Rajkummar Rao, universally hailed as being among the most earnest and accomplished actors in Bollywood, recently spoke candidly about a secret struggle that many artists quietly endure, the tug between quality and quantity. Speaking from experience, the actor revealed, “Trust me, every year I tell myself to do lesser films.” But for someone as devoted and artistically inquisitive as Rao, that’s easier said than done.
Known for his remarkable performances in films like Shahid, Newton, Trapped, Stree, and more recently Srikanth, Rao has built a reputation for being a powerhouse of content-driven cinema. Yet, he admits that despite promising himself a lighter workload, he finds it hard to say no when a compelling script lands on his desk. “Whenever I think I’m going to do two films a year, I get another wonderful story. I can’t refuse them,” he said, describing how narrative remains his single greatest inspiration.
Rao also recognized the possibility of overexposure, something he’s acutely aware of. As much as his great reverence for the craft pushes him to take on different characters, he knows that he also has to let his work breathe and allow audiences to miss him. It’s a balancing act: remaining seen and relevant without making every performance feel stale and inconsequential.
Looking back at the first part of his career, he confessed to making a couple of emotionally charged choices, sometimes choosing films for the sake of his own reasons instead of the art. But now he feels better about saying “no” to a project that doesn’t appeal to him. He believes to hold out for stories that interest him instead of doing something for the sake of being visible.
For Rajkummar Rao, doing “lesser films” isn’t about doing less; it’s about doing better. And while the actor might still be juggling multiple releases a year, his emphasis on authenticity, strong storytelling, and meaningful characters means that whatever he decides to do brings substance—not just to his career, but to the audience experience as well.
