Ki Barfi got everyone in transports over his talent, and Stree added on to it. And now here we are today, Rajkummar Rao works steadily in bigger hits every year, while still throwing in the odd roles.
Anyway, of alllllll his films, which is your favorite? Not his roles or his performances, the movie as a whole?
Easy no brainer for me, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga. It’s the perfect movie. Rajkummar is the protagonist, but not the lead, if that makes sense. He nicely steps back and lets it be really Sonam and Anil Kapoor’s movie.
(to help your memory, here is a select list of his films:
Love Sex Aur Dhokha
Talaash
Kai Po Che
Shahid
Queen
CityLights
Dolly Ki Doli
Humare Adhuri Kahaani
Aligarh
Trapped
Raabta
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Newton
Shaadi Main Zaroor Aana
Omerta
Fanney Khan
Stree
Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga
Judgementall Hai Kya
Shimla Mirch)
Bonus Question: What is your least favorite Rajkummar movie?
Easy for me, definitely Judgementall Hai Kya
dontcallitbollywood 
I won’t lie, I wanted to say Hamari Adhuri Kahani, but I will say Newton because it is the only movie from the list I hope will have a sequel.
Rajkummar is great, I love protagonist’s honesty, the script is very good, all supporting characters are strong and interesting, the chemistry between Rajkummar and Anjali Patel is awesome. I need to see what will happen between them, and I want to see soldier Pankaj Tripathi again.
Least favourite film: Shimla Mirchi . So uneven!
LikeLike
I was waiting for you to say Humari Adhuri Kahaani! That’s why I included it on the list. Now I’m disappointed.
On Sun, Aug 30, 2020 at 5:20 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
That’s such a tough question. I love Shahid, but I think that’s because I love his performance in Shahid so much. If you are asking for which overall film I like then I would have to say Stree. I think Stree has a re-watchable factor to it.
Rajkummar has a really exciting upcoming slate. Ludo directed by Anurag Basu alongside a fun ensemble cast. He has Roohi Afzana, another horror-comedy like Stree with Janhvi Kapoor, and he’s reuniting with Hansal Mehta for Chhalaang.
LikeLike
I am so excited about Ludo! That cast is all around great, I cannot wait for it to come to Netflix and I wish netflix would announce the release date already.
On Sun, Aug 30, 2020 at 9:27 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
It might still be Bareilly ki Barfi, but it’s a tie between that and Ek Ladki. I used to love Queen but I can’t with that anymore. I haven’t seen Newton, but I think I should.
I really hated Simla Mirchi, or well, the 15 minutes I watched before I gave up. And I mean, considering the type of movies I have made it through, that’s something. The only good thing about that movie is the first song. I think he has a good, light-hearted energy for songs, better than Ayushmann, but nobody uses it.
LikeLike
Thank goodness, another Ek Ladki lover!
On Mon, Aug 31, 2020 at 1:09 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Best is trapped. A single person story trapped on a highrise alone and the ways he goes to keep himself alive.
The climax is the stuff of legend and the best adtelanike and jaw in the mouth moment recently.
Also shahid omerta Bose.hansal.mehta brings out the best in him.
Bt what a revelation he was in Bkb. The subtle ways in which he transferred from 1 character to other in it and his mannerism on the street when he transfers into that gunda for the 1st time ,entire theater was in splits.
LikeLike
Oh I love this “gunda” scene. One of the funniest ever in my opinion. Unfortunately the rest of the movie is not that funny (except Pankaj Tripathi scenes, and when they are together it’s something special).
LikeLike
Happy birthday, Rajkummar. As someone who has only followed Hindi film sporadically over at least the past five years, his is one of the few “new” faces I recognize. I’m definitely an ELKDTAL fan, that’s not going to change soon. Newton has the disadvantage that I saw it at a festival, so it’s too much associated with that “take it seriously” atmosphere for me to really enjoy it.
LikeLike
Ugh, watching movies at a festival is the WORST. I would say, regular desi theater experience top best, then streaming with friends at home, then streaming alone, and then festival.
On Mon, Aug 31, 2020 at 3:40 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
This has made me realize I really have to get on the stick with his movies. Haven’t even seen Newton yet.
I subdivided my answer:
Best movie with Rajkummar in it: Aligarh. He’s good in it, but it’s Manoj’s movie.
Best Rajkummar role: Trapped edges out Shahid, because the whole film focuses on him and he does it pretty much without talking–no soliloquy to a volleyball in this movie. I think it’s his career best so far.
Rajkummar role I enjoyed watching the most: Bareilly ki Barfi and Shaadi Main Zaroor Aana. Why can’t Eithusan get the subtitles already???? Do they really only exist on a Thai Airways inflight movie?
Worst movie that I really liked him in: Fanney Khan. He makes Aishwarya watchable.
LikeLike
No, I STRONGLY disagree, even Rajkummar could not make Aish likeable in Fanney Khan.
On Mon, Aug 31, 2020 at 6:10 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
Not likeable but bearable.
LikeLike
I love him the most in Bareilly Ki Barfi – I feel like he brightens the screen whenever he appears (even more than it is already owing to Ayushmann and Kriti Sanon’s charming performances) it’s such a brilliant step away from a lot of the more serious stuff I’ve seen him in.
His jumps from timidness to ridiculousness to vengefulness are just a delight to watch
LikeLike
Good point, it is a strong cast all around in that film, and yet Rajkummar stands out.
LikeLike
For me, so far, it’s BKB.
What a filmography in just over a decade! RQuality + Quantity. Has anyone else had so many acclaimed movies + so many good roles in the past decade plus? Maybe it’s because he’s been willing to play second fiddle roles (which take less shooting time) as well as many acclaimed lower budget indie films (which also take less shooting time). Respect!
I realize that I just haven’t seen most of his work. But I have liked every movie I have seen him in, and I’ve liked him in his roles in those movies that I’ve seen.
LikeLike
Yes! Even Talaash, he barely has any lines but he does such a good job. And it is such a good movie.
On Mon, Aug 31, 2020 at 7:42 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike
I keep going back and forth between Queen and Stree. As much as Kangana kind of sucks, I felt so connected to Rani on a really deep level. That movie made me feel so many things. But Stree really impressed me. I avoid anything horror, and I still can’t explain to you why I watched it, but I really enjoyed it.
LikeLike
Oooo, those are both so good! Oh man, now I want to do Stree as our movie tonight instead of Vettai. This is so hard!
On Wed, Sep 2, 2020 at 6:01 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
>
LikeLike