Rajkummar Rao recalls being replaced in a film overnight by a starkid: ‘To just use your power in a wrong way is unfair’

After impressing the audience with his performance in Srikanth, actor Rajkummar Rao is currently busy with the promotions of his next film, Mr & Mrs Mahi. The movie also stars Janhvi Kapoor in the lead role. Recently, both the actors sat down for a freewheeling chat with producer Karan Johar where Karan and Rajkummar discussed the insider-outsider debate in Bollywood. Though Rajkummar claimed that he did not care much about nepotism, he has been a victim of it at one point.

During the conversation when Karan asked Rajkummar what was his take on the nepotism debate and whether the outsider claim of the industry being unfair was true. Rajkummar responded, “I am somebody who loves cinema, worships it. I have grown up watching cinema and trained in filmmaking and acting. When the nepotism debate started, I got this question asked a lot, and my answer has always been the same I don’t care where you come from as long as you are talented and know your job. I just want to see the talent on screen if I am investing my time and money watching you. I should see your hard work or you have no right to be there. Being an insider the only thing that might help is that you might get a few opportunities sooner. After that your work will speak, so eventually you will have to leave or slow down and figure out different ways.”

Also Read: Rajkummar Rao takes a dig at Janhvi Kapoor as she jokes about ‘nepotism’: ‘Is that a taunt to me?’

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As the discussion continued, Karan Johar also pointed out how some popular outsiders have used nepotism as a tool just to grab striking headlines. He even went on to share that this myth about actors getting film offers at Bollywood parties and events is false. Sharing his point of view, Rajkummar Rao said, “When I had just moved to Mumbai, even I was told that you have to attend parties and events to meet people and make contacts. Once I was supposed to a film and was replaced overnight with somebody who was known and happened to be a star kid. In my mind, I could think that it is not fair, just because you can control things, have contacts, and make some calls. Even an outsider who would have been successful could have done the same. That film never got made, but to just use your power in the wrong way is unfair.”

Also Read | Rajkummar Rao borrowed Rs 5000 to come to Mumbai, would stand in front of Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat all day: ‘When I finally met him…’

Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor’s Mr and Mrs Mahi releases in theatres on  May 31.

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