'At his wedding with Patralekha, I officiated as the groom's father as Raj has lost both parents, and that's the relationship we share today.'
As Rajkummar Rao turned 40 on August 31, Director Hansal Mehta tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya about this phenomenally talented actor, whom he first directed in the 2012 biographical drama, Shahid.
The film bagged Raj the National Award for Best Actor and since then, the magical duo has collaborated on four other films and an OTT series.
'My wife was astounded I had found my Shahid'
My first meeting with Rajkummar Rao, actually he was Rajkummar Yadav then, was literally forced on me by casting director Mukesh Chhabra.
I was looking for a guy to play the lead in Shahid and since my last few films hadn't worked commercially, none of the leading actors wanted to work with me.
Raj had just shot that crazy dance sequence in Gangs of Wasseypur and Mukesh kept saying he's a really good actor and I should meet him.
One day, when he called again with the same request, I gave in and told him to send the boy across.
He surprised me by admitting Raj was standing outside my office building and I invited him up for a cup of tea.
This was in January-February 2011.
I liked him so much during that first meeting that I decided I would make Shahid with him. I had to just figure out how to raise money to make the film.
Back then, I shared an office with my wife and she had vacated the cabin to give us some privacy.
She was astounded when I told her I had found my Shahid.
'In 15 minutes and you haven't even seen him act!" she pointed out.
I didn't have to, there's something so endearing and honest about Raj, and his hunger matched mine.
People had lost faith in me and I was hungry to prove myself as a director again while he was hungry to prove himself as an actor.
In May, 2011, we flagged off the shoot of Shahid in Pathanwadi, Mumbai, with the riot scene.
'When Bhattsahab approached me for CityLights, I agreed instantly'
Dada had put some make-up on Raj to make him look younger for a flashback portion and he looked unnatural.
I told him and Jay, my son who was assisting me, to remove all the makeup.
When Raj finally walked out of the house, he had embraced the character and I could see Shahid in him even though there's no physical likeness.
We shot the film over 11 months as we had to stop every few weeks, resuming only after we had raised more money, and through it all, Raj remained in character.
He and I were the only ones who believed we would complete the film, and in making it, we bonded.
Shahid had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2012. It got a lot of love and was invited to many international film festivals.
We travelled together to the festivals which could afford to host both of us, and slowly, he became more than an actor for me.
Shahid released in India in October, 2013, and bagged Raj the National Award for Best Actor while I won for Best Director.
The following year, we reunited for CityLights.
Raj had already been signed and when Bhattsahab (Mahesh Bhatt) approached me to direct the film, I instantly agreed.
'He told me he had decided to do Aligarh, he'd read the script later'
In 2015, there was Aligarh and it was a joy watching two brilliant actors feeding off each other and enhancing each other's performance.
For me, Raj is as much the lead of Aligarh as Manoj (Bajpayee) because without Deepu (Rajkummar Rao's character, journalist Deepu Sebastian), there would be no Siras (Manoj Bajpayee's character Professor Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras) and vice versa.
But when I took the role to Raj, I told him clearly that Manoj was playing the central character and I wouldn't take it personally if he refused the film.
He was shooting for Hamari Adhuri Kahani at the time and flying out to New York. He told me he would read the script there and revert.
Frankly, I was doubtful of him accepting the film, but he called me as soon as he landed in New York and told me he had decided to accept the role without reading the script 'because koi aur nahin kar sakta (I can't see anyone else playing the character)'.
He's such a giving actor and so generous with his co-stars that he gives proper cues to everyone when he is off camera.
'Omerta is one of his finest performances, but under-rated'
I had the script of Omerta with me for many years but never thought I would be able to make the film.
I gave it to Raj to read and he came back saying, 'Sir, it's a challenging film, let's make it.'
He surrendered to the role completely, going into a really dark zone with Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British terrorist of Pakistani descent.
His eyes have a glaze that's chilling.
It was a delight for me to see an actor at the top of his game. Omerta is one of Raj's finest performances but perhaps the most under-rated.
This is the most fulfilling relationship in my career because Raj always gives me more than I ask for, physically, mentally and emotionally.
He pushes me to give him different characters and we are constantly challenging each other.
I remember when Luv Ranjan offered me Chhalaang, I accepted because Raj and I had not done a film in the popular zone.
Back then, the film was set in UP but since my favourite actor had never played a Haryanvi character, I convinced our producer to change the setting so it would be something new for him.
'Bose: Dead/Alive is responsible for all the weight I have put on'
I've directed Raj in five films -- Shahid, CityLights, Aligarh, Omerta and Chhalaang -- and with every film, our bond has grown stronger.
I was also the creative producer on the ALTBalaji series Bose: Dead/Alive, directed by Pulkit, which was singularly responsible for all the weight I have put on.
Raj, who plays Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, had to put on weight and I decided to give him company, gorging on rice, ghee, mishti doi, rasgullas and pizzas with him.
He quickly knocked off all the unwanted kilos while I'm still trying.
Raj was always physically fit but now he has a body to envy and has upped his fashion sense.
He's also more prosperous now.
It's a happy time for both of us because we are doing the kind of work we want to while also making money and getting success.
'We will collaborate again, maybe very soon'
I've seen all his films and this year, he's already had three releases.
Mr & Mrs Mahi is a more internalised performance with an author-backed role for Janhvi Kapoor.
Raj lets her take centrestage but still makes his mark.
The Srikanth biopic is entirely his film and he carries it on his shoulders.
Another fine performance which transcends the film.
I have a small cameo in Srikanth and we shot the climax together.
I only had to smile but he had a long monologue and we rehearsed his lines together.
Looking into those white contact lenses, I could see nothing had changed since Shahid, Raj still surrendered to a character completely, uncomplainingly shooting for hours and giving multiple takes.
His latest release, Stree 2, is a more physical comedy and he's full of energy, standing out in a crowd.
It's heartening that all three films have done well with even Vasan Bala's Monica, O My Darling, which came earlier on Netflix, getting rave reviews.
We have not directed him since Chhalaang in 2020, but whenever we meet, we talk about the scripts we want to do, individually and together.
We will collaborate again when the opportunity presents itself, maybe very soon.
He's family.
At his wedding with Patralekha, I officiated as the groom's father as Raj has lost both parents, and that's the relationship we share today.
Since I'll be out of Mumbai on his birthday, we had our own celebration before I left.
He may be 40, but for me he will always be that 26-year-old boy who came to my office one hot afternoon 13 years ago and became a part of my life.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
