Rajkummar Rao with Kangana in Queen

He’s always known to choose his roles well — Love Sex Aur Dhokha to Kai Po Che!, Talaash to Shahid. Now, Rajkummar Rao has come up with another talked-about role, of a regressive and dominating man, in Queen. t2 caught up with the actor.

After watching Queen, people can’t stand you. So, job well done!

(Laughs) I never wanted people to like Vijay. Vijay is being hated to the core. Of course, even I dislike him (laughs). I’ve got a lot of calls over the last few days, even from boys who have told me: ‘A lot of us are like Vijay. We all behave like this at some point of time or the other’. I never wanted to paint Vijay as a white character. I always knew that he’s someone who has no redeeming qualities and I left him like that itself. I just wanted him to be that guy… chauvinistic guy who is put in his place in the end.

Given that you are just a few films old, wasn’t there ever a shred of hesitation in taking up a character that you surely knew would be hated?

Everyone who has seen the film and given me any feedback has just one thing to say: that I was very courageous to take up this role. Not many actors would have dared to do this part, is what most people have told me. I’m just happy that I have broken the mould and have been praised for it. My foremost reason to do Queen was that I wanted to be part of a good film. The role, whether it was short or long, negative or positive, didn’t really matter. From the first time I read the script, I knew that the film belonged to Kangana (Ranaut)… that everything would revolve around her. But I also knew that I would get noticed because it gave me a lot of scope as an actor.

It must have been very difficult to play someone so regressive and overbearing?

(Laughs) It was, because obviously I’m not like that! I know a lot of guys, especially from Delhi, who may not exactly be like Vijay, but they dominate their partners and are quite chauvinistic. My reference for this character was drawn from various men I have met at various points. I told Vikas (Bahl, the director) to give me space and let me play Vijay the way I saw him. I was lucky he allowed me to. I think more than negative, Vijay is really impulsive. In that one moment, he decided to call off his wedding and on an impulse, he wants to get back with Rani. He’s just very, very confused and believes that the world revolves around him.

Vijay is insecure and dominating. How is Rajkummar the boyfriend in real life?

Oh, I’m not insecure at all. I am not at all dominating in my relationship. (Rajkummar is in a relationship with model-actress Patralekha Paul.) I believe in ‘live and let live’.

Which were the scenes that you loved doing and the moments that you loved watching?

I loved the whole film. I think Kangana is fantastic. She’s the life and soul of Queen and makes the film what it is.

You are riding a wave, having bagged many awards for Shahid at the beginning of the year…

Yes, 2013 was a good year for me… there was Shahid, there was Kai Po Che!. Queen has given me a good start and then I have City Lights (directed by Hansal Mehta and co-starring Patralekha). I’ve just seen the rough cut of the edit and I am very happy with the way it’s turned out. I’m quite proud of it. Hansal (who directed Rajkummar in Shahid) is like family to me.

Have you got used to people calling you Rajkummar Rao now?

(Laughs) Yeah, pretty much. My first name’s remained the same except the extra ‘M’, so it’s all cool. The surname really hasn’t come out of the blue because in Haryana, Yadav and Rao are the same thing. My mother wanted me to use this name and refusing wasn’t an option (smiles).

Priyanka Roy

Was Rajkummar the best choice for the role of Vijay in Queen? Tellt2@abp.in